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Food Gifts/Baskets/Clubs
While just about any listing on Food411 would be a welcomed gift, the resources below have created special presentations or offerings. In addition, we suggest visiting any of the categories on our home page and think creatively yourself! How about a complete meal delivered, or a few months of farm fresh produced delivered, create a unique cheese board from one of our cheese resource; a wine direct from the vineyards shouts thoughtfulness, send a selection of coffees or teas; the list is endless. Sign up for our newsletter to get more gift ideas.
For our recent Holiday Gift Picks email click here.
Ask Chef Sylvia
truffle truffle - Handcrafting the “classics” with a twist. Truffles with flavors such as coconut key lime, pinot and cupcake...”beer & pretzel brittle”: toffee infused with stout covered in chocolate and sprinkled with salty pretzels! “s’mores” using shortbread cookies and infused marshmallow covered in chocolate: we loved the strawberry basil. Caramels that combine sweet and savory. You will taste the “love” that is put into each of these outstanding bites!
Chocri - Design your own chocolate bars - Select type of chocolate and then choose from over 100 toppings! You can also put a custom name on it. Very clever. Organic, Fair trade chocolate from Belgium. We enjoyed the process and results so much they were selected as a Site of the Month!
Jacksonville Mercantile - A European style market with the world's finest specialty foods, herbs, honeys, mustard, spices and chocolate, even french flower syrups!. The owners, Constance and David Jesser, select each product based on taste, quality and uniqueness. Wonderful people, great products. they offer custom gift baskets.
my mixed nuts - Create your own custom blend of mixed nuts or trail mix! A great gift idea - use your creatively to make a mix or give them a gift card and let them have the fun of creating their own blend online. Choose from natural and organic nuts, fruit & goodies. We sampled an organic nut mixture that was outstanding.
Nudo - Adopt an Olive Tree - Adopt an olive tree on their hillside in Italy (a good excuse to go and visit it!) and you reap the olive oil that is produced. On their website, peruse their organic groves & select your tree. They send the recipient an adoption certificate, info/updates on the tree. In the spring & autumn you receive the olive oil (we love the simple, graphic look of the tin that the oil is packaged in – a bonus!) $65 (+ postage & packaging) you’ll receive 3 packages over the year:Adoption certificate/info/update
Spring package (all the extra virgin olive oil from your tree)/Autumn package (three flavored extra virgin olive oils)
Sun Harvest Citrus - 
- Found this orange grove while exploring Fort Meyers ! Terrfic fresh Florida citrus - Baskets, boxes- this always makes a great gift. Try the honeybells - they are full of juice & so sweet! Once you taste their fruit you will order every year for friends and yourself! They also sell the best key lime pie we have come across. If you get to visit the grove be sure to sample all their delicious fresh juices - heaven!
- Found this orange grove while exploring Fort Meyers ! Terrfic fresh Florida citrus - Baskets, boxes- this always makes a great gift. Try the honeybells - they are full of juice & so sweet! Once you taste their fruit you will order every year for friends and yourself! They also sell the best key lime pie we have come across. If you get to visit the grove be sure to sample all their delicious fresh juices - heaven! 
[me] & Goji - Fun, healthy & sooo yummy! Design you own custom organic cereal & granola - even name it...on their website you decide the base, add fruit/nuts/seeds. As you add ingredient the nutritional counter updates. Then they hand mix, put in a cool capsule & ship. Give a gift certificate as a gift - makes such a unique gift!
Sugardaddy's - The perfect combination of beauty and taste. These luscious edgeless brunettes and blondies are handmade and hand package into individual containers dressed with a silken gift bag that can be personalized! Our favorite was the mint - yummy!
Das Caramelini Salted Caramels - Fleur del sel handmade caramels- Another one of our “scores” from the Fancy Food Show ‘08. We loved the bite size portions and the innovative flavors. Made with das food’s own fleur de sel and locally produced butter, cream and honey. Very sophisticated taste. Outstanding caramels!
