Gourmet Gift of the Day Blog

I love this time of year!  The apples are abundant, the leaves are turning and the kids are looking forward to Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas!  To celebrate this time of year, Holiday Gifts & Gift Baskets is offering a Fall Snack Chest that showcases rustic colors and a great mix of gourmet treats.

My mom’s birthday was a couple weeks ago, and we sent her this snack basket since we weren’t able to deliver a gift in person.  She called to thank us and explained that she wasn’t able to try everything in the basket since dad hid the snack mix and butter cookies from her – apparently they were so good that he didn’t want to share!  She did enjoy the fruit candies, chips and dip.  She was even able to sit down and relax with a cup of the Vanilla Spice Tea while she controlled the remote for the night (dad’s birthday gift to her).

We visited mom and dad house last week-end and I was pleased that the gift chest was being used to store her scarves. It was nice to see that the gift was not only tasty but also contained a practical item!

I recently ate one of the tastiest pieces of dark chocolate I’ve ever experienced!  Made by Aequare Fine Chocolates, their Blackberry Cobbler flavor features a thick semi-sweet ganache on the inside that is topped with a sweet, tasty layer of pure blackberry preserves and then covered with a shell of 70% Ecuadorian Chocolate.  I’m not sure which was better – the amazing scent of the bonbon or the exquisite taste!  With a single small bite, I could sense the purity of the chocolate and taste the beautiful mixture of flavors.

Single origin chocolate is made of beans exclusively from the same geographical region.  The flavor is very distinct, and in this case, very rich.  Single origin chocolate is very popular in Europe and is becoming more in demand in the United States.  All of the products available from Aequare Fine Chocolates are crafted from single origin Ecuadorian Chocolate.

The six-piece assortment that I received included five other gourmet flavors – Tahitian Vanilla, Amazon Dark Chocolate, Persian Saffron with Orange Essense, Passion Fruit Honey, Moccha, Le Citron-Meyer Lemon and Salted Caramel.  Although I loved the unexpected flavor of the salted caramel piece, the rich, fruitiness of the Blackberry Cobbler was definitely my top pick.  I was pleasantly surprised that a few small bites completely satisfied my chocolate craving, and I could hardly stop smelling the delicious aroma that emanated from the box.

For only $13.95, their 6 piece gift box offers an excellent variety of taste and flavor, and also makes a stunning presentation!

My cousin Heather collects Coca-Cola memorabilia.  She has nostalgic Coca-Cola clothing, lunchboxes, bottles, even an authentic Coca-Cola cooler where she stores – what else – Coke!  Heather is also exactly one month older than me, we grew up together and spent many summers playing Barbies, softball and Candy Store.  So when I found this delightful candy bouquet on one of my favorite gourmet websites, I ordered it right away for Heather’s birthday, even though it was still 6 months away!

Heather’s birthday was last week and she gave me a call right after the Coca-Cola train arrived – she was tickled by the symbolism behind the gift and my words on the gift card.  Quite honestly, I had forgotten that I ordered the bouquet but was glad that I did – the order was processed and shipped exactly when I requested, the gift brought back great memories of the good old days, and the collectible train will make a great addition to Heather’s collection.  I found the train filled with candy for $36 plus $8.95 shipping.

Betty Darby has proven that the “Golden Years” don’t have to be spent sitting in a rocker on her front porch!  When she was 65 years old a friend of the family got a taste of her homemade peanut brittle and convinced her to start her own business.  The business venture has become wildly successful – Betty and her husband make more than 500 pounds of peanut brittle each week, packaging and shipping it across the country.  Each batch is made entirely by hand, from the cooking to the cracking, packaging and shipping.  Betty’s favorite part of the process  has been all the friends she has made along the journey – including a number of US Troops.  Betty has shipped peanut brittle overseas a number of times to troops serving in the Armed Forces, and to show their appreciation the troops have sent her dozens of thank you letters and a flag flown overseas, a few soldiers have even visited her at her store in historic Murietta, CA.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when the Peanut Brittle Gift Basket arrived in our office, all the peanut brittle I had tried previously was rock hard and hurt my teeth.  But Betty’s Brittle was heavenly – the sweet and crunchy texture was a pleasure to eat and didn’t get stuck in my teeth or hurt when I bit into it.  The gift basket was such a hit in our office that two of my co-workers immediately ordered baskets for their family members.  The 5 lb basket includes 10 – 1/2 lb bags of Betty’s Original Brittle and sells for $80.

Perfect for graduation, retirement, a new home or new job, this gift basket conveys best wishes to your recipient and provides them with a bevy of gourmet foods.  The large gift box is tied with a “Best Wishes” ribbon, sells for $62 and includes:

• Chocolate Mints
• Assorted Fruit Bonbons
• Chocolate Truffle Cookies
• Sweet Butter Cookies
• Fruit N Nut Snack Mix
• Cashew Roca
• Smoked Almonds
• Bavarian Dill Pretzels
• Dutch Gouda Cheese Biscuits
• Classic Water Crackers
• Fontina Cheese Dip
• Artichoke Spinach Cheese Spread
• House Blend Coffee
• Sparkling Apple Cider

Founded in 1968, the Eden Organic Food Company is the oldest organic food company in America.  Based in the heart of the midwest, a majority of Eden’s products are grown within a few hundred miles of their home in Clinton, MI.  Eden believes in supporting local organic farmers as much as possible, and their beliefs have founded a company with worldwide connections.

