thefoodiegifthunter.co.uk

Glass cake stand to show off your creations

I’ve written many times about how much shopping I do at Not On the High Street, as it really does have unusual and unique gifts for pretty much everyone on my list. Not to mention a few things for myself finding their way into the basket! And now its sale has started, so the temptation is even higher. Here’s a roundup of the best bargains on offer for foodies:

1. There are some great cocktail kits in a box in the sale, from margaritas to cosmopolitans. Not a massive reduction at 10% but these are a good looking gift, a bit of fun, and will feel incredibly decadent to receive!

2. I’ve written many times about how useful tea towels are, for all kinds of purposes other than the original intended one. There are some very highbrow literary ones in the sale at half price, spanning D H Lawrence to Oscar Wilde.

3. For the mini gourmets, the personalised kids aprons will help to make them feel really special in the kitchen, which might be another reason for them to want to get involved. There are four different designs available, so something suitable for everyone.

4. I know a lot of people are still surrounded by lots of snow and ice, so it’s hard to think of warm, sunny days and heading out on picnics. But if you want to be prepared, not to mention green, then the eco picnic set could be a good advance purchase. There are also some funky Thermos flasks in the sale, to help keep something cool and delicious completely cool.

5. I got a glass cake stand last year, and I love it. If you’ve got a keen baker, then the stand in the sale is really nice. It’s also reduced by 40% and is now just £15.

Just a few things for the foodies! Try not to get yourself too distracted by everything else!

Enter your email address:

Delivered by FeedBurner

A few more sales have popped up, with some good choices for foodie gifts at better prices. Just remember nothing is a bargain if you don’t want or need it, or won’t absolutely love it, or it won’t invoke the same feelings in the recipient. Here’s a few choices from me:

Cupcake mug from Emma Bridgewater

1. Emma Bridgewater – there is a good selection of seconds and discontinued lines gone into the sale, with some great choices like Cupcakes (perfect for the baker in the house), a Dancing Mice tin (perfect for the cakes) and some almighty mugs in Black Toast for the tea and coffee addict!

2. Pedlars – definitely one of my favourites! I’ll be seriously considering stocking up on tea towels, which are always useful, for either practical uses, or they make a great hostess gift or an alternative to wrapping paper. There are some witty wooden chopping boards now with 30% off, and I’d also look at the Ladybird flasks and the collapsible shopping bucket.

3. The Handpicked Collection - another good one to get to know (lets face it, Thomasina

Tavolo cheese grater

 Miers is on the panel of experts, so can’t be all bad for foodie needs). The Tavolo cheese grater would make a great gift, and you can never have enough graters. For lovers of good tea, there isa Teapigs gift box with 40% off making it just £8.97. Good standby gift this one. Skip the natural slate cheeseboard though, even reduced you can still pick up a roofing tile cheaper at your local builders merchant. About £13 cheaper!

4. Cath Kidston- plenty of homewares in the sale, things like aprons, mugs, oven gloves and napkins. Pretty good reductions too. If this is the style of the foodie in your life, then worth stocking up on these things, put them away somewhere safe until you need something.

So, shop at discount, but shop sensibly. Buy stuff that will be loved, not just stuff that’s got a big discount off it. And prepare for happy smiles for happy foodies when you finally let them have this stuff!

Not how I want to do my bargain hunting!

I think it’s possibly a little later than last year, but there seem to be a lot of last minute offers flying in from my favourite online sources for great foodie gifts. Rather than a raft of short posts I thought I would pull them all together in one post, so that you could get everything out of the way at once. Look, it’s that or face the crowds, and I know which I would rather do!

1. For foodie stocking fillers, I would check out Getting Personal for things like personalised Food Lovers calendar, a personalised Great Taste Award winning chocolate pudding or a personalised apron. This is a great place for fun, but not tacky, stuff for all members of the family, and friends, and price range means you can get something interesting for under £10. If you spend over £100, then you get 15% off, enter FIFTEEN at checkout.

