Homemade food gifts as christmas presents

[FlowersAndShit]

What do you all think about homemade hampers with things like hm shortbread? Would you appreciate them or would they go straight in the bin?

I don't mind receiving homemade gifts but TBH I'm no more grateful for them than shop-bought ones.

I have a beautiful quilt that my aunt made me about 15 years ago and I treasure it, but if you gave me a box of homemade fudge I'd probably be like 'yum, I love fudge' rather than 'oh my god, wow, you made fudge, you must care about me so much to make fudge for me by hand.'

To you it's impressive because you made it but to me it's still just fudge.

I make Christmas cakes some years, starting in September so that I can feed the cake plenty of booze. Great thing is, the cake lasts for ages, so it can be left and no worries about having too much food. Buying a nice tin for each cake was pretty well received also, as it keep the cake for longer, looks nice (and can be wrapped up) and can be used after the cake is gone.

I bake really well, though, I don't know if it would be as well received if the cakes weren't really tasty. I ate cake a couple of years after it was made and it was still edible and yummy, it's the best kind of cake if you eat it infrequently.

I've done memory boxes, pictures collages, fudge and baskets filled with personalised items, rather than buying a pre-packet hamper, and tend to send the homemade stuff alongside the shop bought stuff too.

I've got one elderly relative (male) that I was stuck for a present for - so one year gave him a hamper of Chilli jam and various flavoured / spiced booze. It was such a hit that it's become a tradition - a bit worried this year, I've been so busy that I've only got the 1yr old Sloe gin and some Cherry brandy to give him. Blackcurrant rum went down very well last year

It also wouldn't dawn on me to give back the jars!

I didnt expect the jars back, I just explained that yes I would cheerfully let them have some when I made the next lot, could they let me have the jar and I would refill it....it was a small kilner jar and very expensive so I wasnt about to buy another. But no one wanted to re use it for that and I know that one person in particular was most put out that I wasnt about to go out and buy some more!

Ah, ok. Sorry! I just panicked a bit thinking back on hampers etc. I've never returned anything! :)

Recipients have almost always asked me if I'd like the jars back - esp if they are Kilner style. It's not a matter of expecting them back - they come as part of the gift but if the person has no further use for them of course they're welcome back.
This afternoon I am making a batch of my extremely popular chilli and lime zest jelly. It is divine eaten with a good strong cheese but equally as good if a tsp is stirred into gravy or casserole. One day of cooking will give me enough to last a year and gift some out. I could go buy something wishy washy and mass produced at Asda or somewhere equally ghastly but I know what's gone into this - just 4 ingredients - and I know it lasts well.

Does chutney have to be sweet?

As an aside, you can get lovely kilner jars from TKMaxx at a good price!

dove that lime and chilli jelly sounds incredible. What's the recipe?

I agree that it's a know your recipient scenario.

Is homemade shortbread much superior to shop bought?

I'm not good at pastry so for me it would be jam tarts, lemon curd tarts & mince pies-shop bought ones never seem to have a nice pastry.

Homemade shortbread is delicious, same goes for fudge, rocky road and chewy cookies. Actually most biscuits!

Mackerel if you think homemade fudge tastes the same as shop bought then you either have an amazing supplier of fudge or your fudge gifts are being made with poor quality ingredients like marg or someone who screws up the recipe!

I want chili and lime jelly.

Country baskets also do reasonably prices screw top and kilner jars.

Going back to the chutney uses, I was thinking about non bread and cheese scenarios really, I rarely eat sandwiches or cheese on toast, thanks anyway.

Flatmouse - try using vanilla with raspberries or rhubarb, or stuff like star anise etc with berries

Notoedike It depends how good they are at making it really, doesn't it?

Don't get me wrong, I'd nom the lot regardless. I'm just not especially more impressed if it's been home made. If it's tasty, it's tasty.

I do a green chilli, lime and tequila jelly - it's one of my best sellers and won me a 2 star Great Taste Award last year proud boast

I would like a chilli and lime jelly recipe too please, if it includes tequila then I will force myself to try it :o

I dont know what people eat chutney with, as I dont eat it I just make it! But I understand it is good with cold platters of cheeses, cold meats and salads.

We often have chutney with cous cous and roasted veggies. Also with cooked meats (gammon and chutney is a particular favourite of mine)

I would eat lime pickle with almost anything.

I like chutney with curries or claggy dinners that need an acidic lift. Frittata or quiche, pies, welsh rarebit/rabbit, eggy bread, fry up, bbq'd meats roast veg....but only homemade, the shop bought stuff is rank.

I do a green chilli, lime and tequila jelly - it's one of my best sellers and won me a 2 star Great Taste Award last year

Wow! If I could make that claim, it would be my username!

iwonagreattasteawardbowdown

LET a cat on a work surface? More a case of it being impossible to stop them. The poster obviously doesn't know cats.

All surfaces can be cleaned and sterilized and my cats are cleaner than many of the friends of posters judging by earlier (gross) comments.