I decided to try one of their organic pastas – specifically the Kamut Vegetable Spirals.  Most of Eden Farms pasta varieties are made with vegetables and Khorasan wheat, which is a high-protein wheat that many people with wheat intolerances can actually digest with no problems.  All of Eden’s organic pastas are also packaged in 100% recycled cardboard boxes.

I substituted these pasta spirals in a summer pasta salad last week-end, and no one at our family picnic even knew the difference!  What I knew though, was that they received more protein, less carbohydrates, organic food and an overall healthier product than what I would normally use.  I ordered a case of these spirals, so since the picnic we’ve had them a few more times – with alfredo sauce and chicken, hamburger and tomato sauce, and in a tuna salad.  The kids love the fun colors and shape of the pasta, and I love the positive aspects of the product – both nutritionally and organically.  A case of 6 – 12 ounce boxes sells for $18.41 plus shipping.

My sister’s birthday is coming soon – she will be 31 on August 1st.  Since last year was a bit of a milestone birthday and I wasn’t able to celebrate with her, I sent a special gift instead.  I started by searching for a delicious cookie bouquet, but stumbled upon the chocolate covered strawberries available at Gourmet Cookie Bouquets.  Since strawberries are my sister’s favorite fruit, I knew it was fate so I ordered them to be shipped to my sister’s office via FedEx Overnight Air.  The plump, juicy strawberries were dipped in gourmet Belgian Chocolate, then fancifully decorated with birthday edibles and edible pastel confetti.  One dozen of these decadent fruits arrived packaged in a golden gift tray and were shipped with a cold pack to ensure that they arrived in perfect condition.  I paid $50 for the strawberries, which my sister said were the largest and most flavorful berries she had ever eaten, and I was pleased to see that the price has not changed in the past year.  Overnight shipping is $34.95, which can seem a bit expensive but the cost is worth it for a very special occasion!

I fell in love with Krispy Kreme donuts on a visit to Las Vegas, and was thrilled when they opened a store within 20 miles of my house!  Unfortunately, the downturn in the economy forced my favorite shop to close, but luckily I found an even better replacement – Holey Donuts!  The decadent doughnuts are moist, flavorful and delicious, and the best part is that they are low in fat!  The owner of Holey Donuts was raised in the back of a donut shoppe owned by his father, and he continued the tradition but modified his store to fit today’s internet shopper.  The tasty donuts pictured here are just a sampling of the more than 20 flavors – all of them with less than half the fat of a standard donut – and delivered right to your door!

The reduced fat pastries are baked fresh daily, flash frozen and shipped across the country via 2nd Day Air delivery.  I ordered Sampler Favorites A, B and C (18 donuts in all) for $35.85 plus $18.81 for shipping.  Although they were more expensive then what I could have picked up at the local bakery, the flavor was more pronounced and the calorie count was about a third of the local varieties, so I will be ordering again soon!

It’s pretty tough to go wrong with a basket of sweets when sending a gift, although we have ran into a few stinkers on our online purchasing journeys.  But I’m happy to report that the Sweet Tooth Gourmet Gift Basket is not one of them!  The basket itself is very sturdy and lightweight and can be reused by your recipient as a mail basket, fruit basket or candy basket!  The goodies inside are a step up from standard candy bars, they include such gourmet items as crepe suzettes, almond roca, pure dark chocolate and mocha caramel popcorn.  These treats, along with truffle hot cocoa and Bellagio coffee, are packaged in pretty colors and wrapped with a matching bow to complete the gourmet experience.  The basket is available for $63 plus $11.95 for ground shipping.

Growing up on a dairy farm in the midwest, I’m no stranger to fresh milk, butter and cheese.  Although it wasn’t until I was older and moved to “the city” that I experienced fresh cheese curds.  Cheese curds may sound a bit unappetizing, but they are very tasty!  A “curd” is made when the whey (liquid part) separates from the curds (solid part).  In a standard cheesemaking process the curds and whey would be pressed together to form a block of cheese, but in this instance the whey is not used and only the curds are utlized.  Because of this process, curds are more firm and in many instances they “squeak” when you bite into them!  Cheese curds are also best enjoyed when fresh, as opposed to cheese – which is considered fine if aged for a number of days.

Squeaky fresh cheddar cheese curds can be ordered from the Wisconsin Cheese Mart for your snacking pleasure.  If you order a 3 lb combo you will receive a mix of white and orange cheddars, both with a rich flavor and sqeaky bite.  The curds will vary in size but are usually the perfect bite!  The first time we ordered these curds I served them with a variety of deli meats and crackers, only to find that the cheese was the first component to disappear!  The second time I got smart and served them on a pretty tray with no “accessories”.  The third time I ordered them specifically for my husband and sons’ lunchboxes and after school snacks.  We’re now awaiting our fourth order to arrive in less than 4 months, so you could say we’re a bit addicted!  The combo sells for $23 and we live close enough that we can utilize ground shipping, but if you live closer to either coast you will have to ship via air so they freshness isn’t wasted on shipping time.