How to Make a Gourmet Fruit Gift Basket

A gourmet fruit gift basket makes an elegant gift that can be adapted to many holidays and occasions. You can personalize it with a friend's favorite gourmet fruits, include special extra gifts like wine or chocolate dip, and decorate it for any season.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Purchase a basket. You can either select an elegant basket from a craft or import store, to complement the gourmet fruit it will contain, or purchase a plain inexpensive basket and decorate it.

2. 
    
   Lace frill on a gift basket

   Line and decorate the basket. A simple cloth lining will set off an elegant gift basket, while a plain basket can be decorated with ribbons or lace or trim appropriate for the season: red and green tinsel for a Christmas gourmet fruit gift basket, white silk flowers for a wedding gift basket, and so forth.

3. Choose gourmet fruit for the gift basket. You may want to approach the basket like a flower arrangement, selecting fruit for its color and size, to make an artistic display. Or you might want to choose a theme, such as tropical fruit, or fruit for dipping in chocolate or caramel along with containers of the dip, or include a bottle of wine, with cheese and fruit to accompany it. For a friend who enjoys cooking, include fruits that can be used in gourmet recipes, with recipe cards included. You can also add related gourmet items, such as nuts or fancy chocolate or gourmet coffee.
   
   Select the finest examples of each fruit that you can find, and look for exotic fruits as well as common ones. If the gift basket needs shipped or stored for a while, select fruit that doesn't need refrigeration and won't be easily crushed. Dried fruits also make for a decorative gift basket that keeps well.

4. Arrange the fruits in the basket. If you add any strong-scented items such as gourmet coffee beans, enclose them in their own plastic wrap so their scent won't spread to the rest of the gift items. You may want to put small items like berries in their own little containers, to keep them together amid the rest of the fruit. If some items need refrigerated, add them just before the basket is presented.

5. Add a personalized tag to the gourmet fruit gift basket, and if you'll be transporting it, cover it in plastic wrap to protect it.

[SarahElizabeth]

on 10/22/2009 Love this idea! I will use this. 5*