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One Size Fits All: Easy Gourmet Holiday Gifts
by: ARA
(ARA) – What size, what color, what brand? This time of year, most of us are racking our brains trying to decide on the perfect gift for everyone. Here’s a tip: everyone eats.

Food has long been a traditional gift during the holidays and for good reason. It is always appreciated and can be enjoyed by the whole family. It comes in all price ranges, and it can be easily packed and shipped as a surprise for far flung friends and relatives.

Baskets of fresh fruit or nuts, cheese trays or popcorn tins have been the customary choices during the holidays. But why not be more original? There are so many other creative options available.

“Most of us want to give something more unique than what you might buy at the mall for a last-minute gift,” says Jill Blashack, president and CEO of Tastefully Simple, a gourmet foods company that sells products through home taste-testing parties. “By putting together interesting combinations of gourmet foods, you can personalize your gift to fit any individual or family.”

Here are some ideas for creating unique gourmet gift packages:

* The gift of a home cooked meal. Why not put together all the things needed for an easy home-cooked winter meal: a savory wheat bread and crackers paired with an interesting soup or chili mix. Add some fresh apples and oranges and a few bundles of cookies or brownies.

* Romantic picnic. Include everything needed for an intimate picnic: two wine glasses, a bottle of white wine, some small cheeses, a loaf of bread, some flavored olive oil for dipping (Tastefully Simple Balsamic and Basil Dipping Oil), a small tablecloth, a cutting board and paring knife, some fresh fruit and a box of Tastefully Simple Truffle Fudge Brownie mix.

* A party pack -- everything needed for an impromptu cocktail party. A selection of seasoning mixes for making easy dips, gourmet crackers, chips or bread, a jar of black bean salsa and some candied almonds or pecans.

* A theme dinner. Gather the ingredients for an Italian night: dried pasta, a jar of gourmet tomato sauce, dried pesto mix, crunchy bread and a bottle of wine; throw in some amaretto cookies for dessert. Or how about a Mexican meal? Include a jar of fresh salsa, a jar of Tastefully Simple Sweet Pepper Jalapeno Jam, chips, a selection of colorful fresh peppers, a bottle of tequila, margarita mix, course ground salt and two margarita glasses.

* A mid-afternoon break selection including an instant chai blend and some hot chocolate mix, an apple cake or fudge brownie mix, some Anjou pears and a few gourmet cheeses.

* Rainy/snowy day gift pack. Think of all the things that would be great to have on a cold winter’s day when you don’t feel like going out: a few best selling novels, a deck of cards, some Tastefully Simple Bountiful Beer Bread, a creamy wild rice soup mix, and a ready-to-bake apple cake.

If you don’t have time to put together your own gift basket, Tastefully Simple has a number of distinctive gift packs already assembled. Spice It Up is a grouping of mulling spices, muffin mix and toffee oatmeal cookie mix; Souper Douper brings together three creamy soup mixes -- cheddar broccoli, wild rice and potato cheddar; Sweet on You will satisfy any sweet tooth with Creamy Caramel sauce and Twisty Grahams cookies.

For more gift ideas and to find out how to order Tastefully Simple products and gift packs, visit www.tastefullysimple.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content



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 Choosing Wine on a First Date
 by: Neil Best

First dates are nerve wracking enough without having to worry about what wine to choose to impress your new friend!

One of the great things about wine on a date is that one bottle is a defined amount, normally about five glasses. If shared equally it is unlikely that you will fall off your chair drunk after half a bottle of wine!

However, there are some other social sins that can be committed whilst choosing wine on a date.

Getting Started

First, you need to decide whether you want white, red, rosé or sparkling wine. This is perhaps the most important decision. As a general rule, red wine is more of an acquired taste and it can be harder to select a good red. Therefore, when you do not know your companion's tastes it may be wise to steer clear of the red wine section.

Sparkling wine can make you appear a little pretentious or if you go for a cheaper version, a tightwad; so this is usually best avoided. If you are not sure whether your companion likes wine at all, rosé wine is often a safe option as it often lacks the sharpness that people commonly dislike in wines.

How Much to Spend?

Remember more money doesn't always mean more quality. If you are very new to wine, go for a house white. A house white is unlikely to be extremely imaginative or unusual, but is almost always perfectly drinkable. For this reason it is a safe, middle of the road option.

If you want to impress, look for something other than the house white. Keep away from extremes until you know your companion a little better, so don't go for bone dry whites. Instead, opt for a fruity dry wine that appeals to those who like both dry and medium whites.

Whilst neutral wines may seem like a bit of a cop-out, bear in mind that you simply want a drinkable wine that does not offend.

If you are really not sure what to choose, why not offer your companion a choice of glasses as an aperitif while you have a beer or spirit. This way you can judge your companion's taste. Even if they select a spirit, you can still get a measure of whether they prefer sweet or dry wines.

Of course, you could always give your companion the choice…


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