Homemade for the Holidays 🎁
Memorable Gifts from Your Kitchen to Loved Ones
The Holidays are a classic time of year to show love and appreciation to the special people in your life through gifts. 🎁
Whether you’re an extravagant gift-giver or on a budget, one thing we can agree on is that the trend of just scooping up gift cards to pass out is a little over-played and doesn’t require much (if any) thought.
In fact, some people still recall and bring my attention to gifts that I gave them years ago… homemade, from my kitchen.
Food is universally understood to be able to bring people together and make memories.
Homemade gifts from your kitchen are an extension of this and can make a powerful impression over the holidays.
Let’s be real… who does this anymore? Few
Harry & David have a thriving mail order business that crushes it around Christmas, which is fine and good. But recipes that you can make at home will always carry more soul in them and carry the gift of the time that you spent to prepare for your special people.
Traditions
My family was big on holiday traditions growing up.
Thanksgiving, Easter, Mothers Day, Fathers Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day.. the list goes on… all had specific traditions and/or foods that were made in honor of the celebratory day.
Why?
Both of parents came from homes that didn’t have a lot of strong traditions and wanted to instill those things in their family, and made a ton of effort too. Very Trad.
One of the traditions around Christmas that we did from a young age were holiday baskets. This ended up turning into a big deal that a lot of people looked forward to every year.
Momma Octopod 🐙 and the kids would spend a fair amount of time in the kitchen preparing all of our favorite family recipes, sweets, preserves, chutneys, etc.
Then a few days before Christmas we would load up the car and deliver them to the special friends and family all over whatever city we were in. (Sometimes it took multiple car loads) 😂
These days it isn’t an elaborate ordeal like back then. It doesn’t have to be. You can make a 1 or 2, even a half dozen items that would show a lot of love and care to the special people in your life.
Not too long ago I jarred up and canned a bunch quince fruit. They came out insanely delicious and I still get mentions of that when I run into friends that got some of those jars.
So this Holiday Season, consider doing some homemade for the holidays baskets to switch up from the usual gift card exchanges. 🙌
Holiday Basket Ideas
I’m dropping an insanely delicious recipe tonight, and then a bonus Substack on Sunday with 2 holiday recipes I’ve never given out before.. sharing with you 🤝
Here’s some other ideas that work well for gift basket ideas.
Sweet Things
It’s the Holidays so this is the one time if year you can share sweet things with people and they won’t decline/feel guilty.
Bite-sized pieces or tray bakes that can be easily cut and portioned work well for baskets.
Think cookies, brownies, divinity, bars, popcorn balls, peanut clusters, fudges.
If you want a gluten free, dairy free fruit bar that tastes outrageous, then try these fruit and nut bars I dropped, also the best banana bread bar none. If you want to go for a home run, homemade nutella would wow any gift basket receiver.
This Sunday will be dropping The Best Blonde Brownies Ever & also a Walnut Fudge that will slay 🤤
Preserves/Chutneys/Sauces
If you’re into preserving these are perfect. Small jars are a great way to divide and conquer, spreading out your efforts for maximum reach.
It’s citrus season so don’t forget my orange 🍊 marmalade recipe, the pear-cranberry relish is also a winner.
You can also try the red tomato 🍅 chutney if you have access to some good tomatoes.
If you haven’t yet, the romesco sauce is an absolute flavor bomb that can be served with seafood, grilled meats and more. Incredibly versatile. Just have your giftees store in the fridge.
Pre-prepared
Wines, cheeses, vinegars and olive oils can be nice finishing touches as well.
There’s just a few ideas for putting together a holiday basket that would be loved by any person gifted one. You don’t need 20 thing. Keep it manageable, fun and stress free.
For the recipe drop today I’m sharing a cold weather, holiday favorite with you.
Curried Fruit 🤤
You heard me.
What the heck is curried fruit and why do you want to keep reading?
Ironically no one really knows the specific origin of curried fruit (at least that I could find), only to note that in North America after WWII this preparation gained vast popularity.
Canned fruits were combined with booze, sugar and spices and would ferment.
The combination was a huge hit gaining a cult-like following all through the 60’s, 70’s and into the 80’s.
Served warm or at room temp over pound cake, or ice cream or even served with ham, lamb or duck the sweet, spiced, rich fruit concoction is pretty addictive.
Fast forward 40 years it makes a lot of sense to use dried fruit instead of canned, and also make a recipe that can be ready as soon as it’s made.
The fun part is… pick your favorite fruit combinations, esp if you have some on hand this is a straight pantry recipe.
I used apricots, cranberries, figs, peaches, sultanas, pineapple, dried candy ginger, currants and raisins. But you could also use pears, apples, cherries.
Pears would de divine 🤤
While the recipe is called “Curried Fruit”. This is not like a hot a spicy curry. Rather, the warming spices and booze perfume the fruits to provide a luxurious depth of flavor.
Roast Duck
Pan-Basted Partridge
Ham
Leg of Lamb
Cheese/Charcuterie Boards
are all no-brainers.
It swings sweet as well… vanilla ice cream? Warm up some of the curried fruit and spoon it over.
Got pound cake or lady fingers on hand? Add the ice cream and fruit on top… you’ll be in dessert heaven.
Most of all, this can be jarred (no need to can them) and refrigerated for 2-4 weeks.
Making this a unique and delicious holiday gift that can be put in a basket or given individually
INGREDIENTS
2 lbs mixed dried fruit, coarsely chopped (I used apricots, cranberries, figs, peaches, sultanas, pineapple, ginger, currants and raisins; you could also use pears, apples, cherries).
1/2 cup dry sherry or Madeira
8 TB (1 stick) salted butter
1/2 cup packed, light brown sugar
3 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground white pepper
1/4 tsp ground garam masala
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup chicken broth
METHOD
Coarsely chop the larger fruits into bite size pieces
Combine the fruit and sherry or Madeira in a large bowl; cover and let sit 6 hours (or overnight) to macerate. Most of the liquid should be absorbed.
When ready to prepare, preheat the oven to 375F
Heat a large ovenproof skillet or saute pan over medium heat. Add the dried spices and allow to toast for 60-90 seconds. (They should not be smoking at all)
Add the butter and melt, stirring to combine with all the spices. Cook for 2-3 mins to bloom the spices.
Add the brown sugar. cook for a few minutes, stirring to combine.
Add the macerated fruit and toss to coat evenly, then add the broth and mix well.
Transfer to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1hr.
As the fruits cook, the liquid will reduce and turn into a glaze over the fruits. Stir the mixture every 15 mins or so to ensure evenly coated and glazed properly.
Serve warm, cold or at room temperature. Keep refrigerated to store, for 2-4 weeks.
I urge you to give this recipe a shot. It’s incredibly delicious and addictive. 😉
See you back here Sunday!