word of mouth father’s day gift baskets€¦ · bread crumbs, 4 tsp. sea salt, and 2 tsp. cayenne...

This June 18, use these well-stocked gift baskets as a starting point to create a customized present Dad will love

Father’s Day Gift Baskets

If Dad spends summers wading streams and winters

tying fl ies, hook his attention with fi shing gear, top-shelf

spirits, and a spicy homemade breading for his catch.

TO:

}homemade

SPICED CORNMEAL BREADING: Combine 1 cup cornmeal, 1 cup

bread crumbs, 4 tsp. sea salt, and 2 tsp. cayenne pepper. Pack-

age in a glass jar and affi x a card or label that includes the fol-

lowing instructions: Lightly beat two eggs in a shallow dish. Dip

fi sh fi llets in the egg, shake off the excess, then dredge in corn-

meal. Pan fry until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel–lined

plate. Serve hot with tartar sauce and fresh lemon, if desired.

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On the road In Real American Food (Rizzoli; $35), PBS host and culinary author Burt Wolf takes readers on a culinary tour of America’s back roads, sharing regional specialties and recipes along the way. Travel? Check. Food? Check. Dad? Happy.

1. PRESENT your gifts in

this sturdy, vintage fi shing

creel, which can also serve

as a stool in the fi eld. $70;

greatstuffbypaul.com.

2. GRILL IT Ideal for the

campfi re or the kitchen,

Nordicware’s two-piece

Fish Boat with vent holes

can be used to broil,

smoke, or grill whole fi sh.

$29; nordicware.com.

3. MADE TO ORDER Mix up

a spicy cornmeal bread-

ing using just a few sim-

ple ingredients (recipe and

directions below).

4. A FINE MALT For the

man who appreciates the

art of passing time, The

Macallan Single Malt High-

land Scotch Whisky will

hit the spot. Although it

may be a bit of a splurge,

we’re partial to the smooth,

smoky fl avor of the 17-

year-old Fine Oak. $120;

www.themacallan.com.

5. THE SCOOP To help

Dad land the big one this

summer, clip this durable,

handcrafted, Nylon Net

Bag Brodin Net to his fi sh-

ing vest. $79; orvis.com.

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countryliving.com

cook✦book | word of mouth

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| summercountry living ✦ best of the year

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Enhance the spatula-wielding man’s arsenal with grilling

tools, oak smoking chips, spice rubs, and an affordable

Cabernet Sauvignon from southern Australia.

Whether it’s poker night or Sunday football, this Dad

values leisure time. Give a Netfl ix subscription, a beer

club membership, and a roster of tasty snacks.

TO:

TO:

A smokin’ read In BBQ USA (Workman; $19.95), grilling guru Steven Raichlen expertly sums up America’s great big barbecue culture in 774 pages and 425 recipes.

1. WRAP UP your gifts in

Indigo Market’s bark-cov-

ered bin. $39; (213) 745-

4425; mudroom.com.

2. HOT STUFF Grill safely

and easily with Oxo’s 17-

inch-long fl ame-resistant

Silicone Barbeque Mitt.

$24.99; oxo.com.

3. CHEERS McWilliam’s

Australian Cabernet Sauvi-

gnon pairs just as well with

a cheeseburger as it does

with fi let mignon. $11.

4. COVER UP Orvis’s big-

pocketed Rhinohide Grill-

ing Apron is the perfect

armor for a long day at

the grill. $59; orvis.com.

5. SMOKIN’ Made of vin-

tage oak barrels from the

Mondavi Winery, these

wood chips add a smoky,

mouthwatering fl avor to

grilled meats and poultry.

woodbridgechips.com.

6. RUB IT ON Grill, bake,

or sauté with Sugar Maple

or Wild Cherry Chipo-

tle rubs, two of Taku’s six

savory fl avors. $8.99 each;

takusmokeries.com.

1. PACKAGE your gifts in

Coleman’s Blue Excursion

Cooler. Coleman $12.99;

(800) 835-3278.

2. CHIP LOVER Turn Dad

on to all-natural, kettle-

cooked Cape Cod Potato

Chips, which come in 10

delicious fl avors.

3. HOME MOVIES Netfl ix

delivers DVDs to your door

in just one business day.

Plans range from $10 to

$18 per month; netfl ix.com.

4. GOURMET SNACKS No

man can resist Gary West

Meats’ tender jerky. A two-

fl avor 16-oz. sampler pack

is $30; garywest.com.

5. NEW BREWS Beer critic

Michael Jackson’s Rare

Beer Club delivers three

750 ml. bottles of the

club’s featured beer of

the month for $37.50;

beveragebistro.com.

6. NICE & COLD: Keep

Dad’s favorite beverages

extra frosty with Bodum’s

double-walled 12-oz. beer

tumblers. $19.95 for a set

of two; bodum.com.

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Decorating a cake shouldn’t be work. So, play instead. Leave the pastry tubes and rosette tips to bakeries, and sur-

round yourself with candy and cookies. Colorful designs can be planned ahead or made up as you go. Add the embellishments just

before the party. Try using Gummi Bears and almond slivers, as we did (this page), to create bees, then cut out Fruit Roll-Ups let-

ters with cookie cutters. Ideal for celebrating birthdays and events that fall while you’re away from home, candy-aisle decorating

takes the fuss out of festivities, leaving you plenty of time to sip lemonade, blow up the balloons, relax, and enjoy the party.

