Food for Friends

Wrap Edible Gifts in Containers That Last

By Virginia Rainey
Special to the Salt Lake Tribune

How often have you given or received a paper plate full of cookies for Christmas? Certainly such a gift is always welcome, but when the cookies are gone, all that's left are crumbs and a disposable paper plate. Think about how much more memorable those cookies would be if packaged in a vintage cookie jar, or wrapped in cellophane and tucked inside a colorful, reusable hat box, or presented with a special mug and fresh coffee beans.

That's the idea behind these culinary gift ideas for the special people on your list -- combining ephemeral edibles with items the recipient can enjoy long after the last bite or the final sip. They're fun to put together and even more fun to deliver.

Because I love to do my Christmas shopping at specialty food stores, ethnic grocery stores, vintage collectible shops, bookstores and, yes, the state liquor store, I've come up with some combinations that draw on all of these sources. I have categorized them according to various types of people most of us know. Of course, your list will have its own cast of characters with their own quirky passions, and these ideas might inspire you to create your own combinations.

In some cases, you'll want to assemble your gifts in a great basket or a decorative box, wrapping some items and leaving others unwrapped. But don't be limited by these containers. Think about kitchen canisters, shiny metal buckets, small wooden crates or any other container that catches your eye or fits the person on your list. For instance, you could place some goodies in a sleek new wastebasket for the person with a home office. Or give a hiker a backpack filled with an array of smaller gifts. Other multiple gifts may be assembled with one or two ribbons and placed in one of the gift items -- such as an ice bucket, colander or bowl.

The main thing is to tailor the gift to the recipient and have fun doing it.

For a Variety of Good Friends

• Place a bottle of sparkling wine or Champagne in a crystal ice bucket or a small, shiny tin bucket. Tie a bright ribbon on the bottle neck and fill the space around the bottle with foil-wrapped chocolates or chocolate-covered coffee beans.
• Fill a small jewelry box with fine chocolate truffles. Tuck in some rhinestone earrings, a string of pearls or some other wearable token.
• Give two tickets to ``The Nutcracker,'' a wooden or crystal bowl with a variety of nuts in the shell and a silver nutcracker or an old-fashioned wooden one. If you want to go all out, add a set of opera glasses.

For People Who Appreciate Good Food

• Fill a copper colander with a wedge of fine Parmigiano-Reggiano, a cheese grater, a package of fancy pasta and a pasta spoon.
• Select a specialty vinegar and an extra-virgin olive oil. Give with a wooden salad bowl, a box or bag of dried cranberries or cherries, a container of shelled pine nuts and a wedge of blue or gorgonzola cheese. All the cook needs to add for a tasty salad is some mesclun (a variety of mixed greens).
• Fill a souffle dish or mixing bowl with some whole nutmeg, a nutmeg grater, whole vanilla beans, quality baking chocolate, four ramekins (like miniature souffle dishes) and a copy of a dessert cookbook, such as Stars Desserts by Emily Luchetti or Chez Panisse Desserts by Lindsey Shere.
• Most people love fancy condiments, but rarely splurge on a whole selection for themselves. Fill a basket with an array of specialty items such as relishes, chutneys, olives, caper berries, mustards, marinated vegetables, flavored crackers -- all items that are perfect for last-minute entertaining or just holiday munching.
• Fill a small wooden crate or basket with winter pears, a bottle of vintage port and a wedge of Stilton or Maytag Blue cheese. Add a small cheese knife or a Swiss army knife and two linen napkins.
• Shaken or stirred, martinis are still popular. Find a vintage martini shaker or a shiny new one and stash a bottle of good olives inside, padded with a silk scarf.
• Tie a ribbon on the handle of a heavy saucepan; add a package of Arborio rice, a wooden spoon, some dried porcini mushrooms and a recipe or a cookbook for risotto.
• Combine the gift of a teapot with a fancy tin of tea, a honey pot, a variety of honeys and a box of English shortbread.
• Give a coffee lover a French press pot. These glass plunger pots may be found for under $20 (2- or 3-cup size) and are especially welcome, as they make a strong, flavorful brew without the interference of paper filters. Add some beans ground specifically for the pot and a copy of a wonderful book called The Joy of Coffee by Corby Kummer.

For beer lovers:

• Pick up a half-gallon ``growler'' or a 1-liter ``belcher'' (or a gift certificate for one, as this fresh-brewed beer must be consumed within 24 hours of purchase) from one of your local microbreweries. Add a couple of beer mugs, a tin or jar of Spicy Cajun Almonds (see recipe above), a round of Cheddar cheese, some salami and a couple of gourmet mustards.

For skiers:

• Fill a backpack with a bag of trail mix, a package of dried fruits, box of crackers, jar of peanut butter and a sleek new Thermos.
• Tuck a lift ticket or two inside some gloves or thermal socks. Add a premium chocolate bar and some tangerines.
• Wrap a neck warmer around a bottle of peppermint schnapps.

For book lovers:

• A well-wrapped loaf of Orange Bread tied with a beautiful ribbon; or a tin of your famous Christmas cookies. Add a couple of miniature tins of fancy cocoa mix, an oversized mug and the book lover's favorite type of literature -- whether a novel, a biography or a curl-up-by-the-fire romance. If you want to give more, add a book light for reading in bed and some thick wool socks.

For students driving back to school after the holidays:

• A book on tape and a care package for the road. You could tuck some pistachios, apples, cheese and crackers in a basket with bottled fruit juices and your favorite homemade treats.

Virginia Rainey is a free-lance food writer and co-author of ``California The Beautiful Cookbook.''