2. For a huge range of unique, unusual and tasty foodie gifts, then check out the Deal of the Day page over on Big Barn. From beef boxes to vegan chocolate cakes, Loch Leven tablet to meaty sausages, there really is something for everybody. The other plus point would be that your gift would be supporting artisanal producers around the country, which is a great gift for everyone. Check in daily for new offers.

3. I really love the collection put together by the team at Jamie Oliver, and right now if you spend over £35 delivery is free. These are a bit different to things available under Jamie’s name elsewhere on the High Street, and there’s some great choices. For under £10, there are some very stylish tea towels and notebooks, and for under £20 I love the worm food compost bucket, and the I Love Olives gift set. Even though I don’t!

4. Cook in Style is a great online source for kitchen gadgets and gizmos, big and small. Not only do you get free delivery when you spend over £75, but you also get a free gift worth £15. So, that’s either two gifts for the price of one, or one for them and one for you! If they really wanted a breadmaker, this may be a good time to get it!

5. It wouldn’t be Christmas without chocolate, and Chocolate Trading Co is one of my favourite sources for unusual, good quality chocolate. They are offering 10% off between now and December 8th, enter code santa in the shopping basket. If you’re not too sure what to order, then there are some great new chocolates on offer from them, post here.

6. Not so much a gift for someone else, but a gift to whoever is responsible for the lunch on Christmas Day, the Christmas meal boxes at Natoora are fabulous. All the thinking is done, the recipe is there and right now there is 10% off the boxes and everything else that you orderwhen you put one of these in the basket. Valid until 20 December, so it would ensure you don’t go hungry on Christmas Day, and you can stock up on great gifts, such as Rococo Chocolates, some Prosecco on standby and a huge piece of Parmesan.

7. There are guys everywhere secretly hankering after a home brew kit, so make his day this year! The Online Homebrew Company are offering a Woodfordes Wherry Micro Brewery, which would allow you to brew 40 pints as a starting point. But right now he can get well brewed up for New Year’s Eve as they are offering an extra Wherry Kit with each one. So that would be 80 pints. That would be some hangover!

So a lucky 7 of bargains that would hopefully keep you in the warmth at home, rather than heading out into the cold to battle with the crowds. Possibly more to come though I would guess before the festive season is upon us.

Be careful what you try to wrap up!

A few people have been looking for ideas on how to put their own hampers together, which I think is a great idea. You get to really personalise to the gift recipient’s own tastes, and you can spend what you want to. Here’s some thoughts on ideas for different themes:

For the tea lovers

You could pack into a teapot, or generous mug, all kinds of tea paraphernalia. I’ve already written about the lovely teas from Bellevue Tea, and these would look attractive in a hamper. Whittard have good tea paraphernalia, like a tea infuser or even a tea bag squeezer, not to mention unusual loose teas. Another option for containing all your gifts, or as an add on, is a tea caddy. I like the bright Union Jack one from Emma Bridgewater, or try John Lewis if you want more traditional looking caddies. And you should probably add some lovely biscuits or cake, just to set up the perfect tea drinking treat.

For the BBQ Lover

Assuming that you are not going to pack this inside a Weber BBQ, we’ll think smaller but still useful. If you want an unusual book, I highly recommend Extreme BBQ, definitely one for the enthusiast. I would consider some good sauces and spices, like the chilli sauces from Gringley Gringo, and I really like the spices and seasonings from Steenburgs. I would think of adding in some of the unusual things like the Indian Fish Rub, just for a change.  They are bound to need good tongs, and perhaps an oven glove. And then you could add something like bottles of ketchup, a squeezy tomato dispenser, and maybe the madness that is the condiment gun!

For the cake baker

You could wrap all this up in a cake tin, although I don’t suggest the popular caterpillar cake tin for this, too many bumps! I do love silicone cases, both for ease of use and for lovely colours, like the heart shaped ones from Lakeland. All bakers will need more wooden spoons, and you could also add in things like cookie cutters, sprinkles and sugars. I really like Splat  who have more of everything than I could ever need! You could also add cake liners, doilies and paper cake cases. This will be a really pretty looking gift.

