How to Create a Food Gift Basket

Baskets are a great gift to create, to give, and mostly, to recieve.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Colored plastic wrap
• Card
• Variety of cheeses
• Bottle of wine or some gourmet oils/vinegars (with floating herbs inside)
• Large bow
• Straw or shredded filler
• Small assortment of breads and pastries
• Hard cover cook book or cooking magazines
• Assortment of fruit
• Large sturdy basket with handle
• Decorative loaf pan
• Small cream colored table cloth
• Variety of flavored teas
• 4-5 small herb plants

Prepare the Basket

1. Place basket on table and add shredder filler/straw to basket.
2. Arrange filler to create a mound in center of basket and mounds near the handles. In the center mound, make a dip, or nest on the top.
3. Place table cloth over filler. The basket should have the cloth draping out over the rim of the basket just a little. If there is extra table cloth hanging over the edge of the basket, pull the fabric back and form pockets with your fist, making what looks like nests of fabric in several places, including the top mound.

Fill the Basket

4. Place bottle of wine or flavored oil/vinegars on the top of the center mound and work it down in to the shredded filler/straw to secure bottle(s).
5. Arrange cook book or magazines on back side of the basket. Choose a book or magazines based on what you know about the person receiving it. If they don’t cook much, then a basic Fannie Farmer or Joy of Cooking book works well. If they are an adventurous cook then a subscription to a cooking magazine or a recently released cook book is appropriate.
6. Place tea in front of the magazines/book. Place loose tea in cellophane bags or paper bags, with handwritten identifying tags. Nest with a tea ball (or tie a tea ball to the top of center bag).
7. Place a colorful array of herbs in the front portion of the basket. Tag them individually with handwritten identifying tags. Place all of them in a row in a loaf pan or other kitchen container.
8. Place cheeses on either side of cook books, near handles.
9. Clean, dry and arrange fruit, giving the basket an overflowing, bountiful look.
10. Add pastry and breads.
11. Cover with plastic wrap, gathering it together at the top of the handle and securing it with a bow. Place card under bow and tape in place.
12. Store in refridgerator until delivered.