Wednesday, Dec. 9, 1998 | 9:56 a.m.
Food, glorious food. What better gift than food? It's always in season and everyone loves receiving gifts of special edibles.
I've had good luck ordering food gifts by mail, but I rarely try a company unknown to me during a holiday. If the product proves to be disappointing, there's no time to replace it. And sometimes friends won't tell you if the quality was not the best, so for mail order I deal only with the tried and true.
Frieda's, the speciality produce company that pioneered the exotic fruit and vegetable boom in supermarkets, will deliver a variety of interesting baskets priced from $57, including shipping. One of the most popular is the exotic fruit basket ($72 or $87) filled with fresh seasonal rarities from around the world -- Kiwano melons, blood oranges, cherimoyas, tamarillos, pepino melons, cactus pears, fresh lychee and ice cream or red bananas. All of the fruits are labeled and the basket includes an exotic fruit guide with recipes.
I especially like the exotic dried mushroom basket ($76) with seven varieties from Italian porcini to Japanese shiitake. Included is a full-color mushroom and truffle guide. There are many other selections. All of the Frieda's baskets containing fresh fruit are shipped second day. Shipping continues until Dec. 22. Gift certificates are available. The baskets can be seen at Frieda's website -- www.friedas.com. or call 800-241-1771. A few years ago I sent friends baskets filled with exotic fresh mushrooms. The shipping cost me almost as much as the baskets, but the response to my gifts was wonderful.
A number of local sources can also supply wonderful gifts. For tea aficionados (I admit to being one) I can't think of one nicer than a gift certificate for tea for two at the Petrossian bar at Bellagio. Afternoon tea is served daily from noon to 5 p.m. (holiday hours). Included for $14.95 per person are tea sandwiches, scones, Devon cream, Baxter's preserves, miniature pastries and a selection of teas. It's a fine value. Petrossian manager Denise Moffitt suggests that reservations be made for tea so that you have an enjoyable, relaxing visit at this popular place. Splurge and add a glass of sherry or port to the gift. Gift certificates are available at the concierge desk. They're good anywhere in the hotel, but you can specify where you wish it to be used.
Trader Joe's offers a good-sized, shrink-wrapped red basket filled with goodies for $39.99. Dubbed the "Best of Trader Joe's," the basket includes a chocolate-covered nut quartet, lemon drop cookies, colossal garlic-stuffed olives, sweet mustard sauce, a jar of marinated mushrooms, water crackers, a can of mandarin oranges, Belgian almond truffles (truffle logs rolled in sliced almonds), two Belgian chocolate bars and a tropical gummy fruit assortment.
Andy Sencenich, manager at the Henderson Trader Joe's, says customers who want to make up their own baskets will find the staff can be very helpful and will make suggestions. Empty gift baskets are $3.99 and $5.99 There's been an increase in people buying the shelf stable, hot-smoked salmon filet ($15.99), Andy said. Packaged ready for giving as a gift, the salmon does not have to be refrigerated until opened. And, he said, there is a definite trend toward the purchase of ready-made gifts such as the salmon. It's an easy choice.
There's an extensive selection of nonperishable food stuffs at Williams-Sonoma in the Fashion Show mall. To order such delectable perishables as pates, Scottish salmon, fresh black or white truffles and the traditional English Christmas favorites Stilton cheese or plum pudding, pick up a mail order catalog at the store. Perishables can be ordered for Christmas delivery until noon on Dec. 23.
Available at the store are some pre-made themed baskets, but store manager Anne Chrysler says customers are encouraged to make up baskets filled with their own choices. Gift wrap is complimentary. Food basket prices start at $60. Food and cook's tools are the most popular inclusions and Chrysler said that this year a lot more people are baking their own cookies and other foods than last year. Nice idea, to include your own specialities in a basket with other gifts from W-S.
For years I've been mail ordering things from The Vermont Country Store in Weston, VT. Their catalog is filled with wonderful merchandise that you just can't find in stores anymore, but it's the edibles that always give me a chuckle. Remember Walnettos, chewy caramels with walnuts or Sen Sen breath fresheners or "mothballs," cream filberts? Remember porous peppermint and fruit-flavored sticks that kids could push through a lemon to suck up the juice? What a treat was the sweet-tart flavor.
What! You don't remember? Then you must be much younger than I. I could write a whole column just about long forgotten items that are still available in this nostalgic catalog. Call 802-362-8440 for a catalog.
Caviarteria in the Forum Shops is another source that has a mail order catalog offering items not found in the Las Vegas shop. All of the basics, if such elegant, expensive foods can ever be considered basic, are available at the Forum. Caviarteria's Amy McWilliams said the majority of diners order the smoked salmon sampler or the center cut smoked salmon. The preferred caviar is Beluga, although the more moderately priced Royal Black Oscetra is coming up fast. Gift certificates are popular all year 'round, according to Caviarteria manager Alison Maggart. There's no question this is the ultimate gift for someone special who likes caviar.
In addition to caviar and smoked salmon, the catalog features a number of caviar servers and mother of pearl serving pieces. Metal changes the flavor of the precious grains. Catalogs and gift certificates are available at the Forum.
There's no end to the delicacies available by mail or in our shops. Pick the right gift and, long after the the last bite is taken, the memory will remain. Walnetto anyone?
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