Because making a handmade gift takes time--one of our most precious commodities--Sally Pasley Vargas points out in Food for Friends that giving one expresses "something very personal: that we care, that our friends matter, that it is important to sustain our relationships." The recipient of a handmade gift of food gets a bonus: a gift that nurtures, comforts, and offers nourishment. In this beautifully presented work, Vargas offers something for every level of cook, with guidance for everything from wrapping and presenting edible gifts to choosing ingredients and preparing them. Gorgeous color photographs will encourage and motivate even those of us who think that we are less than creative. Recipes for breakfast foods, such as Out-of-This-World Five-Grain Pancake and Waffle Mix, Maple-Cranberry Granola, and Mexican-Style Hot-Chocolate Mix, are quick and easy to assemble and make the perfect gifts for a busy household or a student away from home. Packaged in decorated bags and presented in cheerful bow-tied wicker baskets, gifts such as these are sure to please. Come summer, Vargas recommends stocking up on perfectly ripe fruit and making jams and preserves. Her instructions are clear and easy to follow, and if you do as she says, you'll have your holiday shopping done before the weather changes. Just make batches when you can, and fill four-ounce jars with a variety of flavors. Then tie such delicacies as Blackberry-Peach Jam, Strawberry Rubies, and Clementine-Cranberry Marmalade together with ribbons or raffia, make pretty labels, and give a sweet memory of summer to your family and friends. Preserved fruits such as Peaches in Raspberry Champagne, Cherry and Apricot Compote, and Blueberry-Lemon Sauce are elegant, unique treats that are so beautiful in their jars they hardly need any wrapping at all. With a pantry full of homemade "bottled luxury" liqueurs such as Framboise, Sweet Blackberry Wine, and Orange Ratafia, and condiments like Homemade Grainy Mustard, Cranberry Chutney, and Cascabel Chile Salsa, you'll never need to run out at the last minute for a hostess gift. If you do have the time last-minute, Vargas's Lavender-Lemon Tea Cakes make fragrant, old-fashioned tea loaves, and her Chocolate-Apricot Rugelach are simply addictive. Creamy, rich dark-chocolate-and-whiskey Mystery Truffles and assorted Mendiants--coin-shaped chocolate candies studded with nuts and dried fruits--make a stunning gift. By following Vargas's step-by-step instructions and planning ahead, you'll perfect the art of giving in no time. --Leora Y. Bloom