Sophisticated ideas for a gift for a dinner party.....

[chocolatequeen]

Fed up of turning up with the usual flowers, wine etc. Anyone got any good ideas for something a bit different to take when going to dinner parties? Or at least a nice way to present flowers?

TIA

homemade choocies/fudge (from the cocolatequeen)

Sadly name derives from ability to eat chocolate. Not the ability to create it. Dammit. Can´t imagine the consequences if I could actually produce the stuff in my own home.

Could get some from Godiva though and just pretend...Thanks!

cheese? (Paxton & Whitfield, Neal's Yard Dairy, local specialitites from farmer's market etc, not Tesco cheddar)

If it's a really posh one I go to a proper florist and get flowers that sit in their own cellophane bubble of water (if that makes sense).
Or if you're in London these people are pretty good - their Rose Domes are splendid.

Fudge is very very easy to make.

You can of course test it as much as you like beforehand. Then you can wrap it up all fancy like.

Homemade jam, chutney, marmalade, etc in a nice Kilner jar with a pretty ribbon tied around, very good balsamic vinegar in an attractive bottle, goody bag with various treats e.g.olives, green & black's chocolate bar, posh biccies, small tin of foie gras or caviar if you have been to an airport recently where you can buy it cheaply ... etc. In fact airport shops are a good place to stock up on stuff like that.

A scented candle/ room spray - jo malone or something similar.

Gardeners goodie box if they have a garden - seeds, trowel etc, if not a lovely herb tray and pots for the window ledge with some seeds to sow.

A bottle of unusual desert wine, often goes down well - orange muscat or something similar - or a good bottle of port and some stilton.

A tray of nuts and dried fruits?

A CD or DVD - something you think they will particularly like?

An IOU voucher - an evening's babysitting, a freezer meal - or whatever you think they would like

Thanks everyone - some lovely ideas. May have a go at the fudge, always good to expand repertoire!

DH going through LHR tomorrow so may ask him to have a nosy round and see what he can find. Will probably end up with totally random offerings of a technological bent.......

I got some really nice trays with cool pictures on from a house shop and used those a couple of times. Much more fun than a bottle of wine and cost 12 quid each so not v.expensive. Cheaper than flowers.