a weekend gift of sweets

Do you have a sweet tooth like me? I can forgo a lot of things in this world, but when it comes to desserts, I have many favorites and they’re often a daily necessity!   

 

Over the weekend I received the cutest gift in the mail. This adorable box is shaped like a little house and is filled with different kinds of cookies, brownies and whoopie pies, yum! 

What a fun surprise... 

 

This cozy little cottage came all wrapped up in a navy-blue grosgrain ribbon. Isn’t it sweet? I later learned that it’s one of many charming and delicious gifts created by Gourmet Gift Baskets.  

 

For years and years, we received an annual mail order food basket from my husband’s Uncle Fred for the holidays. We’d get cheeses, crackers, fruit and sometimes even salami! He was always so thoughtful and generous. 

 

Mail order gift baskets are nothing new of course, but this one is so cute and is filled with so many yummy treats! 

 

My family and I had such a fun time sampling all these classic cookie flavors. They were all really very good, but I have to say, my favorite was the peanut butter cookie.  

I have a soft spot in my heart for a good old-fashioned peanut butter cookie, probably because they remind me of my grandmother. They were a favorite after-school treat at her house, served with a tall glass of cold milk, of course!  

 

After checking out the Gourmet Gift Baskets website, I discovered they have all sorts of beautiful gifts for every occasion imaginable. I made a little collage here featuring a few that caught my eye. 

 

Don’t those Breakfast Baskets look amazing?

Having coffee or tea in the morning never looked so good! 

Another thing I really like is the convenience of the Gourmet Gift Basket Store on Amazon.  They don’t have as many choices there as on the website, but it’s a nice quick and easy option for ordering a really nice gift for someone special.  

 

Only a couple of these cookies are left, and they’re disappearing fast! I better get out and do a little exercise to work off those few extra (but delicious) calories!

We had an unexpected rainy day yesterday, so I wasn’t able to get out and do my little daily workout, so I better get at it today! 

 

I’ll be back soon with a few more of my favorite things and fun finds that I love to share with you all. Thanks so much for stopping by! 

 

 
     

  

ciao! fabiana 

 

 

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P.S. You can find more about the cute blue and white table runner here.

 

 

 

thoughtful holiday gifts

from the east india company

Looky what arrived for me in the mail yesterday!  

A beautifully wrapped box from 

the East India Company 

sent to me by a dear friend as a thank you.  

She knows me well, because inside this lovely red box 

I found a few of my favorite things. 

 

I got to treat myself to an elegant cup of 

Staunton Earl Grey tea, 

which was perfectly paired with 

the Caramel & Sea Salt Biscuits.  

The Dark Chocolate Enrobed Strawberries 

were an extra delight.  

What a quintessentially British experience!

  

I've never before tasted Earl Grey tea quite like this.  

The flavors are extra refined and aromatic.  

The Caramel & Sea Salt Biscuits are 

oh, so decadent and so crisp and yummy with the tea.  

They would also be perfect with coffee, cocoa and milk.  

And the Dark Chocolate Strawberries are to-die-for.  

The chocolate is extra rich and luscious! What a treat!  

I went straight to their website, 

and I discovered that 

the East India Company has 

a whole line of delicacies that 

I am going to share with my friends 

and family this Christmas.

A little bit on the “The Story of Tea” 

from the East India Company.  

This is so interesting that 

I had to share it with all of you... 

When tea was newly discovered, 

it was believed that “Tea is water bewitched”. 

New traditions were established when The East India Company introduced exotic delights to England – 

arguably the most famous of these being tea.  

Brought by The Company as a gift for 

King Charles II during the 17th century, 

these leaves were passed on to his wife, 

Queen Catherine of Braganza, 

who had grown up with tea in her native Portugal. 

She then slowly introduced 

this curious drink into aristocratic and noble societies, beginning a tradition that would last for centuries.  

Initially tea leaves arrived in small quantities 

and were so expensive, 

that only the upper class could afford them.  

In fact, tea was once considered 

so valuable that it was kept locked in caddies.

Flowering Tea is a new discovery for me. 

I'm going to try some myself 

and give some as lovely gifts to friends. 

A symphony for the senses!  

These delicate, 

flowering teas 

gently bloom in hot water 

to unfold an exquisite bouquet of 

colors, fragrances and flavors. 

These clear glass tea pots make the tea look magical!  

  

For centuries, 

The East India Company transformed tastes 

and social customs. 

Ships and explorers returned from distant lands carrying exotic and vibrant flavors, 

changing our palates forever. 

Chocolates, spices, and tea 

* once new and extraordinary luxuries * 

soon became an indispensable 

part of our lives.  

To make shopping more fun, 

I found out that the East India Company's products 

can be found exclusively at Neiman-Marcus 

stores in California (including Newport Beach, Palo Alto and San Francisco) and several other states.  

The East India Company’s 

delicacies can also be purchased online, 

for the greatest of ease!

ciao! fabiana