Whimsy & Spice - A husband and wife (Mark & Jenna) team are creating bake goods and confections that we must rave about!
These handmade sweets combine unique flavors and spices to surprise you with traditional yet very unusual treats! Honey lavender shortbread cookies,pumpkin ginger sandwich cookies, espresso brownies with creamy dulce de leche...much care is put into the wrapping of these goodies and their entire “look” is fresh and clean. These will make a perfect gift.
Frankie's Fruit & Chocolate - Very rich dark chocolate dipped dried fruit -handcrafted. They use naturally dried fruits and homemade chocolate to create these addictive treats. In addition they also make dark & white chocolate circles topped with trail mix or fruit 7 nuts. You may think you have tasted similar items before but believe us these are better.
Cake Balls - The Cake Ball Company has created a very unique treat. A small ball that is a twist between cake and candy. They crumble fresh cake mix it with icing and roll - then it is covered in chocolate. Tastes more like a candies then cake but it is a pure sweet indulgence. Many creative flavors to choose from - beautiful gift box presentation.
Parker's Crazy Cookies - These are a terrific gift and party favor idea! Dave Parker has developed a way to create a cookie that will be a caricature of a picture you send him. This is not a photo on top of a cookie - this is the actual cookie. Take a look at the examples on his site to see what we mean. A very unique idea.
Fretzels - Creative chocolate covered pretzels, many flavors, gift packaging. We savored these pretzels and their expresso bark is also wonderful! The only issue here is not eating the entire box--the salty/sweet combo is a knockout.
Chocolate Gourmet - "Damn Good Cookies" - If you're a cookie lover, these are a must. We actually made groaning noises when we were tasting these cookies! Rugalach like you have never tasted, a small sugar cookie with homemade raspberry preserve - ooh soo good. Their "ugly truffles" are unique flavors, yummy. Smart packaging makes these a special gift.
Cafe Le Semeuse Coffee - Award-winning specialty coffee that has a full-flavor, very smooth. It is roasted in small batches at an altitude of 3,300 feet in the mountains of Switzerland: Reduced atmospheric pressure allows the beans to be heated longer without the risk of bitterness. Here at Food411 we sampled both regular and decaf. The decaf was smooth, rich - really great. It actually tasted just like the regular! This is a really great coffee. Order a few packages, throw in a few of their mocha bars and a mug - makes a very wonderful gift.
Fancy Pants Bakery - They create decorated cookies for every holiday or occasion. What is very different about these cookies is not how great they look but that they actually taste delicious!. We have tried so many decorated cookies that taste like cardboard. They are sent in a beautiful box with bow making them a fun gift.
Dean & DeLuca - Epicurean treats for cooking, eating & entertaining. They now offer a terrific feature, create your own custom gift basket. First, pick the basket or container you like, then pick a theme for the basket - the software tells you how many "spaces" are available to fill in your basket & shows all the options to fill the basket. Ingenious!
Santa Fe Basket Company - Specialize in southwestern food baskets. All products used are tasted tested by Patti the owner. She prides herself on the highest quality items and personal service. We sampled several of these southwest specialties - spicy and delicious!
Well Baskets - They specializes in healthy get well baskets and healthy, all-natural and organic gift baskets for birthdays, holidays, etc. We sampled 2 of their baskets, a gluten free basket and an organic basket. Both were well designed and the contained high quality products specific to the "theme". This is a perfect gift idea for anyone interested in healthy eating to those that have very specific illnesses or requirements.
Meduri World Delights - All natural dried fruits. The Meduri's travel the world selecting the highest quality fruit at their peak. Yantai peaches and Shandong apricots from remote orchards in China. Morello cherries from Eastern Europe. Mangos from Thailand. Red raspberries and blackberries from Chile. Lingonberries from Scandinavia. Pink Lady apples from the Pacific Northwest. Very attractive gift selections.