For the first time foodie

This could be for a foodie in the making, or someone about to leave home for the first time. This isn’t about all the big bits of equipment, more the things you need to help make cooking easier. I would put things in like wooden spoons and measuring spoons, a kitchen timer and an appropriate apron (I still really like the many unique choices at Not On the High Street). You could even go for bales of tea towels and dish cloths, but I would also add some fun stuff like a good beginners cookbook. For students, I would recommend From Pasta to Pancakes, written by a student who loved to cook.

Just four ideas to get you going, a few more to follow pre Christmas. I would say let your imagination run wild, and think of using part of the gift as the container for everything else. Do just remember that you have got to wrap the thing, so don’t make it too awkward a shape!

Photo of one awkward shape to wrap up by harryalverson over on Flickr.

I’ve written quite a few posts on the Christmas gifts on offer from some of the High Street, so I think it’s time to have a look at a source for more unusual and unique gift options. Not On the High Street was a welcome addition to the online shopping world a couple of years ago, and it’s one of my regular and favourite shopping haunts online. Here’s my roundup of my favourites in the foodie department this year:

Perfect baubles for the foodie Christmas tree

1. For those who enjoy their wine, and have a bit of wall space, and also because it’s the last variation I want to see on this theme, then I would choose the “Save Water, Drink Wine” framed print. Like the sentiment, and I think it would be an attractive addition to any kitchen, or wine cellar, wall.

2. For the foodie Christmas tree, how about some foodie baubles? Choose from a mince pie, a Christmas pudding or a slice of Christmas cake. Look beautiful, and not a single calorie between them!

3. For those who want to rustle up a little Venetian glamour on Christmas morning, how about the Bellini Box Hamper?Beautifully presented, they’ll get a bottle of Prosecco and one of peach nectar, all ready to whip up a perfect Bellini before the last present is unwrapped.

4. For the slackers who might need a hint around all the post Christmas lunch washing up, then I love this teatowel. Truly a gift that does keep nagging! A great stocking filler for anyone.

5. For those dreaming of a gourmet life in France, or at least a day trip, then I would treat them to A Day in Provence . A delightful mix of terrines, olive pastes, chocolate and nougat, this will really summon up the tastes of the region, although sadly not eaten in the region. Unless you want to be really generous and send them there as a really big gift.

The gift that keeps on nagging

Hamper

6. Perhaps their gourmet dreams lie slightly further South, in which case you need to buy them the Artisan Selection from Nudo. A fabulous selection of first cold press extra virgin olive oil, plus two flavoured oils, artichoke hearts and capers, all of which will allow you to summon up some great Italian dishes. If you want to go the whole hog, you can even adopt one of the olive trees.

7. For the grow-their-own, green fingered type, then how about a personalised allotment notebook. Cute illustration on the front, this will be good for them to work out what they have got planted where, when it will be ready for harvest and when they might need to call on the local veg box delivery to supplement things!

8. For newly wed foodies spending their first married Christmas together, then I love the very sweet aprons from Alice Palace. The Mr & Mrs Apron can be personalised with any surname, and can be Mr and Mr, or Mrs and Mrs, depending on your friends really.

9. Have a little chocolate fun with a solitaire dish with a difference. You can use Maltesers or olives if you’re feeling healthy, but it certainly beats marbles!

So, you’ll definitely find some gifts with a difference here, and also know that you’re supporting small businesses and artists around the UK. That’s a gift worth giving!

Christmas is coming!

The launch of the Boots Gift Guide is one of those markers in the run up to Christmas, and it launched in stores today. No doubt there will be kids, big and small, busy putting rings round items tonight in the hope of Santa being generous, and buying into the Mix and Match three for two!

What about for the foodies amongst us, what temptation for us?

Before I tell you what I think, a bit of transparency. In my day job, the part where I have to stop thinking about food, I work for Boots at the main office in Nottingham. I don’t work in food, and I don’t work in gifts. But I do know who pays my mortgage. So, dear reader, please don’t expect me to round on the the hand that feeds. I will tell you honestly what I like and, if I don’t mention it, then I’ll leave you to draw your own conclusions!

