Dan's Papers - August 31, 2007 - The Gift The Keeps On Giving

Choosing the right gift for someone is not always an easy task. Regardless of the occasion, unless you have some idea of what the recipient wants or needs, you have to resort to making an educated guess - and that's not really the best way to go about it. However, we all know that people like to eat and there are certain food items that always seem to be high on the popularity list. Foods such as fruit, cheese, chocolate, pasta, etc., are favorites among many people and make an ideal gift for almost anyone. But the best part is, there are many online companies that will not only deliver your gift, but they will keep on delivering it for three months, six months, twelve months and beyond - truly a gift that keeps on giving.

These companies, aptly called "Food of the Month" clubs, make a great gift for food lovers. Many of the top gourmet companies now feature various clubs that spotlight some of their best products such as cheese, chocolate, wine, fruit, jam, cakes, cookies, pasta, salsa, olives and even gourmet popcorn. These clubs are a convenient, yet unique (and delicious) gift idea that the recipient will appreciate for months to come. I don't know about you folks, but the idea of receiving a monthly gift basket of handpicked, fresh fruit in pristine condition and bursting with flavor is my idea of a great gift.

There are many of these clubs around. Doing a Google search will bring up a ton of listings. The basic concept behind these clubs is that they are essentially a collaboration of experts in retail, marketing and e-commerce, with partners who are aficionados and enthusiasts in their respective fields. Their combined experience and efforts ensure that the highest level of quality and customer satisfaction is achieved, and you or your gift recipient will reap the benefits.

In addition to the convenience of shopping from home, many of these Internet-based companies offer important features that will make your gift-giving experience a lot more enjoyable. (Products are shipped direct from the producer to guarantee freshness, you can order by fax, toll free number or the Internet, 24 hour a day access, secure credit card processing and guaranteed customer satisfaction.)

If you decide to become a member of one of these clubs, you will most likely receive an online newsletter keeping you abreast of the latest company news. It will also qualify you to receive special offers.

Over the years, these food of the month clubs have become the perfect way to say "thank you," "congratulations," "thinking of you," or other greetings for any occasion where a unique gift is appropriate. Business gift giving, showing appreciation for efforts and welcoming new customers are also great reasons to use the services these clubs offer. Below is a listing of several clubs that you may check out.

Delightful Deliveries has a large variety of "Of the Month" clubs, including a fruit club, coffee club, chocolate club, cookie club, pasta club and more. All the clubs feature high quality products. A big favorite is the "Miss Grace Cake Club." Each month a delicious cake (serves 10-12) is delivered to the recipient. Some of the monthly flavors are California Orange Cake, Chocolate Chip Fudge Cake, Key Lime Cake, Truffle Cake and Amaretto Cake.

Igourmet offers a Cheese of the Month club features three 1/2-pound selections of gourmet cheeses and a Salsa of the Month Club features wonderful salsa made by small companies. You can choose either hot or mild. Another popular club they offer is the Connoisseur's Club, which features monthly selections from a particular world cuisine. For example, December features the foods of Scandinavia and includes ready-to-eat Salmon Fillets in Dill Sauce, Abba brand Caviar Spread and Kavli Whole Grain Crisp breads.

GotFruit features a selection of fruit in season delivered to the recipient nicely packaged in a gift box or crate. They were named best overall by the Wall Street Journal. New to GotFruit is their all-organic fruit and nut club which features organic peaches, pears, apples, Mandarin oranges, plums, nectarines and Bing cherries. I've tried their fruit and all I can say is, it's wonderful!

I hope these suggestions will help take the guesswork out of your next gift-giving experience and make things a little more tasty and fun.