@Lambchop poli orea
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@Lambchop too bad! Our pears and apples from H&D have always arrived super juicy and perfect, all the way to Canada. But that was probably 7 years ago now.
Last year’s canning. Mostly jams, jellies and syrups for gifting (mostly berry types) as well as tomatoes, Greek and Italian style sauces, as well as some Turkish flavored. Forgot to count the jars.
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For Lambchop and Prima (and anyone else, of course) here’s the pate recipe.
For a Briton of my generation any longterm successful recipe is pretty much certain to have originated with Delia Smith.
And, for contrast, here’s the Nigel Slater recipe I did last year. The combination of cranberries and dried apricots really works.
Either would work as a food gift, IMO. Just pack it into the container of your choice (it’ll be crumblier than if you keep it in the terrine shape and press it down overnight). Make sure your recipient knows to (a) keep it in the fridge and (b) eats it within a few days.
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Thanks very much @Harters, might not get to it until after x-mas, but before New Year’s - will let you know how it turns out.
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@Harters thank you! I’ve been spending more time in the kitchen lately, this will be my first pâté!
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Since we spend the 24th and 25th with my parents, grand parents (all 4) and sons, grandsons, daughter in laws and in laws, there is no reason to send (ship) a food gift to them since we give our gifts to them.
However, here in Spain, it is more traditional to give our gifts on the 6th of January for The Three Wise Men, or The Three Kings (The Epiphany).
Our grandsons receive a small gift under the tree, however, the main gift is given on the 6th.
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Thanks for sharing your family traditions with us @Barca! Happy upcoming holidays and travel!
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My nephew has a Spanish father and spent the first years of his life living in Spain. He got the best of both worlds - there would be presents on Christmas Day, in keeping with his British heritage, and a second round of presents on Three Kings.
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A friend sends the pears every year. In general, the are neither the size or quality they were a decade ago. H&D is very good about replacing inferior fruit, but the one time that I complained (brown blotches all over, mealy…perhaps they froze en route), the replacement shipment was just as bad.
However, the dried pears from Apricotking.com are always succulent and delicious.
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@greygarious, thanks for bringing up the apricot king link again; I had meant to order some, now it’s bookmarked.
And good to know about the fresh H&D pears, I don’t feel bad about not complaining, considering your experience. I did feel something had probably gone wrong in the supply chain, somewhere. They were certainly presented beautifully however.
Yes!
We give what we call a “detalle” (loses translation in English = detail), or small gift to all for Christmas under the tree however, the main gift(s) are given on the 6th, January for Los Reyes Magos or the Three Kings or Three Wise Men.
We also celebrate Befana, on the 6th as my husband is Italian and so are my paternal grand parents …
There is also the Catalan tradition of the “Caganer” which are figurines of little men or disliked politicians and famous celebrities, going to the bathroom !
These are of historic and engimatic origin and are quite comical …
www.caganer.es or www.caganer.com
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The starting quad batch of baklava for holiday gifting. We use almond, pecans and walnuts, but leave the nuts less finely ground than traditional. Baklava as it is ready for the oven, and voila, 3 finished 1/2 sheet pans. Almost 200 pieces! Forgot to take a pic of the syrup. Next batch.
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Decided I will send my California cousins the gift of Barney Greengrass and a gluten-free Vergani panettone for Xmas. The panettone is for their friend who has celiac disease.
Still trying to decide what to buy for my uncle, a divorced 70 yo who lives on his own. He likes spicy stuff. Already have sent him Mexican stuff and a spicy southern Italian basket in the past. Maybe I’ll look into an Indian gift basket of some sort. I guess I could buy him some good quality curry pastes and other spicy ethnic things I can find in Toronto, that aren’t so easy to find in Colorado. Unfortunately, sending stuff from Canada has become ridiculously expensive. It’s almost worth the gas money to Buffalo 2 hours away to mail something from a US Post Office. I actually have brought things to mail American relatives with me when I’ve gone skiing in Montana, to save $50+ in postage.
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Might you be able to order something from a U.S. company and have it delivered to him?
I’m thinking perhaps frozen Hatch Chiles from New Mexico, as well as some hot ground red Chile, and assorted other things - maybe blue cornmeal or biscochitos too. As I’m sure you know, both Hatch Chile’s and NM ground red Chiles can be wickedly hot.
Or, this might be fun - Cajun or Creole foodstuffs from Louisiana. Hot sauces, andouille sausages - sure you get the picture.
Let us know what you decide!
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I have usually ordered baskets from US companies. With gift baskets, I think the markup usually seems to equal whatever I’d be paying for postage, but it makes any Customs easier. Any of the nicer gift baskets run about $100 to $200 USD, and seems about half that cost seems to go to the included shipping and packing. Most of the smoked salmon brunch kits from Zabars, Barney Greenrass and Russ & Daughters are around $150-$199 USD including delivery, and the Eataly baskets mostly fall in the $79-$150 range.
Found out the hard way last year, that if someone from the US sends me something through Fed Ex at the cheapest rate to them, I might have to pay $45 or more to Fed Ex later to covert Cdn customs after I received the gift. It was part of a Secret Santa, and the gift itself was probably worth $40 USD (nice coffee, pralines, some mini bottles of hot sauce)
I did a New Mexico basket a few years ago, but it wasn’t focused on Hatch chilies.
Good call on the Louisiana stuff.
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Yes, sadly I’ve heard the stories about shipping from or to Canada. Otherwise, I would send you some baklava! 
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