The pleasure of a gourmet gift

With a gourmet gift, you are not only offering a delightful treat, but a little something of yourself as well. The person on the receiving end will know that you took the time to find and prepare a recipe and beautifully gift wrap it just for them. There are tons of ideas out there so you can tailor your gifts to friends and family. Here are a few gift ideas that are sure to please. The gift of a special breakfast What better way to start your day than with a lovingly prepared breakfast? Granola is easy to make and give, and you can even modify the ingredients to suit the tastes of the person you are giving it to by adding chocolate, dried fruit, coconut, flaxseed—the possibilities are endless. For those who prefer toast, try our vegetarian cretons recipe, or else a caramel orchocolate hazelnut spread. For oatmeal lovers, you can make a homemade blend, all they need to do is add milk and heat it up.

Oatmeal mix

Yields: 1 serving Ingredients:

• 125 mL (½ cup) quick oats
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) maple sugar
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) almond flour
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) chopped almonds
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) coconut flakes
• 15 mL (1 tbsp.) dried currents

Directions: Combine all ingredients and pour into a jar. Attach a label with cooking instructions: Pour contents into a bowl, add 175 mL (¾ cup) milk (any kind) and microwave for 2 to 3 minutes. For those with a sweet tooth You don’t always take the time to prepare sweet treats, so giving them as a gift is a great opportunity to make a little extra for yourself at the same time. Most of these recipes have a long shelf life and make excellent gifts.

• In memory of our grandmothers, you could make a batch of maple cream or chocolate fudge and put it in a pretty Christmas box. Just be ready for the empty box to be returned for a refill!
• Cookie mixes in a jar have become really popular. Use available recipes or even your own favourite cookie recipe as most would work for this method. Simply layer the different dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, spices, chocolate, dried fruit, etc.), then attach a note to the gift with a list the additional ingredients needed (oil, butter, egg, milk, etc.) and baking instructions. If your loved ones have dogs, you can also prepare a mix for dog treats and include a bone-shaped cookie cutter.
• Here are a few recipes that are easy to prepare and offer as a gift:
  • Chocolate sausage
  • Chocolate-Coated Dates
  • Christmas jams

For those who don’t have a sweet tooth Sweets may be a common go-to gift, but some people prefer savoury snacks. Here are some gourmet gift ideas:

• Did you do any canning this summer? Preserves make great gifts, whether marinades, tomato sauce or your own fruit ketchup recipe. I’m sure your pantry holds lots of goodies.
• Many people have returned to basics during the pandemic, making foods they weren’t in the habit of preparing, such as bread. If you’ve become an amateur baker, why not simply give homemade bread? Wrap it in pretty table linen and voilà, a beautiful gift.
• Know any rib lovers? Make them some homemade barbecue sauce!
• Popcorn, the ultimate snack. Here’s a recipe for gourmet popcorn seasoning that you can easily put in a jar decorated with a lovely ribbon.

Popcorn seasoning

Yields: 70 mL (⅓ cup) Ingredients:

• 60 mL (¼ cup) honey
• 5 mL (1 tsp.) chili powder
• 5 mL (1 tsp.) salt

Directions: Combine all ingredients. Pour into a jar.