You enjoy creating and sending personalized foods to friends and family for the holidays. People thank you profusely for your preserving, canning, pickling and baking. Then comes the year you just can’t do it. You’re buried in a work project, you broke an arm, whatever. But you can’t.
For people who can’t–or won’t–play chef de cuisine, “mailbox foods” burst into being. Today, shoppers can order everything from lobster to cheesecake.
Here’s a brief rundown on some appealing options:
– Junior’s Restaurant, a Brooklyn landmark (800-958-6467), will mail its famous 3-pound cheesecake ($21.95) and ruggelach ($19.95 per pound), and attach a personal typed message. Cream cheese, butter-based fruit-filled pastry is yours from Anna Ida & Me (312-243-ANNA), which also mails biscotti.
– About 40 Maine companies specialize in mailing lobsters. Call the Maine Lobster Promotion Council (207-947-2966) to ask for the “direct ship list” of those companies; the only one with a Chicago-Maine connection is S.F. Catalogs (312-787-0556 or 1-800-405-GIFT), which also mails other fine Maine food products.
– Harry & David (800-547-3033), long known for mailing a fruit of the month, has just introduced a “Good for You” tower of healthy treats: Royal Riviera pears, reduced-fat cheddar, caffeine-free fruit teas and two low-fat dessert cakes from its bakery, along with a card with your personal message.
– If you’re homesick for Leelanau County (Michigan), the Best of Leelanau County Catalog (800-660-8624) offers assorted flavors of local ground coffees ($5-$10) and Leelanau chardonnay mustard, all sent with personal messages.
– From Scottsdale, Ariz., for private or corporate orders come custom keepsake (wooden) boxes filled with luxe Fairytale Belgian chocolate brownies, in 11 flavors ranging from white chocolate to espresso ($28.75 per dozen). The boxes have screen-printed lids for your logo or message; a minimum order of 25 boxes is required for the silk-screening, but other gift packages are available with no minimum order. (800-FAIRYTALE; or on-line http://www.brownies.com.)
– Speaking of sweet tidings, consider Good Fortunes’ giant fortune cookies. Each cookie is wrapped around a personal message and then dipped in chocolate or caramel and covered with a variety of toppings ($18.50-$24.50; 800-644-9474).
– Tea To You offers personalized gourmet and herbal tea packages, from a holiday tea sampler ($9.95, including cinnamon spice holiday blend, infuser, instructions and recipes). The ultimate tea gift is the personalized membership tea of the month ($12.95 per month). And there are custom tea baskets for $29.99 to $39.99 (800-832-8696).
– Grapefruits and oranges (quarter-bushel mixed: $21.98) are special when they’re mailed (worldwide) from Mack’s Groves, Pompano Beach, Fla. (800-327-3525).
– The HoneyBaked Ham Co. will ship hams for the holidays anywhere in the 50 states, with a personalized label. Whole and half hams start at $46.95. There are also turkey breast, whole smoked turkey and smoked salmon gift packages (800-892-4267).
– Tutti Italia makes pizza-cooking easier with its Chicago Deep Dish Pizza Pan with all the fixings, including dough mix, marinara sauce, pizza cutter, recipe book and more ($35, 800-8-ITALY-8), and they’ll include a card.
