Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Perfect Edible, Shippable Gift


It's my brother-in-law Damion's birthday in a few days. He lives in Virginia, and he's an avid reader (and a pretty excellent writer, too), so I usually send him a book for his birthday. (This year, I got him Out Stealing Horses by Per Petterson, which is excellent book, if you haven't read it yet.) He also likes coffee, so I usually send him a Starbucks card...but not this year. This year, I wanted to send him something more personal, something homemade. This was a bit challenging because it needed to be something I could package and ship. He's not too big on sweet stuff, so I decided to go the savory route. Damion loves cashews (they always have a giant Costco-sized jar in the cupboard that he snacks on), so I thought Ina Garten's recipe for Rosemary Roasted Cashews would be perfect. I've made these a couple times now, and they are absolutely delicious and addictive. Roasting the cashews in the oven lends a deep, toasty flavor to the nuts. After roasting, they're tossed with brown sugar, cayenne pepper, a little butter, and fresh rosemary, which makes for a fabulous salty/sweet/spicy/earthy taste combination. If you're looking for a new holiday appetizer or an easy homemade gift, this is a great option. Damion's cashews won't reach him until next week, but I'm pretty confident he'll adore them as much as I do - and I'm pretty confident you'll adore them, too. Happy November, everyone!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Yum! These look so easy I might make some for my own birthday. :)

Elisabeth said...

That's my kind of girl. :)

Anonymous said...

These were amazing, Liz. As I told you, I think I will make them for neighbors, teachers, etc. as Christmas gifts this year. Very different, special, yummy...
You are awesome!

Elisabeth said...

Stine, let me know how they are received - I may do them as holiday gifts next year!