Why Food And Wine Make Great Gifts

Christmas, birthdays and other special occasions are great excuses to indulge in a little of what you fancy and it's virtually mandatory to throw calorie counting (and alcohol unit counting) to the wind and make the most of the opportunity to guzzle good food and plentiful drink. In this celebratory spirit, gifts involving food and/or drink tend to be particularly well received and it's hard to think of anybody who would be disappointed with a gourmet gift to mark a special occasion.

Of course, you'll need to know a little about the recipient's tastes before you go ahead and buy your gourmet goodies. That pricey pot of Fois Gras might be a little pot of culinary gold for some, but is unlikely to appeal to those with a passion for animal rights. With so many tasty treats on the market, however, you shouldn't face too much of a challenge in finding suitable gifts. Do a little research into likes and dislikes and you can take your pick from yummy presents such as cured meats, specialist jams, preserves and pickles, exotic fruit baskets, deliciously decadent cakes and biscuits...the world is your culinary oyster. Of course, no celebration is complete without a little something to get the party started and good bottles of booze are another gift option that you can virtually guarantee will be enthusiastically received.

Assuming of course that the lucky recipient is neither under age nor teetotal, boozy gifts are a great idea for any number of special occasions. Champagne is the obvious choice for a party to celebrate a landmark birthday, engagement or other major life event and becomes even more special if you can afford to splash out on some cut crystal champagne glasses - you might want to consider clubbing together with mutual friends if the budget is a little tight. If you're thinking of buying wine as a gift, do a little asking around as to the recipient's preferences and then ask the advice of your local wine merchant as to which bottles represent good value for money. A good vintage bottle that can be cellared for a few years and opened to mark another special occasion is bound to be appreciated by wine lovers.

One great thing about giving food and wine as gifts is that they can be as inexpensive or as pricey as the budget permits. The current glut of television cookery shows means that virtually everyone is anxious to try their hand at new recipes, so unusual ingredients are a nice option for anyone who fancies themselves as a bit of a master chef. Of course, if you yourself are a dab hand in the kitchen, handmade goodies can be a really nice gift option. Boxes of handmade biscuits, delicately wrapped, are likely to tempt even the most saintly of us, whilst homemade jams and pickles also tend to go down well with foodie types.

One word of advice, it might not be wise to inflict any home made wines on friends and family unless you are truly confident that you've mastered the art of wine-making!