Do you need to find a birthday gift for your lion? Perhaps your Leo resembles a famous Leo. If so, here’s what I recommend for various famous people born in August.

First off, give food. Famous people need food too. Gourmet food is food enjoyed. There’s no such thing as too much food except for people who have too few friends. And famous people have more friends than they typically want. What a pity. But this is not a post on sympathy gifts. This post is about unique birthday gifts for famous people, so here they are:

Famous people born in August:

Francis Scott Key, b: Aug.1, 1779. Francis gets a patriotic gift. Francis gets an American Flag Gift Box filled with WI cherries, cheese, landjager, crackers, cookies, caramel corn, and cashews. That’ll get him humming.

Martha Stewart, b. Aug. 3, 1941. Martha requires a birthday gift that would challenge her own artistic skills. That’s why I’m going with Embossed Edibles’ springerle cookies. Try baking and painting these honey-bee scenes on cookies, Martha.

Elizabeth – The Queen Mother, b. Aug . 4, 1900. Given that the queen currently resides in Britain, I’ll have to ship her birthday gift overseas. So I’ve looked at the selection of APO gifts  and chosen the Signature Rum Cake for Her Majesty. It ’s elegant, impressive, and … delicious! She will definitely remember me after she eats WI Marla’s rum cake.

Neil Armstrong, b. Aug. 5, 1930 needs something out of this world. Could give him moon pies, but don’t have any of note in Wisconsin. Could give him cow pies instead, – the right kind are fun, tasty and can be easily eaten in outer space. But perhaps Neil is a health nut. Astronauts care about fitness. I’d better give him whole grain hi-energy bars, which are similar to cow pies, but a whole lot healthier.

Lucille Ball, b. Aug. 6, 1911 is easy to shop for. I remember that she loves chocolates so much that she and Ethel got jobs in a chocolate factory. She’ll never tire of these gourmet chocolates.

Click for to see more unique birthday gifts for famous people.

Alfred Hitchcock, b. Aug. 13, 1899 should receive a mysterious gift, – one with subtlety that gets him guessing. Alfred enjoys the understated. Hmmm…I’ve got it. I’ll send Alfred a single kringle, – with no sender’s name, and no note explaining that this Danish pastry is unique to southern Wisconsin. Let Alfred track down where his kringle came from.

Julia Child, b. Aug. 15, 1912. No food is too good for Julia. After all those years in the kitchen she deserves a great meal. So Julia gets the BEST gourmet food. I’m sending her the Gourmet Chefs Meats Collection.

Mae West, b. Aug. 17, 1892. Now Mae is a bit tricky to shop for. If you mess up on Mae’s gift, Mae may mess you up. Not that she’s particular; it’s just that she’s got a certain style that the gift-giver should note. Mae is no longer riding horses, but maybe in heaven she’s riding a Harley. Best bet for Mae is the Let’s Ride Harley gift basket.

Claude Debussy, b. Aug. 22, 1862. In contrast to Mae, Claude likes classy. And he’s French, so he must like cheese. He’s also dead, and has been so since before I was born. This means I’ve missed giving him birthday presents entirely. Best to make up with a belated birthday gift of membership in the Wisconsin Cheese of the Month Club. It’s the unique birthday gift that keeps on giving.

Gene Kelly, b. Aug. 23, 1912. Same year as Julia; one cooked, the other danced. They lived the good life, that’s for certain. To get Gene back on his feet (he’s dead too), I’m giving him tasty, low-calorie, and lively gourmet popcorn. He’ll love it as a mid-rehersal snack.

Sisters Day is Sunday, August 1st. Now you might think that sisters are easy to shop for because, after all, who do you know better than your sister?

But that sister-sister familiarity is exactly the source of dificulty when pondering ideas for thoughtful sister gifts. Common, ordinary gifts don’t capture the complexity of a sister relationship, so finding a unique sister gift can be a challenge.

That’s why the loving sister should look to food. Turning to food is a time-tested strategy for calming the troubled mind. Handmade, gourmet chocolates, extra-rich creamy ice cream, freshly-baked fruit pies…these gourmet foods sooth a sister’s troubled mind as she contemplates what gift would be perfect for her sister.

Nibbling a custard-filled eclair can spark the mind to send a food gift to a sister. It occurs to you that mini rum cakes or hand-decorated sugar cookies are novel gifts your sister might appreciate.