So, as long as we understand each other, here’s what I’m thinking about!

As an overall statement, I would say that I would want to go and look at some of these things in the shop, to understand the origin of some of the things. Lets face it, foodies are big on provenance, and I would want to know where my olive oil was coming from for example. That aside, these things are looking pretty good.

1. Jamie Oliver Flaked Sea Salt Kilner Jar - you know what, this is a great stocking stuffer for a foodie. You can always use salt around the kitchen or table, and Kilner jars always earn their keep around the kitchen. There is a cracked black pepper version, which is okay for use on the table but I would think most of us would want to grind our own at point of cooking.

2. Kschocolat Night In Gift Set- can’t beat a good chocolate gift, and this both looks attractive and is decent chocolate. Includes milk, dark and white chocolate, and I’m quite keen on the sound of toffettes and honeycomb!

3. Jamie Oliver Crazy Mother Cooker Apron – because there are so many of us about! The kids one is cute too.

4. Faitrade Hamper - doing the right thing and getting great tasting stuff too. A nice tea time collection, with tea, coffee and cocoa, as well as biscuits, honey and chocolate. And you get two new mugs, so you can clear out those awful tatty promotional ones from the bank that are lurking at the back of the cupboard!

5. CAMRA Real Ales Gift - good one for the beer lovers, and possibly more welcome than a four pack of Special Brew! I like that it has tasting notes, as well as three different bottles of beer, including Coniston Bluebird and Oakham JHB.

6. Burger Press Set - we love our burger press, and it’s a great piece of kit for a BBQ foodie. A Boxing Day BBQ with turkey burgers possibly on the cards?

So, there’s 6 I would definitely consider. Although, to be fair, I don’t often buy gifts from Boots, as everyone always assumes I have got them for free!

Oh, and if you are looking for a gorgeous fragrance gift, shameless plug for this one here.

Training future gourmets

If you’ve read a few of my posts,  you’ll have spotted the appearance of Mini Gourmet Girl. MGG is a food lover in training, who would name her favourite food as mussels (marinieres, possibly grilled, but not barbecued), chicken pie and Chinese (read chicken chow mein). Which is not bad going for 7.

I know it’s a cliche, but she’s never had a McDonalds burger or a chicken nugget. She knows the sheep we kept is now the lamb we’re eating, and what to bring back when I send her out to the garden to pick any of number of herbs. She’s a dab hand at cake decorating, and is also happy chopping up veg.

And yes, we eat out reasonably regularly. Which is why I was depressed to read in the recent issue of Nottinghamshire Flavoursthat a number of local restaurants wouldn’t accept diners under the age of 18. Or that that led them to only recommend Pizza Express or Ask. Talk about shame on the restaurateurs though, but to be fair I have never been turned away from anywhere with MGG, and she’s had some darn good meals.

I’ve got nothing at all against Pizza Express, we will often use our local one, but it’s just I think kids should have wide range of experiences. I would think (well-behaved) children would be most welcome in most Indian, Chinese, Thai and Italian restaurants, but equally I know the same would apply to World Service in Nottingham.

I think the secret lies in getting them young, and getting them involved in cooking, and growing food, as well as exposing them to lots of different food experiences. For any mini gourmet girls or boys, I’d treat them to any of the following to get them underway:

1. The River Cottage Family Cookbook – this is my favourite cook book to cook together with. Great recipes and great explanations, this is perfect for a starting point but with enough scope for development.

2. Their own apron – guaranteed to get them into the kitchen quick! I really like the range of personalised ones that all the different artisans on Not On the High Street have, very cute!

3. Mini kit – little hands will benefit from little tools to at least get them started, and baking is probably the easiest place to start. As with many things baking, I would turn to Lakeland. They have a 20 piece kid’s size baking set at the moment, which includes mini rolling pins and spoons, cookie cutters and moulds. However, the reviews on the site are not positive at the moment, it may well be worth looking at it instore and making up your own mind. Mini size should not mean mini quality. John Lewis also have a reasonable collection from Miniamo.

