Showing you care
Edible gifts are a generous way of showing your love and appreciation
The season of excess has begun, wreaking its annual havoc on our credit cards, stress levels and our livers. When it comes to Christmas, we all love presents but increasingly we don’t want stuff we don’t need.
By contrast, the idea of homemade, second-hand presents or re-gifting has a lot of appeal. It’s a great way to embrace a “less is more” lifestyle without feeling like a scrooge.
With this in mind, I’ve compiled a list of a few homemade gifts that will bring joy and pleasure to the lives of those you love.
Baking mixes
For a gift that keeps on giving, layer the dry ingredients of your favourite biscuit, cake or slice into a jar and attach a pretty label that advises if any other ingredients need to be added to make the recipe. With their mixes of flours, grains and seeds, the ingredients for lavosh and other savoury seed crackers create attractive layers in large jars. If layering a sweet baking mix, choose a recipe where you melt butter, then mix in the jar of dry ingredients, rather than one where you beat the butter and eggs first, because for that method the sugar needs to be added separately to the rest of the dry ingredients.
Gut goodness
Make a big batch of kombucha, sauerkraut or kimchi, then stick the recipe on a label on the outside.
Homemade preserves
Homemade jams and preserves make a nice little gift and are a perfect way to say thank you to people who have helped you over the year. Herb and berry vinegars are delicious and super-simple to make. Put a cup of chopped berries or a cup of herbs, such as tarragon or rosemary, into a clean wine bottle, top up with white wine vinegar and leave to infuse for 2-3 weeks (it will keep its flavour for a good year). This time of year is also a great time to make lemon curd, limoncello and preserved lemons.
Holiday fridge fixings
Often when you’re heading to the bush or the bach for the Christmas break, it’s hard to access supplies other than the basics from the corner dairy or camp store. If your friend is off on holiday this summer, fill a pretty bottle or jar with your favourite vinaigrette or another tasty dressing, or make fridge fixings, such as tapenade, chilli jam, peanut sauce, harissa or dukkah. If they’re going off-grid, choose a recipe that doesn’t need to be kept in the fridge.
Herb and salad planter boxes
It’s not too late to fill a little planter box with seedraising mix and grow basil, rocket or mixed salad green seedlings to take on holiday. For a gift that keeps on giving, add in a packet of seeds for replanting in the box.
SWEET CHERRIES IN VANILLA RED WINE SYRUP
Ready in 30 mins Makes 3 medium jars
2 bottles merlot (you don’t have to use expensive wine)
4 cups sugar
3 cups water
1 vanilla pod, split, or 2 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp whole cloves
2.5kg cherries or wild cherries, stems on
Combine wine, sugar, water, vanilla and cloves in a very large pot and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes. Add cherries and return to the boil. Boil regular cherries for 12 minutes or wild cherries for 8 minutes. Store in a jar in the fridge for up to 4 weeks or, for longer storage, divide between sterilised jars and cover with syrup to overflow, removing any air bubbles by running a knife around the inside of the jars. Seal with sterilised lids. They will keep for months in a cool place.
Annabel says: Bottles of these jewel-like cherries bring the taste of summer to winter desserts.