Nothing makes a gift more personal than taking the time to choose something suited specifically for the recipient. What could be more pleasing to show your sentiment than a gift from the kitchen? Spending the time to make something from scratch shows how much you treasure the relationships with friends and family. If time is not on your side just call Chef Crusco and his team to place your orders (512.970.2200).
Listed below are some kitchen gift suggestions for all the different friends and family you have in your life.
Quick kitchen food gift ideas
- If you have kids heading off to college and want to ensure they can still eat Mom’s cooking, try to organize treasured family recipes and copy them into a journal that your child can resort to when missing good food.
- Purchase several small herb plants (i.e. rosemary, sage, thyme, and basil) now being sold at local markets and put them together in a basket with a favorite recipe card for using each herb or a combination of them.
- For that person constantly on the go, purchase a bottle of wine with an IOU for a home-cooked meal. Not only will they appreciate the offer but they will also probably end up bringing that wine to enjoy with your home cooked meal.
- For families with young children, fill a cookie jar with cookie decorating accessories like bottles of neon food coloring, colored sugars, candy sprinkles, and cookie cutters. Do not forget to include your favorite cookie or confectionery recipe.
- For the new gourmet friend who is more and more interested in cooking, purchase a salt mill or pepper grinder and package it with gourmet salts or a variety of peppercorns and spices. If you really want to splurge on your kitchen gift, buy them a small canister of saffron – the world’s pound for pound most expensive spice!
Additional kitchen gifts that include home made nuts, sweets, and liquors. Listed below are some of my personal kitchen gifts that you can make or order (512.970.2200) and give as a Christmas present this year to a special friend or family member.
Sweet & Savory Nuts
This is probably one of the easiest gifts you can make and yet it is one that will keep giving and giving as nuts (when stored properly) can last for months. The combination between the sweet and salty coating over the nuts is delicious. As a plus you can use this present as part of an appetizer platter during your Holiday party entertaining. Put out some of these nuts with some of your favorite cheeses and dried fruits and you have a very elegant and delicious platter.
Ingredients
- 4 cups of walnuts or pecans or a combination of the two
- 1/3 stick unsalted butter – Use good French or Irish butter
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 2-3 pinches of good coarse sea salt
Directions
- Heat a large, Teflon coated sauté pan over med-high heat and add butter
- After 30 seconds add the sugar and once it melts add the nuts
- Shake the pan or move the nuts with a wooden spoon so they get covered all over with the butter and sugar mixture
- At the very end add the salt and again shake to distribute it evenly
- Put nuts onto a sheet pan so they cool and completely dry
- Place cooled nuts in a plastic container and add another pinch of sugar and salt and shake the container – the idea is that you do not want the nuts to clump together but instead to remain single and not sticky
- After 1 day, package the nuts in any container you wish to use as a present
Nutella Palmiers
These elegant and sweet cookies can be done in advance thus saving you time to make the packaging look nice. The Nutella, which is a combination of hazelnut butter and chocolate, is what makes this dish different and delicious leaving your house smelling like a cookie factory.
Ingredients
- 1 package of puff pastry – you can purchase at Phoenicia or Central Market
- 1/2 cup of flour – no need to measure
- ½ cup of hazelnuts – roasted and crushed into small pieces
- 1 jar of Nutella
- 1 egg (beaten with 3 tablespoons water) for the egg wash
Directions
- Let puff pastry sit at room temperature to soften and Pre heat oven to 450°F
- Put hazelnuts onto a sheet pan and into the oven for 3-5 minutes
- Toast hazelnuts – you will be able to smell the natural oils (3-5 minutes).
- Put hazelnuts into a kitchen towel – take the rolling pin and crush the hazelnuts
- Fill deep bowl with water and into the microwave until water is almost boiling
- Place Nutella jar into water & leave for 20 minutes or until Nutella is spread able
- Toss some flour on the counter and with the rolling pin, roll out the puff pastry into a large rectangle so you have a larger surface to spread out the Nutella
- Using a spatula spread Nutella in a very thin layer all over the puff pastry leaving about an inch border on all sides. Sprinkle hazelnuts all over the Nutella
- Working from ends of pastry begin rolling the edges towards the center where both ends will meet like a book – use some water to assure pastry sticks together
- Place pastry onto sheet pan & into freezer to set up. Once cold, take a sharp knife & slice ½ inch slices. Place cookies onto a parchment paper covered sheet pan
- Brush the egg wash onto each cookie and then the sheet pan into the oven
- Cook for 12-16 minutes or until you see the cookies rise and are golden in color
Limoncello
Limoncello is a very traditional Italian liquor mainly found near Naples and the Amalfi coast but also further South in Sicily and Sardinia. Unlike many other types of liquor, Limoncello is easy and inexpensive to produce. All you need is sugar, water, alcohol, the zest from the lemons and some time so that the liquor matures.
Ingredients
- 10 lemons
- 1 liter vodka
- 3 cups white sugar
- 4 cups water
Directions
- Zest the lemons, and place zest into a large glass bottle or jar. Pour in vodka. Cover loosely and let infuse for one week (at least 4 days) at room temperature.
- After one week, combine sugar and water in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil. DO NOT STIR. Boil for 15 minutes. Allow syrup to cool to room temperature.
- Stir vodka mixture into simple syrup. Strain into glass bottles, and seal each bottle with a cork. Let mixture age for 1-2 weeks at room temperature.
- Place bottled liquor into the freezer. When icy cold, serve in chilled vodka glasses or shot glasses. You can also add it over some ice cream!
***Not a big fan of lemons? No problem, you can substitute the lemons for grapefruits, mandarin oranges, blood oranges, regular oranges, or even limes***
When making or ordering these gifts just remember to think of the person receiving them: Do they drink alcoholic beverages or not? Do they like to bake or would they prefer a food gift that’s already made and ready to eat? Are they on a special diet or do they have specific food allergies? This kind of thoughtful touch is what makes these gifts so special. As one can see there are many easy and creative ways to make Christmas kitchen gifts. These gifts can be given individually or you can develop a theme and group them in a large basket or box. For example, you’re home made Limoncello would look great in a beautiful wooden box with a letter describing the liquor, a list of ingredients used and maybe a shot glass or two for measuring and drinking. Remember, tap into your creative side this Holiday season and give a few gifts from your kitchen and heart.
*Please place your orders early for this Holiday season by calling us at 512.970.2200