4. A cookery day – fantastic idea, get them to make a mess in someone elses kitchen! Probably suitable for slightly older children, google to see what local options there are. That said, Buy A Gift offer a number of foodie gift experiences for kids, including chocolate making as well as more regular cooking. They’re mainly concentrated in the South East though.

5. Growing their own – you must remember growing cress on blotting paper, and the excitement of watching the shoots, let alone eating the crop! Well, try expanding that out to whatever space you can make available. Herbs are a great starting point, and then fruit and veg opens up all kinds of possibilities. Depending on the time of year, you could get seedling collections that are ready to go straight in the ground, or buy a selection of seeds.  I also like the Rocket Gardens, where you can now pre-order the Spring 2010 kids garden, which includes pumpkins, courgettes, strawberries and peas amongst other things

So, just 5 small steps, but the best thing you can do for kids is get them involved: eating, shopping, baking, growing, preparing, choosing. The more they’re involved, the more they’ll want to be involved.

Meanwhile, I’m off to track down those dark age Nottingham restauranteurs, for a bit of naming and shaming!

Photo by Search Engine People Blog on Flickr

You've got mail

Ah, September. Month of mist and mellow fruitfulness. And catalogues.

Yes, an almost daily deluge in our house, driven by my addiction to online shopping and from my work on ProblemPresents.com in the past. Some are good, some are bad, and some are laugh out loud awful. But what about if you’re trying to find a gift (or write a wish list) for a foodie? Lets have a look, given the odd selection I have already.

1. Joules – tough call on the foodie front, can only suggest that if it’s a foodie with an allotment or raised beds, then you check out their wellies. They are still the best designs going for not looking dull in the garden. For her I would be tempted by the plain purple or possibly the Paul Smith like multi-stripe. For the guys, well, sorry, nothing doing. Next!

2. Hamptons Hampers – hampers from the shop of the same name in Stow on the Wold, which provided us with some very nice little foodie treats last weekend, with my favourites being Oxsprings English Air Dried Ham, and Woodchester’s Cherry & Balsamic Fruit for Cheese. On the hamper front, depending if it’s for now or later in the year, I could be tempted by the indulgent Christmas Cheese Hamper or the Luxury Cheese Hamper, and then the Swell Hamper, just for the name really. Great quality contents, some of the best I’ve seen.

3. The Original Gift Company – we went into this shop just to laugh at the really naff stuff. Of which there is plenty. If this was the only place to shop for the foodie in your life, then I would possibly risk a personalised plum pudding, or even a personalised party bucket, as being kitsch, probably tasty, and possibly useful. I would avoid the personalised wine like the plague. Likewise the personalised plates, mugs, tea towels and one touch electric wooden pepper mill. And the chocolate fondue. I’d maybe just give up and buy a penguin dynamo torch instead.

4. Bright Minds – really sad to see no kids starter kit in molecular gastronomy, although there are plenty of other science kits. Might have to settle for buying future Heston’s their own personalised apron instead!

5. Presents For Men/Gifts for Girls – a little similar to The Original Gift Company. What can I say? You must know a man who is crying out for a lager bottle pepper mill, or a toilet shaped mug. Or a female foodie who would love a kitchen utensil wall clock or pink lady gardening gloves for tending only pretty vegetables. If you forced me, then I would choose to buy: a pack of 5 Envirosax to save the planet with, a PinQY Fire Extinguisher for those who practice smoke alarm cookery, the whisky decanter set as it’s actually quite tasteful and Drinking Roulette. Well, too much good taste is boring!

6. J Parker - for the grow it yourself foodie, then I would look at some of the more unusual stuff in here. How about a loganberry or tayberry plant? A talking point with red gooseberries? Or health on the patio with goji berries, honey berries and vitalberries? Certainly unusual for the green fingered foodie.

