Bakery Gift Baskets

Brownies are our all-time favorite dessert not only because they are yummy but also easy to make and store. The variations you can create from it make these square bars all the more interesting. Although you may know how to bake the best brownies not many of us would know these lesser known facts about our favorite dessert.

Here are 8 facts about chocolate brownies you probably didn’t know

1)      Brownies made their first public appearance during the Columbian Exposition in 1893, in Chicago, Illinois. Bertha Palmer requested the chef at the Palmer House Hotel to make a dessert that is smaller than a piece of cake but tastes like cake and can be easily eaten from a box.

2)      The recipe for brownies was first printed in the 'Fannie Farmer Boston Cooking-School Cook Book's 1896 edition. This recipe was molasses flavoured and not chocolate.

3)      It is believed that brownies originated in the United States. However, similar desserts can be found in various other countries, these include Baklava from Middle East and sweet rice & bean cakes in Japan.  

4)      In December 2011 chefs created the world’s biggest brownie. It weighed 3,000 pounds and was made using 500 pounds of flour, 500 pounds of butter and 750 pounds of chocolate chips. The funds collected from this dark chocolate brownie tasting event were given to the families of victims of the World Trade Centre attacks.

5)      When you don’t wish to buy chocolate brownies you have the option of buying those made from brown sugar. This variation of brownie is called a blondie.

6)      Did you know several days throughout the year are dedicated to brownies? National Blonde Brownie Day is celebrated on 22nd January, February 10 happens to be National Cream Cheese Brownie Day, May 9 is National Butterscotch Brownie Day whereas National Brownie Day is on 8 December.

7)      The two most famous types of brownies are: cake-like and fudgy. Fudgy rich chocolate brownies are preferred by most consumers based on a research conducted by Greyston Bakery.

8)      Over the years, chefs around the world have come up with some unique brownie flavors. These include Tahini brownies, Green tea brownies and even a Zucchini brownie!

To paraphrase a dialogue from a popular television series. Friends are brothers and sisters. And not by something as accidental as blood but something much stronger. By choice.

The loss of a friend can be devastating. But more than coping by yourself you need to be there for their family and offer your commiserations. Deciding what to give as a bereavement gift may be difficult so here are some sympathy gift ideas to get you started.

Epitaph stones

It is possible that you know more about your friend than their family does. Doing something memorable like getting an engraved epitaph stone is a thoughtful sympathy gift idea. You can pen down a small but intimate eulogy and get it carved on a stone via the help of an online service. You can place the same on your late friend’s tombstone for their family and relatives to read and remember them by, whenever they stop by to pay their respects.

Buy muffins online

A very traditional and effective bereavement gift is food. The reason being that people who suffer from the loss of a dear one lose their appetites and often forget to take care of their nutrition. So you can buy muffins online, write a heartfelt note and get it delivered to the doorstep of your friend’s family.

Donation or funds

More and more people are becoming philanthropic and supporting certain causes and organizations that they believe in. A good way to commemorate the loss of your friend is if you make a contribution in their name to the charity or cause that they believed in and worked for the betterment off.

Personalized key chain

Memorial jewelry is also another gift that will always remain an appropriate sympathy gift. Even though gifting a pendant to your friend’s family may not be that wise. You can easily gift them a key chain. A key chain will allow you to put a picture and a quote on it. You can easily get it engraved with a personal message as well and add a few charms that were meaningful to the both of you.

Indoor plants

Flowers are sympathy gifts that are a tribute to the passed one. Different flowers symbolize different emotions. But during a funeral the family is likely to receive many flower arrangements. It is therefore better to gift them an indoor plant that will require less maintenance and will last longer than flowers. You can also gift plant seeds that the bereaved family can grow later.

Whatever our gift is make sure that you extend your friendship if your friend’s family ever needs it. After all that is what you would expect them to do.  

Christmas is such a magical and delightful time. The smell of fresh cookies and milk rejuvenates the soul. It’s the time to hang mistletoe and bask in the anticipation of presents. While Santa is busy evaluating the naughty or nice list, you are probably busy surfing the web for the perfect gift for friends and family. Chances are, you might find yourself at the online checkout page and realize that none of the 10 gifts you have queued are perfect for your food loving, pastry eating, and brownie sniffing friend. So how do you combine this unadulterated love for food with their other interests? Simple, make them a food basket that they can indulge in while they are busy doing what they love!

Here are a few Christmas gift basket ideas for your gastronome friends:

Movie Buff

Does your friend say ‘Houston, we have a problem’, each time you aren’t able to get tickets to the latest flick playing on the big screen? Well don’t you worry, we have a Christmas gift basket that will blow his mind! A must have in the basket is a tub of salty popcorn. Don’t forget to throw in some chips and dip as well as his favourite movie snacks! Round it off with a giant bottle of soda and you are good to go!

Gaming Champion

Buy a Christmas gift basket so sinful and easy to work through that your gamer buddy will not only progress to the next level of the game but also be gastronomically satisfied. Put in some pretzels, strips of beef jerky, packets of chips and be sure to add cans of energy drinks, to help him game all night! Finish it off with an assortment of cookies, the more chocolaty the better.

Book Worm

Do you know someone who has a floor to wall length library, filled with books you’ve never heard of and classics you can’t even count? Well what do you gift them over Christmas? How about recreating her book club experience by putting together a Christmas gift basket, full of scrumptious goodies that she can munch on while reading or hosting her usual book club soirées. Add a bottle of her favourite red wine, some salad dressing and don’t forget to carry a Bundt cake!

Fantasy Fiction

Is Harry Potter playing on repeat on your friend’s laptop? Does he wish he was the protagonist of The Hobbit or does he believe he could be the winner of Hunger games and save his district? So get ready to wave your magic wand and make some treats fit for your friend’s Harry Potter themed Christmas party. Fill up the Christmas gift basket with cookies shaped like the Hogwarts Letter, butter beer cake balls shaped like golden snitches and maybe even some Harry Potter cupcakes.