Food gifts?

[JessiFox]

With money being the way it is these days for a lot of people, it's no surprise that crafty friends and family might try out DIY and handmade gifts, but how do you feel about food gifts? Either giving or receiving them?

 

[Tina Nord]

I love giving and receiving food gifts. Sometimes they are the best because they are a treat. I especially love to get things like pickled onions and asparagus that have been canned. Make the gifts unusual and have fun with it.

 

[DancingLady]

Food gifts are wonderful. They taste good and they are consumed and don't take up space for years collecting dust. I love giving and receiving food because it is something everyone can enjoy and not have to spend a lot of money on. I plan to do some this year for sure.

 

[chefjon]

Everyone I give food gifts to love what they get! Who does not like a big cheesecake or box of cookies. I stopped giving gifts that you have to buy and started giving cakes, cookies, and pastries for xmas presents. It's something my neighbors and friends look forward to every year.

 

[Mara]

I enjoy receiving food gifts and giving them, especially to people I know who are on a budget, having food that is a treat is a nice luxury. A tin of expensive biscuits is something you can enjoy and share or easy to regift. Chocolates never fail and I would rather have that than a pair of gloves or something that will sit on a shelf or in stay in a cupboard.

 

[JessiFox]

Woohoo glad I'm not the only one- I put a lot of effort into my baking and making things from scratch, so it's not just throwing some kind of mix in a jar and calling it a day lol. Interesting ideas that you've all given me as well, thanks so much!

 

[tangela]

I like getting and receiving them, but I've always noticed that if you give them you have to time it really really well. If you don't time it right in terms of how "fresh" it is, the baked good or food won't taste as fresh and you'd have to worry about the food possibly going bad or whatever.

I think a good rule of thumb is that if you're going to bake something for someone to give away, bake it so it's no more than 2 days old and ideally, give it to the recipient as soon as you have it done. That way they can have it fresh, and to me fresh is always best

 

[Winterybella]

I like getting and receiving them, but I've always noticed that if you give them you have to time it really really well. If you don't time it right in terms of how "fresh" it is, the baked good or food won't taste as fresh and you'd have to worry about the food possibly going bad or whatever.

I think a good rule of thumb is that if you're going to bake something for someone to give away, bake it so it's no more than 2 days old and ideally, give it to the recipient as soon as you have it done. That way they can have it fresh, and to me fresh is always best

That's quite true about the timing being just right with the gift giving of food ideas. Wrong timing and it will not go down well at all. Now that I have been seeing these great ideas of food items as gifts I think I will seriously consider getting involved.

 

[JessiFox]

I like getting and receiving them, but I've always noticed that if you give them you have to time it really really well. If you don't time it right in terms of how "fresh" it is, the baked good or food won't taste as fresh and you'd have to worry about the food possibly going bad or whatever.

I think a good rule of thumb is that if you're going to bake something for someone to give away, bake it so it's no more than 2 days old and ideally, give it to the recipient as soon as you have it done. That way they can have it fresh, and to me fresh is always best

That is a very good point as well, the highlight of a good food gift is capturing all the amazing flavor and effort that went into it...which is always going to translate better when it's as fresh as possible

 

[kammy]

I was just thinking of writing this exact question when i came across your post . I have being thinking of doing some fruitcakes for some of my Christmas gifts especially for family members...after hearing all your thoughts this is something i definitely be doing.

 

[JessiFox]

I was just thinking of writing this exact question when i came across your post . I have being thinking of doing some fruitcakes for some of my Christmas gifts especially for family members...after hearing all your thoughts this is something i definitely be doing.

Great minds, eh? That's fantastic of you...can you believe I've actually never had a fruitcake in my life? They get such a bad reputation but I'm still curious about them.

 

[kammy]

You could consider making a fruitcake this Christmas...it's all about stepping out of your comfort zone and doing something new and the fun part of it you can add whatever spices and nuts you want and lots of wine..the more the better.

 

[Winterybella]

Great minds, eh? That's fantastic of you...can you believe I've actually never had a fruitcake in my life? They get such a bad reputation but I'm still curious about them.

You haven't made a fruitcake? Some here most certainly have their fruit cake setting for months now so it will be ready for baking close to Christmas. I just called my mom to ask when last she made one. She said not in a very long time.

I will get a recipe at some point and hook you up JessiFox. You are too good at this not to try a fruitcake.

 

[JessiFox]

Thanks you two- so is the wine the trick to keeping it moist? Because a dry, hard as a brick fruitcake seems to be the biggest complaint that people tend to have. I would definitely be open to trying one, I'm all about pushing the envelope and learning new things .

And thanks so much Wintery <3

 

[Winterybella]

Thanks you two- so is the wine the trick to keeping it moist? Because a dry, hard as a brick fruitcake seems to be the biggest complaint that people tend to have. I would definitely be open to trying one, I'm all about pushing the envelope and learning new things .

And thanks so much Wintery <3

Jessi I would be telling a lie if I knew for sure that the wine was what created the moistness in the cake but I suspect it does. I just know I mostly will eat it from my mom and she knows I like it moist. Once I felt it was too dry and hard and I found a way to nicely tell her. She commented that she was so torn because she had too many people to please. I just remember watching her as a child and thinking this is too much "labor" for one cake.

You know how I like to search the net, so I did and found one or two recipes I would like to share. The recipe I provide might be unique to my island and in this case I feel like the contributor in the first link used too much alcohol and was a little long winded. Still it feels like our local cake and fitting to share. The other might have more of Caribbean and easier approach. Here goes.
http://soveryverythankfulblog.blogs...m/hub/the-best-caribbean-christmas-fruit-cake

 

[Grinnie]

I just remember watching her as a child and thinking this is too much "labor" for one cake.

My mum also felt this way and her solution was to make at least three Christmas cakes in one go, usually in October. She knew the first one would be gone within the week - obviously we had to check to make sure it was okay!

The other two would be treated to a nip of brandy every two weeks until Christmas. By the time Christmas Day actually rolled around, whatever was left of the cakes were pretty boozy!

 

[Grinnie]

I like getting and receiving them, but I've always noticed that if you give them you have to time it really really well. If you don't time it right in terms of how "fresh" it is, the baked good or food won't taste as fresh and you'd have to worry about the food possibly going bad or whatever.

Time's a pretty precious commodity this time of year! In the summer, I tend to go a little overboard preserving and making jams. There's always tonnes left in December so I take off the ugly rushed labels I put on in the middle of canning and replace them with pretty ones and some ribbon.

For at least the last three Christmases I've given my partner's parents a range of jams and preserves (always including a jar of strawberry jam and a jar of onion marmalade). They love it and it's a stress-free present idea.

 

[JessiFox]

Time's a pretty precious commodity this time of year! In the summer, I tend to go a little overboard preserving and making jams. There's always tonnes left in December so I take off the ugly rushed labels I put on in the middle of canning and replace them with pretty ones and some ribbon.

For at least the last three Christmases I've given my partner's parents a range of jams and preserves (always including a jar of strawberry jam and a jar of onion marmalade). They love it and it's a stress-free present idea.

That's such a nice idea I would love that as well. And yes, time certainly can be a commodity in its own right, especially around these busy holidays. I'm sure it's an appreciated gift.

 

[ACSAPA]

I love to receive food gifts but I don't feel confident enough in my baking skills to give food gifts. If you give someone a gift of food, it has to be as good or better than something that you would buy for them. My baking is good for my daughter and I but I don't think it's at the level of a bakery.