Ideas for Christmas Hampers

[PenelopeClearwater]

I know it's probably a bit early yet but I'm starting to think of presents for people. My uncle and his DP are foodies and I always make them a hamper but tend to put the same things in each year.

So I'm looking for ideas and I'd quite like this years to be mainly homemade. So jam, chutney, biscuit etc recipes would be nice too.

Thanks

A Christmas cake, pickles, fresh bread (if you can be bothered), local cheeses (not homemade but always lovely), sloe gin, flavoured olive oil?

There's a recipe for lemon curd on 'The Pink Whisk' website. Its amazing.
You could do some nice shortbread to go with it?

Thanks

That lemon curd recipe looks great. Will have to give it a try.

Nigella has some amazing recipes for this sort of thing in her Christmas book. Clemencello (like limoncello but with clementines) and a winter spiced vodka were particular hits one year. If your uncle and his DP drink, one of those would be a lovely addition

If your recipients like cheese, you could get some nice local and artisan cheeses, and add some HM chutney and HM crackers/oatcakes to that. Maybe with a bottle of port (the M&S port went down well with cheese last year as a budget but very good option).

The Hairy Bikers' mincemeat recipe is tasty! And has the added advantage of tasting even better the longer it sits, so making it now is a benefit.

Do you have any herbs in your garden? If so, maybe dry some now in the summer to use in winter hampers?

I usually try to focus my hampers around some theme - so maybe pick a genre of cooking that they like and have a mix of things related to that. If curry, you could make chutnies and dried spice mixes, the mix for naan breads with some nigella seeds alongside (just the dry parts, with instructions), and buy some nice sauces, basmati rice, and a couple of beers to wash it down.

Just as an example.

Then again, lots have been a mix of what I have put together at the last minute as well so no clear link (unless "sweet" of cookies and chocolates and fudge).

Muscat jelly is incredibly delicious and easy to make (though expensive). Recipe in Domestic Goddess.

Thanks I'll look at Muscat jelly.

Biddy some lovely ideas there. Thank you.

Dishwasher vodka?

I do small amounts of chutney, basically what ever fruit/veg you want to use then add a 50/50 mix of vinegar and sugar and spices.

Things that work well tomatoes - obviously, yellow pepper and dried apricot, and mango with raisins.

Feta in oil.

Get oil - veg or olive
feta cheese
jam jar
dried herbs

pour the dried herbs on to a plate
press the feta in to it so the herbs stick
turn over and repeat

cut the feta in to chunks, place in the jar and add oil.

Now is a good time to get gluts of things like beautiful tomatoes in season - I dry them in the oven (semi dried) and preserve them in olive oil. I have given these on occasion (but rarely - I love them too much).

Along with mince meat in a jar or mince pies, for a festive theme you could make your own mulling spices to add to wine. There are various recipes around - I keep wanting to dry some orange peel strips in the oven and forgetting, but the mix I use doesn't need it (it's from an Irish Times recipe a good few years back and involves peppercorns, cloves, star anise and cinnamon sticks at least).

Biscotti can be made ahead as well, as they are double baked and quite dry so last a long time.

And then you only need a small amount of things that should be made at the last minute (cookies or sweets like peppermint creams or truffles with fresh cream.....mmmmmmmm.....)

wanders off to drool a little.....

I made fudge one year, went down really well.

I always seem to ruin fudge. Might try again