Food, it’s been said, is the most personal of gifts. Whether thefood-lover in your life is a kitchen veteran or has trouble boilingwater, this list of 10 food gifts has something for everyone.

1. Personalized cookbook

Whether they are your own recipes or treasured family recipesfrom others, this unique gift is both a present and a keepsake.Gather the recipes and copy them into a colorful, kitchen-themedjournal. You can also find websites online that will print and binda professional quality book for you.

2. Indoor herb garden

Any professional chef will tell you that the difference betweena good cook and a great cook is the herbs and spices. An indoorherb garden, whether a small collection of terra cotta pots or oneof those big indoor hydroponic setups, will help add flavor andnutrition to meals.

3. A week of dinners

Maybe you plan to treat your food-loving loved one to dinner outat a nice restaurant. But how about offering to cook for the wholeweek? Even if you haven’t attended culinary college and yourskills don’t go beyond boxed macaroni and cheese, you’ll bepitching in and showing you care at the same time.

4. Ultimate Tower of Chocolates collection

Chocolate is mostly associated with Valentine’s Day, but thisincredible collection of gourmet chocolates from Harry and David isa can’t miss treat any time of the year.

5. Local gourmet food gift basket

This isn’t a collection of ancient sharp cheddar and summersausage. Whether homemade or purchased from a local gift basketmaker, these baskets should include a sampling of the best foodproducts available in your area. These unique edibles will be sureto please with a taste of home.

6. Gift certificates/gift cards

What this gift lacks in creativity, it more than makes up for inpracticality, especially if you’re a student away at college.

7. Gourmet food tour

Nearly every major city has some sort of food-themed tour offine restaurants and food-related businesses. Most feature toursthat last several hours and include stops at top restaurants inyour area. Each stop usually features a sampler of some of the topmenu items or food products available from the merchants. Searchfor culinaryarts events in your area and treat your special someone to aday out on the town.

8. A picnic in the park

Make up a basket of picnic goodies including fresh fruit,cheese, bread, wine and maybe some tasty fried chicken. Throw thebasket in the back of the car and ask your friend if he or shewould like to go for a ride. Take them to a local park enjoy thequiet pleasures of a picnic under an old shade tree.

9. Breakfast in bed

This tried-and-true classic will never go out of style. Eggomelets with fresh herbs, fruit salads or just bagels with creamcheese and preserves will help anyone relax and stay in bed just alittle longer.

10. Cake-decorating classes

Cake decorating has become a popular hobby in recent years.Decorating and baking classes are an excellent way to combine a love forbaking and artistic expression. Classes are often held at bakeries,community colleges, or in private homes. Look for cake decoratingon the Internet or the Yellow Pages.

This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of CulinaryArts in Los Angeles. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in LosAngeles offers culinary arts, patisserie and baking and hospitalityand restaurant management training programs in the Los Angelesarea. To learn more about the class offerings, visitChefs.edu/Los-Angeles for more information. (Le Cordon Bleu doesnot guarantee employment or salary.)

Courtesy of ARAcontent