ABChocolates - A very unique gift - send a chocolate telegram your message made up of individual chocolate letters in a wooden box with an old fashion custom telegram on top. Very special!
Cocoa Connoisseur - Owner Danielle Coleman's passion for cocoa created this unique resource. She has combed the world for the best cocoas and made them available all on one site. What a wonderful gift for a chocolate lover or baker! We sampled the Peppermint Hot chocolate from Ghana - all natural & so yummy. The Mexican Ibarra has a wonderful unique flavor also!]
il Buco - EVOO, balsamic vinegars, sea salts from artisanal producers in Italy - handcrafted wooded boxes. Very special gifts!
Rent Mother Nature - Farm fresh harvests for yourself or as entertaining and memorable gift that helps family farms...Rent a Maple Tree, a Cow, a Goat or any of 20 different crops. Receive a lease document, updates on the progress and the final products at harvest.
Gary Poppins Popcorn - For Gary Seltzer, a Culinary Institute of America grad, his obsession with popcorn has made delicious popcorn in a variety of unique flavors. We enjoyed the sampling these kernels, our pick is the Cinnamon - very delicious (but we only tried a few flavors, so who knows!)
Garrett's Popcorn - Chicago's famous popcorn shop - it is a must stop for all visitors. Family owned, privately grown blend of kernels, popped to order. Most popular flavor is the mix of their Carmel Crisp and Cheese Corn flavors.
Chelsea Market Baskets - High-end creative basket.
Claire-Macdonald - Puddings, confections, sauces, jams - all make good looking gifts.
Arkansas Rice Depot - Help fight hunger and give a gift basket of wonderful rice, soup and chili mixes from this wonderful organization.
Chukar Cherries - Delicious Washington State chocolate covered cherries, great gift baskets combining their chocolates with their fresh cherry sauces, jams, dried cherries & nuts.
Cocoa Designs - Known for their handmade praline almonds, they are roasted dark with crisp-caramel on the outside & cover in dark chocolate & dusted them with ground cinnamon, New Mexican chile & cocoa powder- also in bars.
Zingermans - Make-your-own Reuben kit , gifts of breads, cheese, many great gift baskets.
CC Berries - Customized Real chocolate covered strawberries - from sayings, holidays to corporate Logos! What a unique gift or party favor. They also offer chocolate covered raspberries & cherries.
Lenez - Wine tasting kit - a means of educating your sense of smell and of improving both your appreciation of wine and tasting vocabulary.The reference work for over 25 years. A unique gift.
Tulocay's Made in Napa Valley - What a find! Delicious homemade oils/vinegars/rubs/sauces/glazes, mustards & tapenades, marinades, glazes, rubs. Fresh flavors of the Napa Valley scream through these products. We were fortunate to taste them - these are products that make eating at home delicious & easy. Beautiful gift packages are offered.
Robert Lambert - Fruit Cakes beautifully wrapped in cheesecloth- syrups, sauces, preserved citrus, fruits & relish.
Custom Fortune Cookie Company - Custom homemade fortune cookies.
Fox & Obel's Cookie Dough - Fresh, homemade oatmeal raisin cookie dough in a 6 lb container- by Exe Baker Pamela Fitzpatrick - oats, apples, raisins, pecans and aromatic spices. Many gift baskets.
New England Cheese Making - Cheese making kits, supplies, the 30 minute mozzarella kit makes a fun gift.
The Bachelor's Kitchen - A wonderful resource for the single guy(or anyone just starting a kitchen/cooking) that wants advice with kitchen basics. In addition to being a wonderful resource, they offers excellent "starter" packages for the kitchen. Unique, thoughtful gift for anyone that is in need of the kitchen basics.
The Grateful Palate - Artisan made foods and wine; wonderful unique gifts.
Les Cadeaux Gourmets - They carry something for connoisseurs of all ages; haute chocolates, teas, oils, vinegars, tabletop essentials.
