Get A Handle On Spring With Clever Basket Ideas

Let our Biltmore experts offer their freshest ideas for celebrating spring—and you don’t have to put all your ideas in one basket! Be sure to add special touches throughout the season and share your own creative tips with family and friends.

May Day

In lieu of the traditional “May Basket” full of spring blooms, surprise a friend with a basket containing fresh-baked savory scones, recipe card, bottle of wine, and a potted herb that will outlast flowers. Try “rosemary for remembrance,” inspired by our Black Olive & Rosemary Scones. Get Recipe »

Classic Olmsted Basket

Line any basket with florists foil to make it waterproof. Begin with a taller potted plant for height and interest, then fill in the rest of the basket with different potted plants for texture and color. Add moss to cover the edges of pots and spaces between plants. Perfect for a special centerpiece, and it couldn’t be simpler to create!

Jam-Packed

Share a spot of tea any time of day by wrapping a selection of tea bags, a jar of jam, and a packaged muffin mix in a pretty tea towel and placing them in a bright mixing bowl. Make it even more special with our Spiced Peach Syrup. Get Recipe »

Handle With Care

Turn your shopping basket into a special gift basket in mere minutes: choose from our delicious specialty foods, gifts, and Biltmore Wine, or allow our helpful staff to assemble a themed selection of products for you. We’ll take care of the basket and bow while you take the credit for a thoughtful gift. You can also purchase gift baskets in our online store.

Spiced Peach Syrup

Ingredients:
• 1 cup water (increase if necessary)
• 1 1/2 cups white vinegar
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons orange zest
• 3 cinnamon sticks, broken up whole cloves to taste
• 24 medium half-ripe peaches, peeled

Method: Combine water, vinegar, sugar, and orange zest in medium saucepan; bring to a boil to dissolve sugar.

Drop 8 peaches in the sugar syrup and cook 10 minutes. Remove peaches from syrup and pack in wide mouth quart jars. Repeat until all peaches are used. Add 1 cinnamon stick to each jar. Fill jars with remaining syrup and seal.

Black Olive & Rosemary Scones

Ingredients:
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into cubes
• 1/2 cup pitted kalamata olives, cut into thirds
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 egg, beaten
• Sea salt, for garnish

Method: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a baking sheet or line it with parchment paper. In a bowl, stir flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. With the tips of your fingers, blend butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in the olives, rosemary, and lemon zest. Add buttermilk and blend well with a rubber spatula.

Divide the dough in half and make 2 balls of dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough into 2 circles, 1/2-inch thick. Brush each circle with the beaten egg and sprinkle lightly with sea salt. Cut each circle into 6 triangle shaped wedges. Bake scones on the prepared baking sheet for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 12 scones.