Gifts from my Heart - Gifts from my Kitchen #1 - Drunken Fruit
I just love receiving gifts that have been lovingly made by a friend; really means so much more than mass produced commercialized gifts.
When the @cookwithus team gave us the theme of Secret Santa it triggered the idea to share some gift ideas from my kitchen. Not only keeps your wallet full, but these gifts from the heart are little indulgences that are sure to give your friends much joy and merriment :)
I will be sharing treats that I'm making for friends and family, with the final episode of Gifts from my Kitchen all about gift presentation - how to give your gift that final touch using stuff you have lying around or things you would toss in the bin without a second thought.
Drunken Peaches & Brandied Prunes - super easy to prepare and divine served with Vanilla Ice Cream or thick Greek Style Yogurt - note any dried fruit of your choice can be used, add spices to suit
DRUNKEN PEACHES
Quantity - makes 2 bottles
- 400ml Water
- 125ml Brown Sugar
- 1 Vanilla Pod
- 500 gram Dried Peaches
- 200ml Medium or Full Cream Sherry
Dissolve sugar in water, cut open Vanilla Pod, scraping out some of the seeds, add Peaches & cook till liquid is much reduced and peaches are soft and swollen
Spoon into sterilised bottles
Pour Sherry over to cover fruit completely, seal bottles & shake a little to mix liquids
Let is stand for at least a week before serving
BRANDIED PRUNES
Quantity - makes 2 bottles
- 400ml Water
- 125ml Brown Sugar
- 500 gram Dried Prunes
- Cinnamon Sticks
- Orange zest
- 200ml Brandy
Dissolve sugar in water, add Prunes, Cinnamon sticks & Orange Zest & cook till liquid is much reduced and prunes are soft and swollen
Spoon into sterilised bottles
Pour Brandy over to cover fruit completely, seal bottles & shake a little to mix liquids
Not as pretty as the peaches, but absolutely delectable with the cinnamon, orange zest & brandy flavours soaked into the prunes
Start collecting empty glass bottles, pretty scraps of fabric, lace, ribbon, string, dried flowers, Christmas decorations, empty food packaging boxes, paper doilies, Christmas wrap, brown paper, remember zero waste!
Thank you for stopping by
Comments, upvotes & resteems all much appreciated :)
Copyright @lizelle - All Rights Reserved
This certainly makes a perfect Xmas gift and will be much more appreciated than something you can buy, because you put time and love to create it. ;0) My grandmother used to do this type of recipe with plums, pears, peaches or cherries. Even with sour cherries. We called it Grandma's sherry.
I'm sure it's great with any fruit, did she use fresh or dried fruit? I've seen both being used but still have to try it with fresh fruit.
Thank you for your support :)
A walk down memory lane with this post @lizelle
As a child we would help my Dad prepare the drying out of fruit on special racks laid out on the back lawn in the sun.
Peeling peaches on hand driven peeling machine, removing the pips (to be dried in the sun and cracked open at a later date), after peeling the preparation in huge big containers used for sterilizing bottles, then filled with fruit to the brim. First load was bottled fruit to go through winters, second batch made into tasty jams.
I don't remember a year in our childhood when bottled fruit or jams were not given out as gifts in the family. It is not the price of a gift, it is the love and devotion given.
My Aunt knitted jerseys, we got given a new item every year, Mom sewed all our clothing, year end a special item we had seen in a store window was never overlooked, we could not afford to buy it, Mom made it for under the tree.
Oh Mom made home made ginger beer (not that I ever drank it) but the family enjoyed this treat, bottles popping during the night during preparation. Thanks for your reminder, it is the affection and thought that comes in any gift!
Oh that certainly is wonderful and special memories @joanstewart! Definitely means much more than shop-bought gifts not so!
Thank you for your constant support and great feedback!
Gifts made with love are the best! Unfortunately my family doesn't realize it yet :D Last year I made speculoos/hazelnut spread (it was delicious) and they kind of didn't show that they would love the idea very much. They liked the spread but they didn't appreciate the homemade idea.. could be because doing homemade things is quite usual for them..
I love your idea! This would be a perfect present for me. I can imagine how delicious it is. The fruit gets great flavor from brandy and brandy will get infused by fruits. So good!!
Thank you for sharing! Cheers to homemade gifts with love! :)
Thank you @delishtreats, your homemade spread sounds so good, too bad that your family did not appreciate it!
Mmmmm... sounds like a great addition to ice-cream! Do they last after the bottle is opened?
Well now, once opened they do become totally irresistible ;)
I can imagine... I guess it was a hypothetical question!
Hi lizelle,
Visit curiesteem.com or join the Curie Discord community to learn more.
Thank you so very much for this fabulous boost @curie, much appreciated :)
Mmmm, it looks so tasty. I think I could try to make this. Thanks for this detailed post and instruction for making this recipe. Also, your photos are really nice.
Thank you so very much @anasav, it's all so tempting, really delicious, feel like giving myself a gift as well ;);)
Congratulations! This post has been chosen as one of the daily Whistle Stops for The STEEM Engine!
You can see your post's place along the track here: The Daily Whistle Stops, Issue 332 (12/06/18)
Thank you for your great support @thesteemengine :)
Those look way better than anything made in a factory! I would have trouble not tasting them straight away :D
Well I sampled a little of each one, absolutely yum and now sit with the temptation of not opening any of those bottles, think I'm going to give myself a gift or two ;);)
Thanks for your support @daan!
The discussion about gifts recently arose in our family. For several years I have chosen not to be extravagant in giving, one for my wallet, and two, because that is not what gift giving is about.
This, what you have shown here, is my idea of a gift. I always try to make homemade gifts when I have time. I feel when we are making a special gift for someone, they are on our minds the whole time we are making the gift. Who does not want to be thought of in more than just a fleeting thought?
I also love that you are reusing perfectly good materials in a delightful way. I need to bookmark these recipes and make them as a gift to myself because they sound so delish.
Thank you so much for sharing both your process and your recipes.
Thank you for your thoughtful feedback @thistle-rock, it really is a rewarding exercise thinking about what to make. The boozy fruit is such a lovely treat for a special occasion.
Love this @lizelle! I have so much fun doing this type of thing for family and friends during Christmas. This is beautiful, I would love to have some ;) (Think....if we lived nearby we could trade goodies! ;) )
Oh that would be such a treat! I made more goodies today, will post tomorrow. It's so tempting seeing all the bottles lined up ;);)
Thank you for your awesome feedback and support xx