By Elaine Lince
You want to send a gift basket to a friend, but don’t know how to decide what the basket should include. You can’t go wrong with the trio of wine, cheese and chocolate. The complimenting flavors are a winning combination, guaranteed to please!
Gouda, Havarti, Brie and cheddar cheeses are often included in gift baskets. The mild taste, and even texture of a young Gouda goes well with dry crackers and a Chardonnay. A more aged Gouda develops a stronger nuttier taste and goes well with red wines, beer and dark breads. Havarti is Danish cheese, soft and pale. The taste is mild, yet tangy. The flavor intensities as it ages. Cheddar cheese can be mild or sharp, so a crisp clear white wine or a heartier red can be paired with it. Soft and melting Brie is wonderful with Chardonnay and dry crackers.
The gift basket should have treats and snacks that will enhance the complex flavors of the wines and cheeses. Cabernet or merlot red wines call for sweetness and salt. The sweetness of biscotti or the mixture of salt and sugar of candied nuts are excellent contrasts for the mouth to savor. White wines call for chocolate dipped fruits, specialty cookies and crackers. Pretzels and honey mustards go well with either.
And of course, don’t forget that wonderful chocolate! Think of rich dark chocolate, with just a hint of bitterness, to go with the full-bodies red wines, and softer milk chocolate with the crisper, fruitier white wines.
This all sounds so good, I think I need to take a break, go online and order myself a basket. Why don’t we look for a gift basket together?
Shopping for Gift Baskets Online makes sense for a lot of reasons. You can find quality gifts for friends, family, or business associates. Just click on this link for gift basket shopping online
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