Each Wednesday we enjoy a Potluck of inspiration at Hot Pink Apron.com.
We bring the conversation starter, you bring the comments stuffed with personal touch.
Since we’re in July (a.k.a month o’ birthdays/showers/weddings galore), we need to ask:
What are the best foodie gifts to give?
Dana: My good friend Angie is the BEST gift giver. She launched me on this foodie adventure so many years ago with a Cook’s Illustrated magazine subscription somehow arriving in my mailbox right on my birthday. From birthdays, to wedding gifts and baby showers, she followed mags with beautiful cookbooks based on our food obsessions at the time – each with personalized (and hilarious) messages handwritten on the inside cover. I’ll cherish these books forever and they will likely be the cookbooks that I pass along to my children during their own milestone moments.
That, and good quality olive oil. I gift bottles of Sarafino Olive Oil to everyone I can. It changes lives.
Kristina: GOOD BOOZE. The kind one wouldn’t really treat themselves to (Amaro Nonino is a good one if anyone is feeling generous *cough my birthday is next month cough*). For something a little more family friendly, especially for things like weddings, I find ‘envelopes’ so horribly impersonal, that I like gifting a little cookbook ‘starter’ library. Three or four good ones tailored to their tastes. Each inscribed with a highly inappropriate message to keep everyone on their toes.
I made boozy homemade maraschino cherries for Christmas this past year and gave them to friends.. A few bars I frequent use them in their cocktails and I feel pretty special!
I like the spices and salts idea too. One of the girls I work with, her husband is a CAESARFREAK, and has a selection of homemade secret ingredient rimmers he uses. Potential guest post material maybe??
Amanda: Silicone. Cake. Tins. They honestly are the best and I don’t know what I did without them. Well, I do. I had cake and bread stick to the tin, or pour out the bottom of my spring-form, but NO LONGER!
I’m also in the process of growing chillis to dry them out and make my own chilli salt and chilli vodka. Home made foodie gifts are even better.
Reagan: I’m with Kristina on this one. Good booze is the best. I’m always afraid to buy someone a kitchen gadget, even though I love them, because I don’t know what they have, what they like, etc. But everyone likes good booze, right?
Oh, and Dana’s recent instagram of lavender sea salt reminded me that I also give fancy condiments and spices. You can always use more of that stuff!
Jodi: I do love to make jam. Fresh jam, and maybe a fresh loaf of homemade bread, are great gifts to give and receive. Although I definitely wouldn’t give it for a wedding – or it may end up like this – http://www.thespec.com/news-story/3845218-class-or-crass-wedding-gift-spat-spirals-out-of-control/ – yikes!
Ship: This xmas I gifted truffle oil to one friend and Quinoa flour to another … they are both adventurous cooks and I think the gifts were well received.
Kirsty: My fave gift I received for my wedding was a recipe of a curry from a friend — that we had on a really amazing night in uni with all the Indian spices to make it. Just loved it!! To give… I love giving an elegant cheese board or serving platter.
Dana: Of course, a handmade certificate for a date night out is always a WIN. Fancy feast, nice wine and then work it all off on the dance floor. (Sorry, cannot mention “take” and “that” together without needing a Robbie Williams fix.)
**Warning** Some pretty graphic material in this one.
Hard up on cash? Why not prepare some performance art? A little karaoke session for your loved ones? This next track is a personal favourite of mine. I recommend using your fist as a microphone and closing your eyes as you sing, y’know, really feeling it.
**Warning** A ridiculous amount of sex appeal here, get close to someone you can make out with.
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