Uh-oh, but you remember that your sister is dieting, again. Sure you know she’ll go off of it, but in the meantime, a dessert gift could mis-communicate a lack of confidence in your sister’s will power. She wants you to support her diet, not test it.

Well then, how about sending healthy granola, – it’s tasty and nutritious? Oh no, that would be too healthy a gift and sister might think you don’t trust her to buy her own healthy food. Ugh, what now?

Your sister’s gift must be fun food, – a party-food gift that your sister can enjoy alone or share with friends. Best bet? -Popcorn. Popcorn doesn’t challenge the diet, doesn’t spoil, and it’s as fun to share as it is to eat alone.

But beware: don’t get the grocery store, off-the-shelf popcorn. A box of mass-produced popcorn is a ticky-tacky, literally-tasteless gift. To be appropriately thoughtful in that sister-to-sister way, you require SPECIAL popcorn. You need the flavor and pizazz grown naturally in heritage-variety popcorns. Such specialty, gourmet popcorn packaged with a variety of seasonings is a truly uncommon, fun gift that will make your sister feel loved and special.

So that’s my tip for the day. Send sis gourmet popcorn. Then enojy it with her. You will both have fun. And remember: “In the cookie of life, sisters are the chocolate chips.” (And if yours isn’t, maybe the right food gift will sweeten her up.)

August 1, 2010 is National Friendship Day. The honoring of friends was made official in 1935. And ever since, on the first Sunday in August, Americans have been giving fun gifts to make their friends laugh and smile.

So what fun gifts does Wisconsin have to offer? Any fun food gifts? Certainly. Our cows are even happier than California’s. See how they smile on chocolates. These are AWESOME!!!!

If you and your friends have fun in your Red Hat Society, then the Red Hat Bandana Gourmet Gift Box may just be the right fun gift to give.

And if you want to stick with a ‘Fun With Red’ theme, then give the red Bloody Mary mix with the hot, hot olives. This will really get a friendship party off to a good start!

Then cool off with Wisconsin ice cream. Ice cream is never pretentious and ALWAYS fun! Top it with a variety of fudge and caramel sauces and you’re having an ice cream sundae party.

To celebrate friendship, I recommend actually doing something fun WITH your friend. Go out on the town, or stay in and watch a fun movie together. If a movie is your choice, then pop up a special bowl of heritage-variety popcorns and try out different fun seasonings. Get the Popcorn for a Movie Gift Set.

Yes, you’ve likely guessed that I think sweet desserts make fun gifts!

But perhaps you’re thinking more along the line of non-food fun gifts for your special friend. Maybe you want to help a dear friend relax and take a break from daily demands and stress. Then spa gifts can be the most fun for your friend. Soothing bath salts and scented soaps may be the kindest gift you can give to an over-worked friend.

And then let your friend top off his or her quiet evening with a good book. Make it a humorous book; make your friend laugh.

Because when you make your friend laugh and smile, then you know for sure, – you are being a very good friend!

Sure, that newborn won’t be eating solids for a while, but sleep-deprived, over-whelmed, anxious new-parents need succor. They need comfort food. So go ahead, give the newborn baby girl and baby boy gifts of baby clothes, stuffed animals, baby books, and contraptions to be carried in. All of these gifts will be welcomed, but are these unique baby gifts?

Unique gifts are typically very thoughtful gifts. And at a time like birth to 3-months, the most thoughtful gift a friend can give is help in the kitchen. Give those harried parents nutritious food that’s effortless to prepare and delicious to eat.

New parents are so consumed by caring for their 7 lb baby bundle, that they typically neglect caring for themselves. This is a perfect time for friends who care to step up to the plate with plates of food. Believe me, those parents will remember your food gift basket filled with meats, cheeses, and sweet treats that arrives at their door, ready to fill that empty refrigerator.

Last Wednesday, president of the United States, Barak Obama, flew to Wisconsin in order to sample fresh kringle at the O&H facilities in Racine. He tried the pecan kringle, the cherry kringle, and the cheese kringle and pronounced them, “outstanding”. This special trip confirmed previous opinions of others that the Wisconsin-made kringle produced here is a unique taste treat.

While in Wisconsin he also held a town hall meeting with citizens to discuss various issues facing the nation. But we know that the real reason for his visit was the kringle.

And now upon his return to the White House he can obtain additional O&H kringles conveniently through the website, Wisconsinmade.com, – just like thousands of others throughout the U.S. have done for years. Fresh, delicious kringle is delivered right to your door (or as a gift to others) through the online convenience of the outstanding website, Wisconsinmade.com.

