Gourmet gift baskets must come as a real surprise to someone who loves to eat. Anyone who passionately loves food is somewhat of a fascist when it comes to eating the best that is available. So, perhaps a gift unsurpassed for a gourmand is a scrumptious basket full of gourmet delights. Here are some suggestions and examples of gourmet gift baskets:

For those enthusiastic about Italian food, a bona fide Tuscan feast is an experience that can be singled out as one in a million. A sprinkling of roasted garlic vinaigrette for that o-so-crunchy Italian salad (made with celery, bell pepper, mushroom, black olives, onion, garlic and oregano) is an enticing appetizer. Follow that with some Fettuccini pasta (pasta with three flavors - egg, spinach and tomato-basil) and top of the line tomato and sweet basil sauce with Italian vegetables thrown in for good measure and you will be setting the pace for an elegant meal. The entire experience can come to a mouth-watering close with home-baked biscotti.

Another favorite is the gourmet snack basket with cocktail bites, raspberry-honey-mustard pretzels, cheese shortbread, maple sugar nut mix, chocolate almond cookies, cheese straws and potato chip cookies. This appetizing array of snacks will tantalize the taste buds and leave anybody craving for more.

A gift collection of teas is another gourmet favorite among tea lovers food lover. Try a collection of teas and chai that come with cookies and teacakes. This collection, fit for royalty, will contain English Breakfast, Earl Grey, spiced chai, vanilla chai, ginger bread tea, fruit-flavored iced teas with a bouquet of teacakes and cookies.

Ordering gourmet gift baskets is always easy, but creating your own custom-made basket is special and lots of fun.