Over the past 15 years, Chelsea Market Baskets has developed a custom gift program that is like no other. Our team of custom basket specialists are always looking forward to a new challenge and the opportunity to put their creative knowledge and expertise to good use. This often has us exploring Chelsea Markets’ concourse in order to fulfill specific needs and requests. There is little that we can’t or won’t do; including filling a cooler up with friday night memorabilia for Rosie O’Donnell or make sure the cast of a new play on Broadway gets a fruit basket filled with their favorite teas, fruit and chocolate treats on opening night.
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by Elizabeth on April 4, 2013
A recent article in The Atlantic compared the 10 most common (and 10 least common) jobs in America today, and unsurprisingly, Administrative Assistants account for close to 3 million American workers! With Administrative Professionals’ Day coming up later this month- Wednesday, April 24- CMB has pulled together a selection of gifts that elegantly say “thank you” to the men and women who daily who help keeping offices running efficiently and often go unrecognized for their efforts.
- Carla Hall’s Gift Box ($29) first appeared in our winter 2012 catalog and its assortment of sweet cookies and savory snack bites lend themselves nicely to hiding in a top desk drawer for a mid-afternoon treat. Ms. Hall skyrocketed to fame during the 5th season of the cooking competition show Top Chef where she proclaimed to cook everything with love. That love, and punches of flavor, come through in her Alchemy Petite Cookies and will convey your appreciation! [click to continue…]
by Elizabeth on March 11, 2013
Searching for the perfect Easter basket contents? Every year, CMB carefully selects chocolates and candies that we think will make your Easter basket sing with sweetness! Here are some of our favorite Chocolate Easter Eggs of 2013…we like to think this list is Easter Bunny-approved!
A Hazelnut Truffle-Filled Egg From Germany
From Germany, we are bringing back the popular Gut Springenheide Chocolate Eggs ($4.50 each, 3 for $12, or buy on-line at our website 6 for $29) in bright solids, pastels, bold stripes, and retro polka dots. Since they were such a hit last year, we learned even more about the process to make a chocolate truffle encased in a real egg shell. The family behind Gut Springenheide makes many egg-based products like creme brulee and realized they could do something with the remaining shells: the eggs are emptied and the shells are sterilized (to meet FDA and USDA standards), then they are filled with a liquid blend of milk, dark and hazelnut chocolate to create a delicious truffle! After they are set, the shells are then decorated in a variety of vibrant colors and patterns that make them irresistible! We also learned the easiest way to get to the truffle inside: chill for 15 minutes, then crack open. These are truly entertaining and delicious chocolate eggs for children of all ages to enjoy on Easter morning. [click to continue…]
by David on January 29, 2013
I just got back from SF were it was sunny and I enjoyed sharing my family (my twin brother and sister live in the east bay with 3 nephews so I was also “Uncle” a bit) with two people whom had never been there before, Alberto and Ana, who worked in our booth at the show. The fancy Food shows are always very busy, but I did get a chance to be a tourist, on Saturday morning at the Farmer’s Market located around the Ferry Building. It was great to see and taste all the fresh California fruits and vegetables especially the winter citrus.
Alberto (CMB Store Manager) and I stopped to talk to June Taylor (June Taylor Jams) about her products, which have done very well in our store and we are reordering. While she makes everything by hand, she told me the real secret was starting with good produce. A few booths away there was farmer Torrie who supplies some fruit to June, and he shared some great varietal citrus to taste. When I told that I should not eat grapefruits or pummelos because of taking Lipitor, he told me the secret to a long life is eating good food and … well I cannot really say what else he said, but he and his wife seem pretty happy and healthy! Overall, it was great a California experience.
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by David on December 6, 2012
Since 1990, I have been around the block a few times with the Gift Basket business and people often ask me about what makes a successful gift baskets and how has the business changed in the last few years. In this blog post I have put together some of my ideas on the subject. I have also included images from our new catalog to help illustrate my points.
Open and eat is a term used to describe a gift basket that provides instant gratification and does not involve having to think too much (or go to the kitchen and prepare something that might not be in your DNA nor physically located where you got the gift basket). A gift basket is very much about the present’s contents and how it is presented. I certainly have lots of ideas about the ingredients and the look and feel, but if there was a golden rule here it would be the satisfaction on treating your taste buds to something you just received and saying WOW that is good. Onto the details!
First off, it needs to taste good. Within varying business cycles, it is easy to get caught up in things that do not sell, or you have too much of and say – “oh we can use that in a gift basket.” Also product that has a long shelf life is often incorporated which makes the logistics of packing a gift easier and is mighty important in that many are sold in just 2 weeks of the year, thanks to Christmas, but my own experience has told me that long shelf life components do not sell as well, and more popular gifts involve “fresher product.” I like to say that we start with what is on the inside and what it is made out of and how it tastes and the real people that make it and work from there. In the gift basket industry, the packaging is always paramount but unfortunately this leads the chief value of what is sold is the packaging and not the food. I particularly think that it is wastefully based on the added packaging that is the basket and much of this is of little value because often it is discarded quickly after receipt of the basket. [click to continue…]