So, thanks for visiting our state President Obama. Come back and see us again. And in the meantime, just let us know when you get that itch for some more kringle, we’ll be happy to send some your way, no need to fly all the way out here to get it.

Sincerely,

All your friends at Wisconsinmade.com and today’s guest post-writer,

 Rick Remeschatis: #1 Wisconsinmade.com fan

On Independence Day, we Americans consider our national values of  freedom, courage, and service.  Meanwhile, those overseas in the U.S. military are actively supporting these ideals 24/7; sadly, some give their lives to them. Independence Day is not just a one-day event to those fighting overseas.

Our Declaration of Independence spelled out the rights of people who choose to join together as a nation.  That declaration is a dangerously-bold statement in a war-torn country brutalized by 21st-century tyrants. Most of us don’t like to think about tyrants. It’s uncomfortable. But those in military service consider them daily. It’s their job to help establish safe countries in which families are assured just treatment by their governments. We ask them to do this so that the injustice they battle overseas does not touch our shores. We want foreign struggles for independence to remain foreign.

As a result of our success at this, the portion of our military in active combat remains overseas…and out of sight. But let’s not keep them out-of-mind, especially on July fourth.

Here are some military gifts that Wisconsin artisans have created that can ship APO. We offer them to you as suggestions for ways in which you can say thank-you to our soldiers.

Unique birthday gifts often match a particular interest of the receiver. Of course if that special interest is itself unique, such as jousting or frog-painting, then good luck finding a birthday basket to match. But if your birthday boy or gal loves food then you are in luck! You have your pick of delicious, delectable, definitely-unique birthday foods. You have options galore!

If your birthday foodie has a sweet tooth, then go for the desserts! Gift baskets with cookies, candies, pastries, and cakes will be well-received because all birthdays are exempt from dieting rules.

But, if you want to send healthy food to a dessert-loving birthday foodie, then compromise. Send nut-coated, dark-chocolate-dunked apples. They’re gourmet, they’re high-quality, they’re sweet, and they’re the healthiest dessert gift basket you’ll find. 

Birthday gift baskets run the gamut from party snack baskets, to breakfast baskets, to gourmet dinner baskets. (Well, sometimes the latter come in boxes rather than baskets; some assortments of smoked fish, duck, pheasants, and steaks need a bit more packaging than a pretty wicker basket. But you get the idea.)

When you give a birthday basket, you’re giving lots of different gifts at once. The whole birthday present seems so much more grand…and fun. Enjoy.

We’re lucky in Wisconsin because we get super-rich and creamy ice cream.  Our gourmet ice cream begins with fresh milk from happy cows grazing on lush, Wisconsin pasture!

In Wisconsin, folks go out of their way to get the University of Wisconsin’s fresh Babcock Hall ice cream, and Wisconsin’s own Chocolate Shoppe ice cream. It doesn’t matter which  flavor we pick, it’s all good.

To make a July 4th  ice cream sundae that’s as special as the holiday,  we’ll top our ice cream with Wisconsin’s own hot fudge topping. If we want an unusual ice cream topping,  we’ll choose caramel scotch, mocha cocoa, or bittersweet mint toppings. Ordinary chocolate sauce will NOT make a gourmet dessert at our country’s birthday party.   We want high-quality!

Want a fun 4th of July party? Then bring out the ice cream and specialty hot fudge sauce and toppings.

And make your ice cream sundae special, – make it Wisconsin!

Start menu-planning with the main course. If the guest-list is short, then consider hosting a barbecue. Grill bratwursts. ‘Nough said. (You could grill other meats, but none will please like brats.) Brats are easy and delicious. You’ll just need white fluffy buns and condiments to go with them.

But don’t serve ordinary ketchup, yellow mustard, and piccalilli! You’ll ruin your barbecue if you do. Those toppings are fine for hot dogs and burgers, but please, not on bratwursts. Brown mustard is the way to go with brats. If you want a bratwurst with the works, add chopped white onion and sauerkraut. (Some Wisconsin folks add dill pickles and ketchup, that’s how we celebrate diversity.) Best advice yet – slather on Wisconsin’s own original brat sauce.

Not sure how to cook bratwursts? Here’s a good bratwurst recipe. Keep reading for more graduation party ideas and foods to serve at a graduation party.

