"presents" news and stories

Gift baskets brimming with food and kitchen goodies look gorgeous in store windows, but you don't have to splurge to bestow your friends with these lovely gifts. Make your own instead!

It's unlikely that you're going to find all the gifts that you want to give on one list in the same way that you're unlikely to find everything all at one store (with the possible exception of Amazon.com), so it's in your best interest to look at as many sources as you can for inspiration. Food & Wine's 40 Divine Gifts list definitely has some inspired choices on it. Their choices run from under $25 up to $250, so they've tried to cover every budget in addition to picking a wide variety of foods, kitchen tools and decorative items. On the low-end of their gifting spectrum, they recommend the Cool Jewels ice tray, which pops out ice shaped like giant gems and is great for making a splash at parties, the cookbook Cooking Up A Storm for culinarily inclined kids and the Life of the Snowman sugar dispenser. The higher end includes Emeril's Deep Fryer and gold-plated serving spoons.

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Believe it or not, there are a lot of people who simply do not care for chocolate. It can be too bitter or too rich for some, while others don't really like the flavor. It is possible that, while they might enjoy the occasional piece, your Valentine simply would prefer to get something other than a box of decadent dark chocolate truffles for Valentine's Day.

In the candy category, caramel is at least equal to chocolate in richness and flavor. Many caramels are sold covered in chocolate, but the Little Flower Candy Company in Los Angeles, makes unbelievably delicious (and chocolate free) Sea Salt Caramels, which would be an unusual, sweet treat for your Valentine. They also have a wide variety of marshmallows, though most would still think that they are best when paired with hot chocolate. Other candy options might include divinity or even peanut brittle, which is certainly tasty, if not particularly romantic.