Nothing makes me more happy than receiving a thoughtful gift that procured zero waste in the process of its making and of its giving. Recently, I have preferred consumable gifts over material gifts. This could be something as literal as food or drink, and as metaphoric as a e-book or experience. The idea is that the gift can be enjoyed by the receiver, but does not linger after the enjoyment has concluded. It doesn’t require additional storage, and does not call for de-cluttering at the end of the experience.
If you are interested in such a gift idea, may I recommend homemade Christmas treats? My best friend from high school and her family make homemade treats every year, namely chocolate covered toffee, peanut brittle, and candied almonds. When I asked her what started this tradition, she says that every year, her family makes peanut brittle to ship to her grandpa in Pennsylvania. She just started to make more treats in additionto ship to their friends and family as a Christmas present. The positive outcomes are two-fold. First, it requires a bit of spending time together (gasp!) and gathering as a family to create something for other people. In the spirit of giving, it gives the gift of time, hard work, and personal touch. Second, it creates what I would consider a zero waste present, that is enjoyed and then, well, digested. It may be argued that she does use a shipping box and paper to package the thing and ship to the home, an easily skipped process if one would like to deliver in person. But personally, I love opening my mail box and finding the surprise every year. If you can stomach the small price to pay in order to surprise someone, then wonderful! If not, wrap furoshiki style and deliver at the next gathering, which I hope are many during this time of year. In either case, here’s a little how-to, for some last-minute gift wrangling, minus the excessive spending.
Candied Almonds
Ingredients:
- 1⁄2cup water
- 1 1⁄2cups sugar
- 1teaspoon cinnamon (or more to taste)
- 1lb almonds, with skins
Directions:
- Bring water, sugar and cinnamon to a boil;stirring constantly.
- Add almonds and toss to coat.
- Remove almonds with slotted spoon.
- Arrange on greased baking pan.
- Bake at 350 for 20 minutes, basting twice with reserved syrup.
- Cool.
- Store airtight.
Peanut Brittle
Ingredients:
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup light corn syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup peanuts
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
Directions:
- Grease a large cookie sheet. Set aside.
- In a heavy 2 quart saucepan, over medium heat, bring to a boil sugar, corn syrup, salt, and water. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Stir in peanuts. Set candy thermometer in place, and continue cooking. Stir frequently until temperature reaches 300 degrees F (150 degrees C), or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard and brittle threads.
- Remove from heat; immediately stir in butter and baking soda; pour at once onto cookie sheet. With 2 forks, lift and pull peanut mixture into rectangle about 14×12 inches; cool. Snap candy into pieces.
Chocolate Covered Chewy Caramel Candy
Ingredients:
- 1 pound milk chocolate
- Your favorite chewy caramel candy
Directions:
- Melt milk chocolate in a saucepan
- Cover caramel candy and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Place tray in the fridge to cool.
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