If the graduation party will be too big to manage a barbecue, then serve a variety of sliced meats. Get boneless meats! Nobody wants to bother eating around a big old bone except the dog. Pre-cooked, boneless, sliced ham and turkey breasts fit the bill and please the guests. Let Wisconsin chefs cook the  meats and all you’ll need to do is set them on the table. Smoked trout and salmon are also crowd-pleasers and simple to serve. Be sure to set out a platter of mixed Wisconsin cheeses for vegetarians to enjoy.

For graduation party side-dishes, choose foods that you can make the day before. Graduation day will be rushed, so don’t plan on cooking then. On graduation day, if you do more in the kitchen than heat food you’ll go nuts.

This recipe for taco-rollups can be made ahead of time. Its a fun and easy, spicy appetizer. Spicy hot olive dip and Mediterranean dip are best if made ahead of time. Serve them with crackers, chips or pretzels for delicious finger food.

Plan make-ahead vegetable dishes or salads for your graduation party menu. This recipe for cheese spinach and roasted peppers gratin must be assembled the day before to blend the delicious flavors. A green salad that’s been livened up with fruit and bacon is a gourmet way to go.

And if children will be at your graduation party, make sure you serve fruit, either on a tray or in a salad. The kids will be so wound-up that fruit may be the only nutritious food they eat.

And that brings us to the graduation cake. Make the cake extra special.  Avoid the ordinary, grocery-store sheet cake. Yes, those are tasty, but they’re never gourmet. Gourmet cakes and desserts taste so incredibly scrumptious because they’re made with real butter and cream, pure extracts, fresh produce, and high-quality chocolate. You always taste the difference. Guests may forget the dinner you serve, but if the dessert is good, – they’ll remember it!

And that’s what you want from your graduation party. You are working so hard to create a memorable party to commemorate your graduate’s accomplishments. Don’t shoot yourself in the foot by serving run-of-the-mill food. The right food on the party menu makes your graduation party extra-special. Host the feast and HAVE FUN!

As I helped John order this gift basket packed with Wisconsin food we got discussing regional foods, specifically what foods you could and could not get in New Jersey. John said he was about to go to lunch and lamented that only fast-food was near his office. “Only burgers and pizza,” he said. “But when I went to a McDonalds in Wisconsin, I had bratwurst!” Imagine that, regional fast food.   

“So what would I get if I came to New Jersey?” I asked.   

“Well, our fast-food joints just have the usuals: subs, pizza, burgers, hot dogs, you know…You have to go to the diners to get any regionally-special food. A place near my house has cheese-steaks. Cheese-steaks are popular here.”   

That piqued my interest. Cheese-steak? Sometimes we Wisconsinites get uppity about our cheese…and our steak. So what’s it like to bury Midwest, black Angus beef under WI cheese-master-crafted cheese? This could be either a stroke of genius, – or sacrilege. I followed up, “So what kind of cheese do folks in New Jersey put on a steak?”    

“Oh, could be anything, cheddar, American, sometimes provolone,” John answered. “But you can’t get brats, that’s for sure. Look as you might, you won’t find brats.”    

“Oh, bratwursts my catch on,” I added hopefully. “In 2008 when the New England Patriots were getting ready for the Super Bowl, they had a bratwurst-tasting contest. They chose Madison, WI’s State Street Brats as their official team food, and had them served at Gillette Stadium for the big game. Our Green Bay Packers didn’t make it to the Super Bowl, but our brats did.”    

“They might still serve them at the stadium,” I added. “or we could ship them to you. That’s easy to do. But why don’t you just come to Wisconsin?”    

John said he’s coming in June and will try those State Street brats. But he wanted to know which brats were my favorites.    

“Oh, that’s too hard to say,” I told him. “We have so many different kinds. We have bratwursts flavored with chilies, onions, mushrooms, garlic, even cheese. We’ve got applewood smoked brats, Cajun brats, of course beer brats. We even have chicken brats. What brat I choose depends on my mood.”    

German bratwursts

“Now, folks who’ve been to Germany always go for Wisconsin’s authentic German bratwursts,” I added. “They say that these bratwursts taste just like the sausages they got overseas. Their distinctive flavor comes from “Old World spices” mixed in with the pork and beef. And they’re made according to recipes handed-down in Wisconsin-German families since the early 1800’s.    

“Now those sausages are your Wisconsin regional-specialty food for sure,” I said.    

A few minutes later, we hung up the phones, and John went to lunch at one of those fast-food places. I’d wager that on the way he was wishing somebody will sent him Wisconsin bratwursts for Father’s Day. He is a dad, after all, and worth it!