(ARA) – When you’re looking for a gift that’s intimate and thoughtful, one that shows a personal touch and is also universally enjoyed, it’s hard to top the appeal of food. Even luxury food items like gourmet steaks, fine wine and seafood can be a surprisingly affordable way to delight someone – or yourself – this holiday season.
“Food is a popular gift for many reasons,” says Gary Schwager, president of The Tender Filet, cataloger of fine dining foods. “You can give food with confidence, because while you may not know the latest electronic gadget on your loved one’s wish list, you probably know the kinds of foods he or she enjoys. The Internet has made ordering and sending food gifts easier than ever, and fast delivery services mean the food will arrive in excellent condition.”
Most any food gift can be appropriate and easy to give, but several categories stand out for their “luxury” appeal:
Filet is a prime choice
Though your grandmother didn’t need to look farther than the local butcher shop for quality meats, she couldn’t share those favorite cuts with far-off friends and family. Thanks to websites like TenderFilet.com and delivery services like FedEx or UPS, it’s possible to give your loved ones superior, restaurant-quality steaks that far surpass what they can buy in their local supermarket.
Filet mignon is one of the most tender, flavorful and preferred cuts, and a staple on the menus of most sophisticated restaurants. Even if you can’t take your steak-loving friends out for a filet mignon feast, you can send professionally-trimmed filet mignon right to their doorstep. You can choose the simple elegance of filet medallions or something with zest, like bacon-wrapped filet. Websites like TenderFilet.com make it easy to send a variety of premium choices thanks to the convenience of extended payment plans.
Wine lifts spirits
Wine is the perfect pairing with virtually any gourmet food, whether it’s a robust red sipped with a premium steak, or a rich port savored with a luscious dessert. It’s possible to find a wine to tempt every palate, from discerning connoisseur to beginning enthusiast. With a complex range of flavors in just one glass, wine is a gift that combines luxury and sophistication with fun and adventure.
You can send one carefully selected bottle to someone special, or go all out with a wine club membership that will deliver bottles to their door every month.
Seafood goes swimmingly
There’s a reason why some variation of surf and turf appears on the menu of many upscale restaurants. When it comes to luxury foods, lobster ranks right up there with filet mignon in terms of flavor and appeal. While it may be difficult to give fresh lobster as a gift, preservation processes like flash freezing – which Tender Filet uses to preserve seafood – make it easy to have succulent, fresh-tasting seafood delivered to the door of the lucky recipient.
Lobster isn’t the only seafood you can send as a gift either. It’s possible to ship favorites like shrimp, scallops, salmon, crab cakes and even whole Alaskan King Crab legs.
“Food is definitely gaining in popularity as a gift that is sure to please even the hardest-to-buy-for people on one’s holiday shopping list,” Schwager says. “Giving food means giving with confidence that your gift can be practical yet luxurious – and isn’t likely to be returned when the holidays are over.”