7. Pedlars – I love these people, and a lot of what they stock. I’ve written about items they carry before, and you could wander round the house and find stuff from them I’ve bought. Right now, as a foodie, I am lusting after the vintage Hovis tins, some vinyl coasters, some of the big stainless steel casseroles, and a L’Econome peeler.

8. I Want One of Those - another old faithful that I regularly turn to, but usually not for foodie stuff, more for fun stuff. That said, if I wanted a foodie gift right now, I would be looking at the V Gauge Wine Preserver and Vinturi Wine Aerator, for gadget loving wine drinkers, and a BeepEgg for those just learning to boil an egg. But I have a feeling that a cuddly Yoda might just slip into the basket too.

And that’s just the first pile I’ve worked through. More to follow!

Great photo of mailing junk mail back by Oran Viriyincy.

I love a good top 10 list, I think it’s a remnant from childhoods spent listening to the top 20 on a Sunday night, waiting for Radio 1 to changeover to FM!

I was intrigued to get this top 10 list from Cook In Style, to see what they were selling well in these interesting times we live in. This is their top 10,in reverse order of course, and my thoughts and possible alternatives.

Neat, colourful & possibly useful

10. Joseph Joseph Multicoloured Kitchen Nesting Set – You know what, I quite like this. One thing the majority of foodies are going to have is a shortage of space, so anything to help with that is great. And these look kind of pretty. There are two possible issues though: one, do the bits that aren’t mixing bowls stand up to proper use and two, do they stack well when half of the things are in the dishwasher or full of leftovers in the fridge? If you’re going to buy this, then it’s cheaper at John Lewis.

9. Kitchencraft Magnetic Spice Rack with Six Holders – this seems both practical and stylish, with the dishes being decent sizes to hold big things you use a lot of, like rock salt and bay leaves for example. Good for a foodie starting out, and you could add some decent spices to this as well. I really like Steenbergs if I want to order online, or Spices of India for more exotic fare. Living this close to Leicester though, there is nothing to beat going to some of the food stores there and getting spices there.

8. Marco Pierre White Cooking in Hells Kitchen – a surprising entry for the only cook book in their list. It’s ranked 164,000th on Amazon, so I’m not sure on this. If you wanted to send someone a book by Marco, I would be more tempted by Marco’s Great British Feast instead. I think it has more interesting and useful recipes, as well as tapping into the seasonal and British vibe.

7. KitchenCraft Tempero Shot Glasses – I think these look pretty good, and serve many purposes, over and above

Useful & stylish little shots of joy

shots of liquor. From small appetisers through to stunning desserts and holders for delicate flowers, these are lovely to have to hand. I like the mix of designs, as I’m not particularly into matchy matchy type arrangements. If you wanted something that might be even more of a talking point, then check out the ice shot glass mould at Firebox.

6. Outback Omega Gas Grill – I can only assume that they have sold these at a big discount all summer! I would say it was a little late to be treating someone to a BBQ now, unless you can get a really good one at a big discount. What about something a bit different,  like the American camp ovens that Pedlars have in stock? I think these offer up something different in outdoor cooking, which is bound to appeal to the active foodie.

5. Pink Flamenco Child’s Apron – ah yes, pink rules where girls of a certain age are involved! They do grow out of it. Mini Gourmet Girl is just heading out of the pink hues, and if you need a more funky childs apron, then I would suggest having a look at Not On the High Street. There are some great options, from personalised to ones with quotes from Plato and Socrates. If you’ve got a boy, or a tomboy, then check out the camo apron!

4. Brushed Nickel Fan - I bet these all sold on the very rare hot days we had, and have generally laid unused for most of the summer. Although now jam making is in full flow they may be useful for when you’re slaving over a boiling dish of sugar and fruit!

3. Ceiling Mounted Pan Rack – Congrats to those of you with ceilings high enough to take one of these without you knocking yourself out on the frying pan. I like having stuff visible in the kitchen, and to hand. To me though, this doesn’t make a great gift unless you know a) the person really wants one b) the kitchen can take it and c) someone has the ability to put it up properly.

