What Kind of Gift Basket should I create?

[corarose]

Everyone at College gives the Chefs a Christmas present.

Another DU'er posted a link to the Potato of the Month Club website.

They have a basket of small gourmet potatoes which I want to make a gift basket and include them in. I want to include a bottle of wine and some cheese. I will also put some home made truffles, cookies, crackers and a loaf of sour dough bread in the basket.
Is that too much?

I have to figure this out and I need help.

I have a gift certificate from a wine store that I bought off of ebay 10 months ago and I don't drink but I think that I can possibly buy two good bottles of wine with it.

What is a good wine that doesn't cost much? The wine certificate is for $25.00.

[KCDem]

1. there are some very good Australian wines for <$10

Go to any reputable wine store and ask the clerk for some help. I really dig a couple of Australian brands.

Sounds like a very nice present! I wish I were your teacher!

[corarose]

3. They own their own Restaurants

So they can buy from distributors.

That makes it tough to buy for them. They have been so good to me and I care so much about them. Let's just say we have a bond and one of the guys has offered to fix me up with a friend of his because he thinks that I am "Alone" which I am but I didn't give him an answer.

Australian Wines sound good to me and I just sent my dad for some cookie bags. Jesus I hope he doesn't get lost on the way back.

What kind of Cheese would you put in?

[displacedtexan]

2. trust the winesellers

they love helping people find the perfect wines!
tell them what you're including in your gift basket; they'll pick the perfect wine to complement your food items. after all, their reputation is on the line.
btw, your food items are perfect. how about a small pot of jam?

[corarose]

4. What kind?

Plum or Mango?

[corarose]

5. I have had my one Chef for almost all of my classes

He has helped me so much and he has 4 kids and a wife.

He own 3 restaurant and he use to be a baseball player.

I gave him a cookbook onetime and he asked me If I wanted him to keep it and he left the classroom with tears in his eyes. He is such a nice man.

[displacedtexan]

7. cheese... yum!

brie
fontina
havarte (does it end in an i?)

i eat the above with:
carr's table water crackers;
a tin of salmon pate; and,
grapes and apple slices.

Israeli wines are good, too. i've been buying a wine here in baltimore (maybe it's a local private label) called 'Fat Bastard.' it's excellent!

don't worry about impressing your teacher. you might be surprised to learn that, while he has access to everything, he might not buy good stuff for home-prepared meals.

[corarose]

11. He knows that I am beyond poor

When my equipment was stolen last year I showed him the police report because I needed extra time and he made me stand next to him and let me use all of his stuff and he has given me things that I can't buy.

He knows about my teeth and everything. I tell him not to feel sorry for me and he grades me harder then anyone else because they think that I am the teachers pet.

[KittyWampus]

6. Corarose- Walnut Crest From Chile Is Very Nice For The Money

We serve it here and people often comment on it.

[corarose]

8. Red or White?

What kind of Cheese would you put in a basket?

[tigereye]

9. Jabobs Creek from Australia has nice wines

Walnut Creek ( California, I think) also makes inexpensive and good wines

Cheese.. I don't really know a lot about interesting cheeses... there are some amazing ones at Whole Foods, but I never know which ones to try!

I enjoy your food posts... I have to look at one from yesterday and see if anyone has a plum pudding recipe :)

[tigereye]

12. brie (yum)

OH I want to go out and get cheese now! and a really fresh baguette

[Blue-Jay]

10. Not to sound like a rube

but I've never heard of "gourmet potatoes".

That said, there are plenty of good wines for under $25. I tend to like Italian merlots.

[corarose]

15. Check the website out

http://www.woodprairie.com/fcgi-bin/qilan.fcgi/store/EasterEgg.html

[corarose]

18. Thanks I love that website

Good Idea!

[corarose]

16. I have to buy at least two bottles for $25.00

I have two male Chefs to buy for.

[grasswire]

13. don't forget.....

...to include those cute t-shirts that you bought a few weeks ago.

Cheese: Manchego (from Spain and very "in"), Maytag Bleu, or maybe a Stilton.

How about a chutney of some kind instead of jam?

How about some spiced nuts that you make yourself? Walnuts are fairly cheap and considered nice with bleu cheese. Toasting them with spices would be fairly inexpensive yet very glamorous.

[grasswire]

14. here....

...is a spiced nuts recipe that people on the internet seem to rave about:

http://www.recipezaar.com/44313

[corarose]

17. I already gave my Pastry Chef her shirts

She loved them. I told her what they cost also and I am a TA for her.

I have a book on the breed of Dog that she has and I am going to give her that plus something else.

She took my bread home and served it for Thanksgiving. She is single like I am and I have a bond with her as a friend. "We Talk about Men"

[Shakespeare]

19. California wine!!

I've seen people suggest Australian, Chilean and Israeli wine so far--how about good old California wine? Can't beat home-grown!! With the current wine glut driving prices down so far, you should be able to pick up a couple of very nice wines for $25. Quality with any label (domestic or not) varies wildly, but the following labels are a pretty safe bet: Fetzer (a good one to patronize because of their very progressive business and farming practices), Mondavi (who has several labels under his name, including Woodbridge) and Turning Leaf. Clos du Bois cabernet is usually consistently excellent. Fetzer also makes Emeril Legasse's wine, and his white table wine is surpisingly good (a blend of chardonnay and viognier).