An Embarrassment of Riches

A Gift that Can't be Beat? Home Cooking! - by Laural It’s that time again - holidays are fast approaching and I am looking for things to make for gifts.  I found a great book in the library collection called Food for Friends: Homemade Gifts for Every Season by Sally Pasley Vargus.  There’s a wide variety of recipes offered in this lovely Ten Speed Press book. The recipes cover many savory and sweet edibles: from breakfast items like Five-Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix, Chai, and Mexican Hot Chocolate.  Preserved fruits, vinegars, and salsas are also covered. Of course there are cake and cookie recipes available in an abundance.  But I zeroed in on the interesting and wide selection of liqueurs one can make for gifts: Raspberry Framboise, Sweet Blackberry Wine and Strawberry Cordial are some of the beverages I hope to make during the summer months. I might attempt a batch of Orange Ratafia.  If you don’t like coriander you might not like Orange Ratafia because there is at least of a cup of coriander seeds in this recipe.  Luckily, everyone in my household loves coriander.
I will admit I don’t like cookbooks without photographs unless it is the Joy of Cooking. This book didn’t disappoint! Almost every page has an inspiring full color photograph illustrating the presentation of the gifts or the preparation of the recipes.
For more books like this in the library catalog, see this list. Have fun cooking!