Perhaps the only thing greater than receiving a lovely fruit basket is to make one to give to a dear friend and see their reaction. While there are many companies that can send a fruit basket, it can be pricey and you are never quite sure if the fruit friend or loved one received was worth the hefty pricetag.
Making your own fruit basket for your home or to give to a colleague or friend is not difficult and allows you get to get your creative juices flowing. You can design a fruit basket around a certain theme, holiday or cater to the receiver's preferences. Both men and women, young and old can appreciate a fruit basket brimming with luscious fruits.
Instructions
1. Determine if your want to follow a certain theme for designing your fruit basket. Is it to be given as a birthday gift or as a thank you for hard work at the office? Try to find out if the person you are giving it to has any food preferences or allergies.
2. Select the appropriate size basket for your bounty. If the person you are giving it to has small children or a spouse, you can make the fruit basket more ample as it will provide for more than one person. If you know for certain the receiver is single, make a smaller basket so they are not overwhelmed with a giant fruit basket.
3. Go to a supply store that sells empty wicker baskets, ribbons, tissue paper and other handicraft items, keeping your theme in mind. Select a basket that is the correct size for your gift and buy the other items needed. If you already have extra ribbons, new cloth napkins and at home, no need to buy more. Be resourceful (and thrifty) and use what you have. If you are giving the gift to a child or student, include a few non-fruit items such as small chocolate bars, packages of hot cocoa and small trinkets or even a small teddy bear.
4. Purchase fruits that will not spoil quickly. Choose from oranges, apples, plums and grapefruit. Add a few "exotic" items such as pineapple, guava or star fruit. Add one or two items that will be more delicate but are likely to be consumed first: grapes, cherries, berries and very small bananas (not too many!). If you know the receiver is very traditional, select very familiar types of fruits. If they have a more adventuresome streak, add mangos, for example.
5. Clean all the fruit. Prepare the basket by first placing a large sheet of wrapping cellophane at the bottom of the basket. Next, add raffia and make a kind of shallow "nest" with it, or use tissue paper or real cloth napkins to line the bottom of the basket.
Place the largest, heaviest fruits at the bottom. Use one or two larger pieces of fruit to anchor this fruit bouquet: a pineapple or a small tower of sturdy plaintains or unripe bananas. Add the smaller fruits around the "anchor fruit." Place any novelty items such as the small chocolate bars, small packages of raisins or packages of hot cocoa or fair trade coffee sample packets.
6. Gather up the outer edges of the wrapping cellophane at the top, carefully making sure that all the fruit is safely contained inside. Tie ribbons around the top of the cellophane to seal it. Add any note card and deliver by hand to your very lucky guest or leave it for them on their desk or at their home.
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