2. Maxwell & Williams Cashmere Allegro 16 Piece Dinner Set - nice enough design, but in my view the wrong number of things! Even with two of you, you’ll get through 4 very quickly. For a couple, I would say 6 was good, gives you enough to have one set clean, one set dirty, and one set going round the dishwasher. If you need a first set of matching china, then I would head to Ikea for their basic white stuff, which is good quality, very reasonable and will go with everything.

1. 2 Lions Sabatier Milan Knife Block Set of 5 – this strikes horror into my heart. For a serious foodie, they need serious knives, not a block set. This is okay for your first kitchen, but any serious foodie needs to go into the shop and try out how each knife feels in the hand. In fact the only set of knives I could think would go down well with a serious foodie would be something like the Laguiole steak knives. That said, I don’t like sending knives, there is an old Japanese tradition I think it is about not sending knives or scissors, as they represent the severing of a relationship. Not the best message for anniversary present perhaps!

So, there you, probably this list is like finding Agadoo at the top of the charts. It says there are a lot of kitchens with some not fantastic equipment, which may ultimately not be the best use of what ever cash you have to spend. I would always look what brands and styles are already in the kitchen as a good starting point if you want to buy gadgets. That and something completely off the wall, like when candyfloss makers were first available. Sometimes, you just have to not take this whole foodie thing too seriously!

It’s difficult enough to get a gift for one foodie, but what do you do when one marries another? I did read a piece encouraging local delis and food shops to start wedding lists, which I’m all for. Until then, then these are my suggestions.

From tree to can with Nudo

1. Buy something they wouldn’t buy themselves. I adopted an olive tree with Nudo for two foodie friend’s (it was more interesting than buying towels), and they really enjoyed both the bragging rights of their tree, but also the produce that arrived. Think about a particular food they love, and then look for the best, the newest, the most unusual and treat them to that.

2. If the honeymoon is not top secret, then perhaps see what the foodie options are. Many top hotels offer food courses with their chefs, so it’s worth getting in touch to find out the options. Or try Isango, they offer options all around the world for experiences and trips, and there are good foodie ones. How about private cookery lessons in Rome, or shopping at Parisian markets and then making lunch? A sunrise tour of Hanoi followed by a class in Vietnamese cooking? Any of these will make a real treat, and certainly be a few hours to remember.

3. If hampers conjours up visions of things in leaflets that the milkman leaves on the doorstep, then think again. There are so many wonderful options, and would make something nice to come back to post honeymoon. I like FoodFullStop, for everything from cheese to meat, cakes to bread. NotontheHighStreet always has some interesting options, like the Touch of Provence hamper or the appropriately named To Have & To Hold. This is lovely, but a touch on the expensive side, but you could steal the idea and put your own together for less. To be honest, nice glasses and cava and a homemade cake would be just as well received!

4. Whilst they might not have thought to have put it on their wedding gift list, then check out if they have wishlists on Amazon, which is bound to have a stack of food titles in it. If they don’t have a list, then either give them book tokens, do a bit of espionage on what titles are on their shelves and buy around that, or check out the lists and recommendations that get generated.

5. You could go kitsch, and get them Mr & Mrs aprons, perfect for side by side cooking!

6. If you spend time having a small glass or two of wine together, then you might know what their favourites are. This is a good chance to buy around their fave: same grape, different country; same country, different region; new maker; old maker. You name it, there are plenty of choices for you to put together an interesting half or full case. I like Adnams for something a bit different, or Weavers if I am in Nottingham. If you’re feeling very generous, then you could get them a wine subscription with someone like Laithwaites or Virgin Wines.

7. You could perhaps see if you can score them a table at somewhere they’ve been longing to eat, sort of date night for some time in the future. Depending on your budget, you could put money towards the meal, the wine, whatever you can afford. To be honest, with some places, just having the patience to keep on to get the table will be gift in it’s own right! You could present them with the time and the date within the cookery book of the restaurant (come on, name me a hard to get into restuarant that doesn’t have a cook book!).

So, there’s my lucky seven to start with! If in doubt, I would still go with the make them a big cake option!