Loveless Hams and Jams - Smoke house ham/jams/biscuits.
Cheryl & Co - Fresh Baked cookie & desserts - gift packaged - many themes.
Elenis - Conversation Cookies make wonderful gifts; hand iced whimsical designs i.e designer handbags, shoe fetish, famous shopping bags, best actors, many more themes. Just beautiful!
Kooki Sushi - This is a unique gift - chocolate/cookies created to duplicate the look of sushi! Packaged in beautiful selection boxes.
The Chippery - Unique Kid's gift - play n' dough; kid colored cookie dough, ready to shape and bake!
Knowledge in a Nutshell - Smart Cookie; knowledge in a nutshell. Walnut shaped cookies with trivia questions/answers tucked inside.
The Nutty Cookie - Homemade, over sized very special cookies, gift assortments.
Fraiche Gifts - Fraiche is french for fresh, as in the freshest, most select fruits/delicacies.
Big Sur Bar - A delicious, all natural snack bars. Chewy oatmeal bottom & thick, crunchy, mix of nuts, raisins, coconut, etc, brown sugar & honey . Great gift idea for the sports lover as these are a real energy bar, not the crud you find labeled energy bars. These bars have a cult following that has now been satisfied since they are sold online! If you try one, you will be hooked!
SAS Cupcakes - These cupcakes are beautiful and delicious. They can be customized & they are delivered in perfect condition in a gorgeous gift box. Pile high with buttercream icing - moist cake, soo good.
Red Envelope - Gourmet food section.
Candy Direct - Candy bouquets, candy favorites.
Lobsters Online - Ocean fresh lobster or chowders make great gifts.
i love salmon - Smoked fish baskets.
Earthy Delights - Chef's resource; unusual gift baskets.
Stew Leonards - Fruit/baked goods baskets and more.
igourmet - Edibles from 73 countries.
Fauchon - Leading Paris gourmet company, from sweets to Foie Gras.
Manhattan Fruitier - Fruit baskets and fine food gifts.
Esperya - Italian food experience.
CAVIARetc - Gourmet foods web boutique featuring specialty foods such as caviar, cheese, foie gras, oils and vinegars, smoked salmon, specialty meats, truffles.
Harvard Sweet Boutique - Ideal shower, wedding or party favors. Pretty boxes with special ribbons hold cookies, brownies or candies. Owner Sue George bakes all the goodies herself!
Wits End Gifts - (one's) wit's end. At the limit of one's mental resources; utterly at a loss. That's why each basket is imaginatively designed, generously filled and creatively arranged with the highest quality products to reflect your excellent taste and thoughtfulness.
Delightful Deliveries - Single site with wide variety of food gifts; monthly clubs, baskets of every types.
Surprise - Creative gift idea from across the web; great gift finder tool.
Wrapables - Interesting gift ideas for dining and entertainment.
Fill-R-Up - Custom baskets with unique containers.
Site of the Month
TasteSpotting
A visual pot luck! If you love food, you will be mesmerized by this website. The user community submits images/links from around the web and the editorial team reviews the submissions. What finally gets served up on the site is a beautifully refined set of the community's contributions. You will spend hours on this site!
Editor’s Pick
Elikan Harvest Olive Oil
3 Greek-American sisters share olive oil from their family's farm in southern Greece! Produced in limited quantities using traditional artisanal farming methods. We thoroughly enjoyed the delicious, peppery (wonderful aroma) and taste of this special olive oil.
Featured Sites
Chocolate Cravings
truffle truffle
Handcrafting the "classics" with a twist. Truffles with flavors such as coconut key lime, pinot and cupcake..."beer & pretzel brittle": toffee infused with stout covered in chocolate and sprinkled with salty pretzels! "s'mores" using shortbread cookies and infused marshmallow covered in chocolate: we loved the strawberry basil. Caramels that combine sweet and savory. You will taste the "love" that is put into each of these outstanding bites!
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