Gifts from Afar: Say ‘Thinking of You’ from Elsewhere
Food has long been a tasty token of love. Delectables decorate the tables at weddings, birthdays, holidays and celebrations. We donate food, make restaurant reservations for important events, and the special ingredient added in the alchemy performed in the kitchen always comes from the heart. The connection between cuisine and affection also creates positive memory associations between the giver and receiver, and food has even been known to create dopamine in the body, resulting in a feeling of overall well-being. So how do you express this kind of palatable affection for those too far away to visit your dining room? By mail, of course! Here are five unique, edible gift ideas that say “I miss you” from afar when you can’t break bread together.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
This gift combines two of the most well-loved desserts in culinary history: the natural sweetness of vine-ripened strawberries and the velvety richness of chocolate. You can choose to have these heart-shaped berries hand-dipped in milk, dark, or white chocolate, depending on your dear one’s preference, and have them delivered with care in a gift box to their door step. Chocolate-dipped delights are an ambrosial expression of your adoration.
Barbecue Sauce Sampler
For the friend or family member who is handy with a set of tongs, consider the gift of flavor. A grill maestro would appreciate the versatile and savory allure of a mixed pack of different flavors, such as the trio of sauces from the renowned Arthur Bryant’s Kansas City barbecue restaurants. The selection of Sweet Heat, Original and Rich & Spicy flavors allows your loved one the chance to marinate beef, pork or chicken in a bath of salty goodness in the comfort of their own backyard. A warm reminder of you in your absence.
Herbal Tea Collection
For the tea aficionado on your list, you can offer the gift of relaxation and comfort. When you can’t be there to share a cuppa with your companion, send a collection of holistic teas in your place. A green herbal tea kit comes with aromatic loose leaves that can be steeped alone or combined for creative flavors from exotic lands to suit your friend’s mood. The kit itself is also completely natural, with reusable, biodegradable tea bags. When you’re not there to hold his or her hand, send a cup of tranquility to them to sooth the mind and body.
Cheese Basket
Nothing quite compares to a feast of fromage. Among the most eclectic of edible gifts, simple, elegant and exquisite, a cheese basket says “I’m thinking of you” in a dozen different, farm fresh flavors. Choose a theme as comforting and familiar as Wisconsin to as foreign and flamboyant as French for your basket and mail your special confidant a few bite-sized bits of joy. Add accents to the gift basket with gourmet olive oil or rustic bread and you’ll have an individualized expression of affection and endearment to share with your much-missed mate.
Though it can be difficult to express the love you have for dear ones miles away, you can show them they still hold a special place in your heart by filling their bellies with morsels of meaning and gratitude. An email is a nice gesture of admiration, but food is a timeless tradition of love.
