This post, and a listing of gifts from the heart you’ll find below, is inspired by and dedicated to a young man, Benoit, who gave me one of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received — a hand made cookbook.
Each Christmas, my extended family conducts a Kris Kringle between the adult members — pull out a name and for that person, you buy a present. This year, I was Benoit’s pick. Benoit is a younger cousin of mine who had just returned the night before from an 8-month trip traveling in Europe — his gap year before starting university.
I’d always fancied him a thoughtful young guy, but as I opened the beautiful notebook he handed me, his character — matured perhaps from his time overseas, or bred into him like only a good French mother can do – came rushing in like waves upon a rocky sea shore. It was a notebook, yes, but in its pages were a collection of hand scribed recipes, each meticulously laid out, with decorative headings and matching diagrams for each of the techniques described.
And in French nonetheless (I do like to consider myself somewhat of a polyglot).
For me, the effect of Benoit’s gift wasn’t so much about the present itself, as it was the thought that had gone into it and the care taken to do bring it to life — I was truly touched.
So although Christmas has past, there are still just as many Christmases and birthdays to come as there are grains of sands, and young women like me bursting with tears of joy to fill these sandy beaches.
Maybe I’m just a sucker for anything food related — I tend to be a little obvious in this respect — but how can anyone not be stirred by something made with a little bit of love? And where I come from, a little sugar helps too!
You don’t need to be a baker or an expert cook to whip up any of these mouth-watering gifts, so don’t be daunted. But if you’re not strong in the kitchen, take a leaf out of Benoit’s book — literally!
My Sweet Cinnamon Nuts and food blogger David Lebovitz’s Spicy Glazed Nut Mix — these are easy to prepare and keep nicely. Simply place them in a nice clear plastic bag and tie with a decorative ribbon.
Rose and Chocolate Marshmallows — Clotilde of Chocolate & Zucchini provides a beautiful and step-by-step recipe of how to create this wow-factor gift. The taste is pretty good too…
Colourful Meringue Bites — Pop these in bag and finish with an equally colourful tie. Made by Nicky at Delicious:Days, these are perfect for any ‘cute’ loving friend.
Praline Chocolate Eggs — With Easter coming up, these decorative and novel Easter eggs from Bea of Tartine Gourmande will have kids and adults alike in raptures. Adding this one, definitely, to my list…
Coconut Dulce de Leche — It’s caramel with an Asian kick, perfect for drizzling over ice cream or dipping bananas into. Fill a jar with this and you’ll be a favourite with friends forever…
Chocolate Truffles — Who can say no to a mouthful of rich, smooth chocolate? A classic and easy-to-make, truffles are guaranteed to impress.
Persian Nougat — White like snow and dotted with colourful berries and nuts, nougat is the fair-lady of edible gifts. And even better, it keeps well too.
Chocolate-dipped Candied Oranges — For the jaffa lover in us all…
Papaya Jam — Jams, conserves, pickles and relishes are always great gifts. If your jam making skills aren’t up to scratch however, try this Papaya Jam for an easy entry in.
{ 1 comment… read it below or add one }
What a perfectly appropriate gift for you, very thoughtful! I like your selection of goodies.