Gourmet Food Gift Baskets

The goal of sending gourmet food gift baskets to friends, family or business associates is to allow people to enjoy the taste of some very rich and perhaps exotic tasting foods that might otherwise never reach their palates. When the phone call comes and the one doing the gifting can hear, "Ooh, I have always wanted to taste____, but never thought I would get the chance," the words can make the expense and effort absolutely worthwhile. The same idea carries over in the sending of gourmet coffee gift baskets. Chances are slim that a person might pick up a Russian blend or an Argentinean favorite at the supermarket, but when these two and many more samples arrive in such a surprise gift, the experience can open a new world of java appreciation and that can be a very satisfying feeling for the person doing the sending.

The most challenging aspect in the choice of gourmet food gift baskets may be knowing the person's tastes to whom the present is being sent. Poor choices would probably take away some of the ardor for the present if the present was filled with buffalo steaks and the receiver was a vegetarian. On the other hand, sending the fixings for hearts of artichoke finger sandwiches would in most cases not be highly appreciated by a linebacker for the NFL. Also for consideration is the reason for sending this delightful present, such as a new client for business, new baby, anniversary, birthday, Christmas, Hanukkah or any other imaginable reason. Many online services offer these themed presents just for that very special occasion.

When sending coffee gift baskets, there is a certainty that the present ought to include some kind of exotic food to go along with the beverage. Several companies offer a rum cake as the coffee partner. Amazingly, each Caribbean island seems to have its own recipe and with some gourmet coffee gift baskets the choice of several islands' recipes for rum cake can be made. Others offer epicurean's delight cookies and chocolates with the coffee basket while others offer biscotti and caramel wafers. Hope abounded to see a huge cinnamon roll somewhere, but none were to be found. "Behold the fowls of the air; for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?" (Matthew 6:26)

Deciding to purchase one of hundreds of gourmet food gift baskets or gourmet coffee gift baskets can become an education in the types of coffees and foods available. Hawaiian, Jewish, Sumatran, Kenyan, Swedish, Columbian , Filipino, French, Turkish, Puerto Rican, Guatemalan, New Guinean, Yemeni and many more coffee blends are available when custom ordering gourmet coffee gift baskets. But perhaps one would choose to play it safe and order a basket from that well known Seattle based company. The baskets featuring this brand of coffee can be purchased from various online services and can include mugs, several different blends of the famous stuff and cookies. The gourmet java presents can be ordered with dozens of styles of baskets, from British newspaper themes to picnic basket styles, to fishing themes to baseball and golf themes, and the list goes on.

But if there are dozens of blends of coffee to choose from, imagine how many choices of gourmet food can be included from specialty houses? Here is rundown of some of the items you can have included in one of your gourmet food gift baskets. And just for fun, how many of these foods have the reader tasted? How about sending a basket containing candy from the 1950's, or goat cheese, or prawns, or lobster, or steaks from the Cornhusker State, or smoked salmon hot dogs, or caviar, or Russian blini? If a person custom orders the food basket, black truffles, hazelnut chocolate spread, deep fried salmon strips, sushi, pickled onions, smoked salmon jerky and dozens more types of gourmet or perhaps some people might say weird food items can be sent in the form of gourmet food gift baskets.

When it comes to figuring out how much a thoughtful gift like these food and coffee baskets are, the rule usually is, smaller is smaller and bigger is bigger. If a person chooses one of the expensive gourmet coffee gift baskets that many online providers sell, the item will cost about one hundred dollars plus shipping and handling. The present may include a couple of mugs, some chocolate, and three to five pounds of coffee. And by the way, you should check with the vendor to see if the coffee is whole bean or ground. One's diligence in this matter may pay to make sure the coffee is ground before it is sent. A two hundred dollar gourmet food gift basket can include a couple of dozen different food items, all coming in a very attractive holder, such as a basket or perhaps a fine wooden box.

There may be another way to cut costs for purchasing either one of these gourmet type items, and that would be to purchase the food items at a specialty store and send them in a box or basket of the buyer's choice. Many fairly inexpensive theme containers can be purchased that will truly dress up the presentation dramatically. Sending the item will take a little packaging care, but will cost no more than what the online services will charge. By putting one's own items together, the giver can be very sure that every food sample will be enjoyed by the receiver.