Gettin' In The Mood For Holiday Food - Taste-Testing The Gifts

Fall is a great time to eat. Healthy but bitter, green vegetables faded with summer's heat. Scrumptious, whole-grain breads, pumpkins, apples, cranberries, and cheese replace them on the table. These hearty foods, cooked into soups, stews, casseroles, and pastries, warm us against autumn's chill. Swimsuit season is 9 months away. No worries now. Time to celebrate the return of carbohydrates! Let's party.
Of course, autumn is also the start of the gift-giving season. We're full circle back to last year's holiday question of what gifts to give relatives, co-workers, and special friends. And here is where gourmet food can help. It's not okay to repeat last year's gift, unless that gift was excellent food. In fact, if the person you care about liked the cake, or cheese, or breakfast basket you sent last year, good chance s/he'll like it again. Maybe that friend is even hoping you will re-send it. Or maybe not.
Now that you think about it, perhaps you should try that gift you sent. Is it really as good as you thought? Your friends raved about it last year, but were they sincere? Hmmm... maybe you should taste it yourself. How were those pumpkin truffles? And those hand-decorated sugar cookies? That pecan kringle? What about that Fall Harvest Bakery Basket? True those muffins look delicious, but hmm.... maybe you should taste them. You wonder.
Yes, perhaps you need to be the judge of those world championship cheeses. It would be a mistake to send Aunt Pickles something she won't like. You'll hear about 'til next fall. Sigh, yes, better be safe than sorry. There's still time to taste the gifts before you send them. Oh, but you won't be able to eat a whole Smoked Meat Delights Sampler Gift Box yourself. And this is exactly the reason why fall is party time. What a delicious season as we get in the mood for holiday gourmet food!