Hamper suggestions

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

We want to put together a thank you hamper for our neighbours. Not only did he spend 2 days helping hub take down a tree that was in our garden (but overhanging his drive), but he also went through 3 chain saw blades and made 3 trips to the tip. (hub doesn't drive and we have no towbar)

We normally pass over a bottle of decent red as a thank you (I think a similar bottle of red gets passed back!!)

However, hub wants a more 'considered' gesture.

They are foodies, so I have a few jars of interesting Belazu pastes etc. Can you recommend anything that might take its place alongside them. Bear in mind that we live in rural Wales and it's usually Tesco that delivers!!

Charcuterie on line etc?

TIA

[Pampy Profile]

I'd be a bit wary of including any fresh food that has a relatively short use-by date as they may plan their menus in advance so it could be difficult to use it. I have a friend who sometimes makes meals for me but doesn't give me advance warning and I usually have already planned and prepared food when she delivers it. That sounds awfully ungrateful - I'm not, I really value her kindness - it's just often difficult to fit it into my meal plans.

[Gillthepainter Profile Website]

It's awkward, isn't it Pampy.
I once said something very gently - a sickly cake gift once a year for Tony - and the person went loopy (I couldn't stand Tony's moaning any more whenever it arrived).
Better to accept graciously, I suppose.

I'd include unusual dried products.
A lovely posh salt,
a jar of herb de provence perhaps? or a favourite Indian spice such as panch phoran?

[Suelle Profile Website]

I'd agree about not buying perishables. Anything non-perishable which is not to their taste can be passed on, but fresh food has to be eaten or thrown away.

Cheese is probably an exception - unless you know they don't eat it! A hamper containing a few cheeses, chutneys, pickles and fancy biscuits, in addition to a bottle of wine and a box of chocolates might be acceptable.

You can also make a nice hamper with unusual condiments (there's a few suggestions here, although you might have to go with whatever Tesco stocks: https://www.theguardian.com/food/2021/m ... own-dishes).

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

I know he spent oodles at Table @Vallebona at Christmas, so know we're safe with that - and it keeps, good point, Pampy.
Good suggestions there Gill.
He does enjoy being 'cheffy', but sadly our cheffy evenings are curtailed for now.

[Uschi Profile]

How about a home-made cake or biscuits?

[scullion Profile]

sending cheese from small makers would be doing them a good turn at the moment, too. many have lost sales to the restaurants etc. that they would normally be supplying.
for years we have sent one of the cornish cheeses to each of the family members for christmas - everyone says how they look forward to it.

[jeral Profile]

Things in jars? Specialist jams or marmalades or honey, preserved lemons, sundried toms, anchovies, pickled or brined things like olives, or chutneys, oils/vinegars. Specialist chocolate bars or liqueur chocs or truffles. Cheese taster selections. Coffee or tea taster selections. Or a straw-packed treasure chest as a lucky dip mixture.

Hopefully your neighbour won't feel offended if he offered his help unhesitatingly and willingly. I'd feel embarrassed if I thought someone felt somehow indebted to me for help I'd offered.

PS Just remembered it was on the radio that wine stocks might be being held up at Dover, so if you know their favourite tipples you might be ahead of the curve.

[Seatallan Profile]

I'd include some home-made chutney, jam and lemon curd.

[Pepper Pig Profile]

Gentleman’s Relish? Anything Tracklements?

[aero280 Profile]

We have received some hampers of preserves from "Mrs Bridges". The contents are nice. Jams and pickles, etc.

I've just checked their site and the "hampers" are small. The ones we got must have been a selection dragged into the "bag" because the fabric bag was included.

Like this, but we got more than six items...

https://www.mrsbridges.co.uk/shop/sample2.php

[Amyw Profile]

Very posh chocolates are always good , plus some chutneys , flavoured oils maybe

[Binky Profile]

If your neighbour has a sweet tooth, a hamper from Betty's is always welcome.

We regularly get cakes, fat rascals and curd tarts from their bakery in Harrogate so I can vouch for the taste, freshness and quality of their products.

https://www.bettys.co.uk/gifts-hampers/ ... ts-hampers

[herbidacious Profile]

Sous chef has all sorts of goodies including some unusual things.

https://www.souschef.co.uk/collections/ingredients

Belazu as you say

https://www.belazu.com/shop/

Also Brindisa

https://brindisa.com/

It's a pity Thomas Fudge's seems to have been taken over/reduced their range. They used to do a lovely 'hat box' selection.


Hopefully Betty's is back to normal with their delivery service. They were terrible last year. (Deliveries not on time, sending things that were past or about to go past their best before date etc.) They used to be really good.

[Pampy Profile]

We have received some hampers of preserves from "Mrs Bridges". The contents are nice. Jams and pickles, etc.

I've just checked their site and the "hampers" are small. The ones we got must have been a selection dragged into the "bag" because the fabric bag was included.

Like this, but we got more than six items...

https://www.mrsbridges.co.uk/shop/sample2.php

Lakeland sell bigger Mrs Bridges hampers at Christmas, a lot of them contained in fabric bags.

[aero280 Profile]

Ah! That would explain it!

[Sloe-Gin Profile]

Thank you. Modest platter of charcuterie ordered, wine, a pot of chutney and a truckle of Snowdonia.

And in answer to Jeral's very good point about offering help, he'd admitted he thought it wuld only take a 'few hours', but gave up his whole weekend and spent quite a lot of money on chain saw stuff, which we offered to pay for. This is a token of our appreciation.

[jeral Profile]

Thanks Sloe-Gin, I do tend to worry. I have found as I've been told later that an apposite card, or an effortful home-made one of the suitable scene or cartoon consequence, like a stick man character puzzling (asterisk speech bubble) over a broken saw, or of lounging in a deck chair in the space cleared) can add a lot to a gift (It seems that if the card amuses, it's a keepsake even after the lovely goodies have been partaken of.)