What to take when visiting friends?

LittleMissAspie

I love flowers that I can arrange in a vase myself! The herb pot is a great idea too, or you can get "living salad" in some supermarkets. It does depend on the type of things they like of course. Personally I wouldn't be so keen on being brought cakes or biscuits because I feel bad after eating them. I'd appreciate the thought though.

BitterAndTwisted

If you're joining someone and there are other guests invited then a little cake or some Twinks hobnob. Or maybe a little something that you've made yourself like a jar of chutney or even some flowers from your own garden. If you're crafty and make things, even better. I come from a home where you never entered someone else's home without something in your hand if you were expected/invited and these habits are very hard to break. I have been known to find a cushion-cover in a charity-shop, take it home to wash and press and then wrap in tissue-paper to take as a little gift for my host. People these days are much more casual about these things, especially with close friends.

THIRZAH

Flowers are always good-I love to get a bunch of daffs at this time of year.

Cookies, home made jam or marmalade.

If you are growing plants such as tomatoes in the spring you could always take one along-DH presents nearly everyone with his home grown chilli plants.

Kitchenbunny

When I choose to take a little something for friends I normally make cookies - the recipe is in one of the first posts of the Grocery Challenge thread and they always go down very well indeed. If we have a meal they make good afters, if we have a coffee or a cuppa, they go well with, and kids like them too.

HTH

KB xx

curlytop12

honeycomb-you could put it in a pretty jar/tub if you like.

you]ll have to look up quantities,sorry!!

its just boiling sugar
options include adding wee bit of honey or syrup,or you can leave it plain
add bicarbonate of soda-watch it bubble up!
wait for it to cool down then smash into bitesize pieces.

Seraphim

Rocky Road in a nice jar or box? Super easy and super quick to make. I actually get asked to make this and bring this over to friend's houses now!

I use:
300g of dark chocolate
3 tbsp golden syrup
125g butter (unsalted)

Put a metal bowl in a pan of water and melt together slowly. Whilst it's melting, line a box with clingfilm (I do this to make it easier to turn out when it's set but you don't have to do this bit. I find plastic takeaway containers are the perfect size).

Once the mix is melted, add whatever you want to it, depending on what's in your cupboards. I think the traditional stuff uses biscuits and marshmallows however I root through my cupboards and just pick whatever I can find. I've used things like coco pops, dried fruit, chopped nuts, marzipan, candied fruit peel. Once it's all mixed up, pop in the lined tray and put in the fridge for an hour until it's set.

Turn out onto a chopping board and cut into bite sized pieces. Try not to eat too much as you are doing so as you will end up feeling really sick (as I do, every time ).

kochi1

kittycat204 - thanks for the Anzac biscuits receipe - has them for the first time in ages this week and were totally nom nom, so think I might have to make some this weekend for me and for a gift for a friend am seeing next week!

babyshoes

Depending on the friends and occasion, if we are not taking wine we almost always take some homemade jam/jelly or some other home produce like beer or apple juice.

VfM4meplse

I agree with these posts, something thoughtful and consumable is always a good idea, esp kitchen herbs.

What I hate is having someone's unwanted gifts recycled on to me; they are usually so hideous that there'e little that can be done with them apart from donating them to the chazza

chanie

Thanks for all the super ideas everyone!!!!