My husband and I live on the on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, which is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the United States. So every summer we play host to many friends and family who want to get away for a few days. Other times of the year, we have great fun visiting them in their hometowns. An important part of this seasonal ritual is the host gift.

It's a less stressful time to gift shop than the holidays, and we love thinking about just the perfect host gifts to bring our friends. Most of us love food and cooking, so it seems that the majority of our host gifts involve gourmet food or kitchen gadgets. It's a fun way to try out a new cooking utensil or a gourmet treat that we might not otherwise try.

The gourmet host gifts I've shown below have their roots in the traditional ethnic cuisines of Spain, Italy, and Mexico. Whether you choose Jamon Serrano, a Spanish Ham, authentic Italian Balsamic Vinegar, or a spicy and unique chipotle sauce, any gourmet cook will enjoy these host gifts.

Matt and I have fallen in love with Spanish Tapas. Jamon Serrano is a Spanish ham that comes from a free-range pig raised in a particular area of Spain that munches on large amounts of acorns as it grazes. This dietary habit gives Jamone Serrano a subtle nutty flavor that you won't find in any other ham. About the only thing that you could compare it to, is authentic imported Italian prosciutto.

Jamone Serrano is also served in a similar manner, in very thin slices with a rustic bread. Combine it with a hearty, thick crusted rustic Artisan bread, olives and a red wine. The perfect appetizer or snack.

We'll be bringing this with us this summer as we visit some friends. One night we'll offer to make Spanish Tapas for dinner and Jamone Serrano will be one of them. We'll be travelling by car with a cooler, so this isn't a problem for us. You could always send it on ahead before you get there, or afterwards as a thank you gift.

Click Here for more information on Jamon Serrano.

Authentic Balsamic vinegar comes only from Trebbiano grapes grown around Modena, Italy. Balsamic vinegar is made in a way that is very similar to wine. The grapes are cooked and reduced to a mixture known as a must, which is then allowed to ferment for a year. Then it is placed in a series of casks and allowed to age for up to 20 years. To make sure that you get an authentic and high quality Balsamic vinegar look for certification from the Associazione Assaggiatori Italiani Balsamico (AIB). It issues a rating of 1 to 4 Leafs, with 4 being the best.

So bring a Four-Leaf Balsamic vinegar to a true gourmet and they wll be very pleased with your host gift. There is nothing sour about Balsamic vinegar. To shock people, I drizzle it  over ice cream and strawberries. This is a true Italian dessert.

Click Here for more information on Italian Balsamc Vinegar.

Creating the perefect barbecue sauce has become a national hobby. Over the summer we'll attend dozens of barbecues and dinner parties. I always like to bring a small host gift. Nothing embarrassingly large, but just a litle something. Barbecue gourmets always love to try something new. So this year I've stocked up on Chipotle Sauce in a variety of flavors. Chipotle peppers are one of the ingredients that give Mexican cooking it's distinct flavor. I thought it would be a variation on the traditional barbecue sauce that so many of us use.

You'll find a lot of chipotle sauces have fruit flavors. There's raspberry chipotle sauce, plum chipotle sauce, and even molasses chipotle sauce. The raspberry chipotle sauce is fabulous drizzled over feta cheese on a bed of dark greens.

Click Here to learn more about Spicy and Unique Chipotle Sauces.