Anyone heading to a friend's beach/lake/country house this weekend? We are. And we'd like to bring a gift — nothing extravagant, but something more unique than a bottle of wine. So we rounded up some homemade food gifts from our archives, plus some store-bought items (in case packing has left no time for strawberry jam). Read our list below...

The gifts you make yourself...

• Strawberry Refrigerator Jam, above. This recipe is simple and can be enjoyed on toast for breakfast or over ice cream at night.

• Lemon Melting Moments. They freeze well, so you can make ahead and pack them while they're still cold.

• Interesting spices or salts. If you're visiting someone in another part of the country, bring a local product — or any little treat (even if it's something from Dean & Deluca) that your host may not buy for herself.

• Vanilla Sugar, plus a great bag of coffee.

• We think anyone would be happy to see a loaf of fresh-baked bread. (If you are one of these people, we recommend inviting Emma for the weekend.)

Another idea that's home-grown, although maybe not by you: A simple pot of basil from the farmers' market. It's the gift that keeps on giving.

...and those you can order online.

We love these monogrammed coasters from Sarah Ridgley's Etsy shop. They are $12 for 8, and we've given them as gifts before.
We've blogged Etsy artist artgoodies' towels before, but how cute and summery is this Lobster Tea Towel? ($15)
This Wide Cylinder Pitcher from Crate & Barrel ($29.95) is classic — perfect for lemonade or margaritas. Or, you could get a recycled glass pitcher.
If your destination is close to farms (which is likely) and the host is a cook, the Santa Monica Farmers' Market Cookbook might inspire some good meals.
You can't pack ice cream. But you can pack these perfectly-sized Inside Out Bowls from Anthropologie ($8)
What are the best gifts you've geen given as a host?

Related: What Meals Do You Take to Friends?