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The Kitchen Table

Anybody get a gift of Harry & David fruit?

16 years ago

When I worked in NYC, businesses often gave gifts of fruit from Harry & David. I haven't had any in years, but this Christmas my cousin Dave sent me two boxes of Royal Riviera Pears. Omigosh, are they wonderful! Totally delicious, and so big I eat a half at a time.

Anyone else enjoying H&D fruit? Or another kind?

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Comments (17)

socks
16 years ago
We got a gift with some RR pears from H&D, and they were wonderful. Lucious and sweet.
sushipup1
16 years ago
Yep, we got pears, too, and they are marvelous. I had to share with a neighbor, tho, because Jim doesn't like pears, and I couldn't eat that much that fast. But oh! They were delicious!
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We do mail order all the time, with many different companies, and have done so for decades. H&D is one of the best companies to deal with, with high quality fruit and OUTSTANDING customer service. They go the extra mile to satisfy all customers. I just got my DH a Fruit of the Month sub for the full year, and he is in love with the quality/sweetness of their fruit. The Riviera pears were somewhat speckled from sun; but that doesn't affect the flavor. annelamontj, sounds like your pears definitely got frozen. Just contact H&D and let them know what happened. There are plenty of mail order companies that are a pain to deal with if there's a problem - believe me, I could really name names! - but H&D, like Eddie Bauer, Amazon (ONLY Amazon products, not the Marketplace purchases!) have top quality customer service.
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David - When M called last night I was joking with him about your post. He said to tell you Merry Christmas and that you are at least a week early. LOL! (He was in your neck of the country a couple times last month. Wants to know where the control is to turn down the incessant wind there!) Nancy - Glad you understood my intent. Call me paranoid. :) Thanks for the heads up on the cranberry. Tart = very very good in my book! And now that David has mentioned maple cream, I think I know what a relative is going to get for their Feb birthday!
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I'm giving out Penzey's spice collections to a couple of recipients this year. You can even make your own box with spices you choose, which I did for one of my recipients. Not sure how fast they will arrive if your deadline is Friday... I also sent out a sausage and condiment basket from iGourmet, and I selected the components based on what my brother would like. (He lives halfway across the country, so I'd have no way of knowing his local purveyors of baskets...) Personally, I like fruit baskets and wine baskets. And I can always take more Penzey's... I do agree Swiss Colony is to be avoided. Back in the day they were decent -- not any more. Do check to make sure your recipient doesn't have various food allergies/sensitivities. While I'm sure someone's pistachio basket mentioned above is wonderful, that is the one nut I have to stay MILES away from, as opposed to just a room away. (Sigh, I used to love pistachios...) EDIT: I forgot to mention my brother sent me via the Internet a wonderful, wonderful large amount of smoked salmon for my birthday (early December), and also a few packages of Cajun spiced bacon. Both of these gifts were/are wonderful! He found quality online sources for these gifts. (And he knows that my sweet tooth is about as active as my appendix...)
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My oldest son worked one holiday season for Harry & David. They are a major employer in my area.
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glenda_al
16 years ago
NO, but I received Williams-Sonoma hot chocolate mix TO DIE FOR!
Dee1
16 years ago
Yes, we got a box or I should say a tower of cookies, chocolates, moose munch, chocolate covered Bing cherries and 3 pears. They don't look good though. They have dark brown patches and I am turned off by their appearance. Maybe we'll try one today though. I'm sure they were expensive.
Dee in Michigan
irishdancersgram
16 years ago
We got our box from an aunt of DH...She does this ever year and boy do I look forward to it...The 1st time I ever had the pears, I had been to the outlet with my DD...She had gotten several boxes and as soon as we got back to the van, we dug into a box...Well, here we are, sitting in the van with juice running down our arms, enjoying every bite...I thought they were crazy when they said you need a spoon.....

Dee, don't be turned off, you'll love them...
jannie
16 years ago
My SIL gave us an assortment box from H and D. We've eaten and enjoyed most of it. All that's left are chocolate covered cherries and chocolate truffles. And they won't be around long!
hgl_gaylemarie
16 years ago
No! Darn, but I have the catalog and drooled over the pictures.
petaloid
16 years ago
Ooh, I remember how good those pears are. Enjoy!
linda_in_iowa
16 years ago
I would love to get some H & D pears. I have visited their outlet in Medford, OR, many times.
sheilajoyce_gw
16 years ago
I sent them again this year to my DDs in-laws. And my kids sent them to their aunt and uncle.

When I was a kid in the '40s and '50s, my uncle sent H&D Royal Riveria Pears to us almost every Christmas. They are wonderful. Sometimes he experimented with Rock Cornish Hens, but it was the fruit we loved.
western_pa_luann
16 years ago
No thank goodness!

We don't like pears... and that is what everyone raves about when receiving Harry & David fruit.
grammahony
16 years ago
I got some last year and loved loved loved those pears. And the cherries. Yummo
Didn't get any this year though. :(
glenda_al
16 years ago
How about H & D's chocolate covered blueberries!
Dee1
16 years ago
I must have gotten a bad bunch of pears. The brown spots turned out to be mushy yuck on the inside and the rest of the pear was not ripe. They were hard and not very juicy at all and the brown mush was sickening. I'm not so impressed with my gift from Harry and David. I don't mean to sound ungrateful, but I wish my daughter had not spent so much money on bad fruit.

Dee in Michigan
sushipup1
16 years ago
Dee, call Harry and David. I'm sure they will make it good. Perhaps the box went thru some temp extremes during shipping, and caused the fruit to spoil.

A company like Harry and David does not want an unhappy customer!
Dee1
16 years ago
I think I will do that. My daughter would feel so bad if she knew the fruit was less than perfect. I told her everything was wonderful...and it was...except for those pears!
Thanks for the encouragement sushipup. I had thought about that, but then didn't want to be a "complainer", but when you said they wouldn't want an unhappy customer I changed my mind. Thanks again.
pauline13
16 years ago
We received a "tower" from our broker. The bottom level was a box containing 5 huge pears and they were wonderful. I was really surprised at how good everything in the tower was.

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