Decorate with sweets from the candy aisle. The results look professional, and no pastry chef is required!

Take the Cake

136 country living | july 2006

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countryliving.com138 country living | july 2006

Dualit

GOOD POWER Boasts 300 watts, 5 speeds, and a retractable cord. $79.99

batter up!

LESS SPLATTER A very slow start-up speed reduces splatter. $79.99

GREAT PRICE Lightweight, with snap-on storage case for attachments. $29.99

Handheld mixers have come a long

way. They’re lighter, more powerful,

compact, and, most important, por-

table. Keep one on hand for basic

recipes and if the party is elsewhere,

pack it up and take it with you, so

you can mix icing at the last minute.

KitchenAid

Hamilton Beach

SWEET SQUEEZE Use little tubes of prepared white icing to dress up bite-

sized chocolate-covered cookies. Allow icing about two hours to dry.

ALMOND ADDITIONS Sliced almonds paired with licorice candies become

dragonfl ies, Gummi Bears become bees, and nonpareils, daisy centers.

WORD PLAY Spell out your good wishes in cookies. These one-letter treats

come in three fl avors. Add them just before the party to prevent softening.

TRAILING VINES Create a pretty border. Place berry-shaped gumdrops or

candies at irregular intervals, then unite them with a curling vine of licorice.

CLEVER CUTOUTS Use cookie cutters to create words from Fruit Roll-Ups.

For best results, lay dried fruit on waxed paper or parchment during cutting.

inspirationIt’s as close as the nearest candy counter or shop. Let the ideas and combina-

tions pictured below inspire you to come up with distinctive designs

of your own. Add the embellishments to an iced cake just before serving.



p4

With produce, meats, flowers, and spirits under one roof, bulk-store markets such as

Costco and Sam’s Club make planning a last-minute summer party a stress-free proposition.

132 country living | august 2006

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Go Ahead—Buy in Bulk

capture summer’s spirit with a citrus party palette and mix-and-match dishes.

A tangerine-hued runner and seersucker napkins from Milli Home by Marsha Cutler anchor the

table. We corralled flatware in a chubby Mud Australia beaker, set out summery JL Coquet salad

plates, and presented crudités on an earthenware tray and a flouncy rose-petal bowl by Magenta.

countryliving.com


prepare a crudité dip before

guests arrive using a quick

2-to-1 sour cream and may-

onnaise base flavored with

cumin or hot sauce and fresh

chopped parsley and dill.

presentation counts, so repackaging is key. Re-

move produce from the plas-

tic serving trays provided

and present crudités in your

favorite dishes and bowls.

repurpose what you have:

Spruce up an everyday glass

pitcher by filling it with an

assortment of seashells or

pebbles and an inexpensive

bouquet of roses or daisies.

cheers! Light choices—

Riesling or sparkling lemon-

ade—cool and quench. Also

try Lillet—a blend of wine,

brandy, fruits, and herbs—on

ice with a twist of orange.


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shrimp eggs lamb chops berries


countryliving.com

This impromptu summer party started with a quick trip to Costco, and ended with plenty of delicious leftovers

Quick & Easy Menu Ideas

what to serve, what to save

Big Food (Rodale; $18.95), by journalist Elissa Altman, includes more than 100 rec-ipes that illustrate how bulk-store shoppers can save time and money by cooking, storing, and freezing the foods available at discount clubs such as Costco and Sam’s.

Now: For mini seafood

rolls, thaw, then chop fro-

zen cooked shrimp. Use

enough mayonnaise to coat

shrimp, then salt and pep-

per to taste. Season with

fresh lemon juice. Stuff

rolls, garnish with parsley.

Now: A staple of easy

summer entertaining, dev-

iled eggs remain a crowd

pleaser. Try jazzing up

your signature recipe with

chopped Spanish olives,

cornichons, diced white

onions, or crumbled bacon.

Now: When purchased

in bulk, mini lamb chops

make for a savory, plate-

free appetizer for guests.

Season chops with salt and

pepper and chopped rose-

mary, then grill or broil.

Serve with small napkins.

Now: For a light, no-fuss

dessert, pair fresh berries

and miniature cakes or pas-

tries sprinkled with pow-

dered sugar. Or, serve ber-

ries with lemon sorbet or

vanilla ice cream and a driz-

zle of melted chocolate.

LAtER: Divide any leftover

shrimp into meal-size por-

tions while still frozen and

store in freezer. To make

weeknight meal prep easy,

defrost and sauté shrimp

for pasta dishes, or add to

stir-fried vegetables.

LAtER: Refrigerate extra

hard-boiled eggs for up to

one week. Eat out of hand

with a sprinkle of sea salt

and cayenne, slice and

use to top mixed greens,

or add to tuna, chicken, or

potatoes for salads.

LAtER: Store leftover

cooked chops in refriger-

ator. For lunch, slice lamb

from bone, stuff in pita

bread, and add feta, red

onion, lettuce, and tahini

dressing for a Middle East-

ern–style sandwich.

LAtER: Liven up your bowl

of morning cereal with a

handful of leftover blueber-

ries and raspberries or cre-

ate a nutritious smoothie

by blending together ber-

ries, yogurt, honey, juice,

ice, and vanilla extract.

134 country living | august 2006


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word of mouth father’s day gift baskets€¦ · bread crumbs, 4 tsp. sea salt, and 2 tsp. cayenne...

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