McCloskey, J: Delicious Gifts Edible Creations to Make and Give

Give a gift with the individual touch this year - make it yourself! Inside this book are a number of sweet and savory treats to suit most tastes as well as instructions on making your own unique gift packaging. This definitely beats Christmas shopping. From chocolates and sweets to cakes, preserves, chutneys and aromatic oils most people are sure to be entranced, as well as relieved that it isn't socks, hankies or bath salts again this year. None of the recipes are too demanding, and most seem to manage to omit anything that is going to be impossible to source, making this a recipe book that gets my vote for that alone! From improvising a double boiler if you don't have one (as I do not) to tips on shifting sticky labels when using old jars this is also a mine of useful information, as well as recession-busting ideas and ways of making recycling more interesting than a trip to the tip. There are some lovely ideas too for making your own gift boxes, complete with nets. The recipes themselves come with handsome, irresistible looking full page illustrations and fairly easy to follow instructions, and are either classics or unusual enough to please the more discerning recipient. In a nutshell, a book that is going to have long lasting appeal and be very useful for years to come.-Myshelf.com