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Gourmet Ingredients as Christmas Gifts

Sea Salts, Herbs, and Oils Make Unique and Useful Presents

Nov 23, 2008 Kimberly Kunaniec

If your favorite food lover already has all the equipment they need, what will you buy them for their next birthday? Gourmet ingredients offer the solution.

Whether a Christmas gift, birthday present, or for no reason at all, shopping for a food lover can be challenging, especially if they already have every kitchen gadget in existence. Purchasing gourmet ingredients as a gift can make a creative statement. They will remember the gift with each new meal they create. These three choices are a great place to start.

Finishing Salts

Brightly colored sea salts can add something special to an ordinary dish. The differing mineral content that creates the color can also change the flavor of the salt, resulting in something special. It has become popular to add sea salt to desserts. In particular, caramel is enhanced by adding the flavor of salt. The trend has become so popular that even Starbucks has added a salted caramel hot chocolate to their menu.

Williams Sonoma sells a finishing salt collection that contains four types of sea salts. Two are harvested in Hawaii, one in Australia, and one in the Mediterranean. The black and red sea salts from Hawaii have a different flavor than the pink sea salt from Australia. This finishing salt collection has a retail price of $39.50 and will give epicureans an exciting new product to experiment with.

Potted Herbs

When purchasing a gift for a food enthusiast, consider their favorite herbs as an interesting choice. Even a cook who does not have outdoor space may be able to grow basil, sage, or thyme inside their home. Indoor potted herbs will not be at risk from the winter conditions if they are given as a Christmas gift.

Potted herbs are available at your favorite garden center, and even many discount stores. Potted herb gardens can add a splash of color to a kitchen window while saving the owner money on these items down the line. Make sure to include growing instructions with any potted plant given as a gift.

Olive Oil or Balsamic Vinegar

While purchasing olive oil or balsamic vinegar for a gift may seem like too common of an item, many people do not treat themselves when it comes to these items. Imported or flavored oil and vinegar can make a dish truly stand out. They are essentials in any cook’s kitchen, but their price can make a truly great bottle an imprudent purchase.

While a beautifully aged bottle of balsamic vinegar from Italy can sell for two hundred dollars, there are price options available for every budget. Sur la Table and other gourmet cooking stores have large selections to choose from. Many gourmet stores might have options available to taste so that the best bottle can be purchased.

Finding the right Christmas gift for a chef or foodie does not have to be a burden. Look for simple items that every kitchen needs and purchase the highest quality that you can find. Every true epicurean knows that a meal will only be great if they have great ingredients.

The copyright of the article Gourmet Ingredients as Christmas Gifts in Gourmet Food is owned by Kimberly Kunaniec. Permission to republish Gourmet Ingredients as Christmas Gifts in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.