One of the most important of Italian traditions is to celebrate and welcome friends and family to their new home. This “recipe” is an easy way for you to honor their life event.
The items below have great significance and when combined, make a thoughtful and memorable gift from you to them!
Ingredients:
Bread | So you will never go hungry
Wine | So you will never go thirsty
Salt | Sprinkled around doors and windows, for good luck
Olive Oil | Which represents good health
A Candle | Symbolizing light
Wood | To bring peace, harmony and stability to your new home
Tips:
For The Bread: We like giving an artisan loaf of Rosemary Bread from Central Market.
For The Wine: You can only “go right” with an Italian red. We found this Piccini Chianti at our local Twin Liquors.
For The Salt: We gift gray sea salt; it’s flavorful and prized by cooks around the globe.
For The Olive Oil: Try a first press olive oil in a glass dispenser to show-off it’s distinctive gold and green color.
For The Candle: We put an aromatic candle inside a decorative votive holder.
For The Wood: A high-end wooden cooking utensil – perhaps olive wood – will do the trick and will remind them of you each time they’re cooking in the kitchen. Here in Austin try Sur la Table.
What To Do:
1. Arrange the goodies in a small basket lined with a fabric napkin.
2. Top the basket treats with a handmade card (ours is shown above) with a printout of the ingredients list; when the recipient reads the history and learns the significance of the items, a smile (sometimes a tear) comes to their face.
Enjoy!
~ Joe Paul Reider
Home Style Austin Founder
Austin Realtor®
Keller Williams Realty, Inc.
Home Style Austin 
I needed a last minute gift. THIS WAS A HIT!! Thank you – bonus, it was fun to shop for and then assemble! Thanks again!
Thank you for writing and letting us know! We’ve gifted this to several new home owners and you’re right – they are surprisingly fun to shop for … and assemble! We like customizing the colors, wine, etc. based on the recipient’s unique taste.