Ok people – this is it! Christmas and Hanukkah are only three weeks away, and the gift shopping is in full, crazy swing! Just in case you’re stumped for ideas for what to give your food-obssessed friends and loved ones this year, here are some suggestions that will make your mouth water (and stay tuned…I’m giving away a special treat for you at the end!):
Know someone who craves barbecue?
17th Street Bar & Grill, located deep inside the state of Southern Illinois and in Las Vegas at the Memphis Championship Barbecue outpost, has attracted legions of fans throughout the years. The father-daughter duo behind 17th Street Bar & Grill, Mike and Amy Mills, are widely regarded in the barbecue scene. Mike, considered by his peers as a true pioneer, is a leading force in the barbecue world. For almost 30 years he has devoted himself to the sauce and has perfected his recipe for great barbecue. For the holidays, the Mills have created their own gift list complete with their menu’s most prized dishes, including these tasty picks:
Pig Pack (Sauce & Pound of Magic Dust) $32.00 17th Street Bar & Grill’s best-selling sauces and Magic Dust attractively packaged for gift giving. One bottle each of their original and spicy sauces along with a pound of their fabulous dry rub, Magic Dust. (Also available with a bottle of Magic Dust.)
17th Street BBQ Feast $118 A great barbecue combo, the most decadent of them all! Mike and Amy take two racks of baby back ribs and slow smoke them in their giant pit over apple and cherry wood for up to 7 hours leaving them moist and flavorful. They also throw in 2lbs of succulent pulled pork they make from pork shoulders, cooked low and slow for 18 to 20 hours. Mike and Amy mix some of that pulled pork into their half a gallon of Tangy Pit Beans which are made with five different beans and oh so tasty. The combo also includes a bottle of their famous 17th Street Barbecue Sauce and Magic Dust.
All of these gifts are available for the holidays and can be ordered online at www.17thstreetbarbecue.com.
For someone who craves a little bit of everything:
Sickles Market in Little Silver, New Jersey, is offering gourmet gift baskets that satisfy every possible craving! My favorite is the New Jersey Holiday Gift Basket, packed with local favorites like Alexian Pate and Treats by Eileen Granola:
You can see a full listing of Sickles Market’s gift baskets and order them here.
(Are you wondering what the giveaway will be? Keep reading!)
Craving something different than the usual spirits?
Pisco Portón is a unique, crazy-flavorful, clear spirit distilled from grapes (and it happens to come in an absolutely gorgeous bottle which makes a beautiful gift!). Unlike most other piscos, Pisco Portón is distilled using the Mosto Verde method, which prevents the grapes from fermenting completely, resulting in an extremely smooth, velvety and full-bodied flavor. It is handcrafted in small batches at Hacienda La Caravedo in Ica, Peru, the oldest distillery in the Americas (est. 1684), utilizing centuries-old distilling methods in combination with proprietary, state-of-the-art technologies. It is made from a blend of Quebranta, Albilla and Torontel grapes, each chosen for their unique character. “Pisco is an incredible spirit that is just beginning to be discovered in the U.S.,” says Master Distiller Johnny Schuler. “Pisco Portón has a flavor that can be described as more complex than a vodka and more subtle than a tequila; excellent for creating defining cocktails, as well as for savoring neat or as an aperitif.
To find Pisco Portón near you, check out their online store locator.
For someone who craves a taste of the shore:
Send them Chef Chris Brandl’s signature crab cakes from Jakes Crab Shack! (6 4-oz. crab cakes $42.00, 24 1-oz crab balls $42.00) Serve the crab cakes over greens, with sauce or on fresh rolls with lettuce and tomato. The one-ounce Crab Balls are appetizer-sized and absolutely perfect for dipping!
To satisfy someone’s chocolate cravings:
Baked by Melissa has taken their most popular cupcake flavors and dipped them in delectable dark chocolate! In Chocolate, a new line of chocolate-covered, miniature stuffed cupcakes, includes chocolate coated versions of Baked By Melissa’s eight most popular flavors: Tie-Dye, Mint Chocolate Chip, Cookies & Cream, Peanut Butter & Jelly, Cookie Dough, Red Velvet, Cinnamon and Chocolate Chip Pancake. Each cupcake is a mouth-watering blend of soft, fluffy cake and sweet, airy frosting encased in a crunchy dark chocolate shell and topped with colorful icing. The perfect holiday gift, In Chocolate is available exclusively in Baked by Melissa stores, and on BakedbyMelissa.com for shipping nationwide. ($25 for a box of 8 dipped cupcakes.)
Godiva is offering more yummy chocolate gift options that you can imagine, including their Holiday Truffles, White Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Bars, and their brand-new Parfait Chocolates:
(Wouldn’t it be great if you could win a box of those yummy parfait chocolates? Hint…hint…keep reading!)
For the person who craves a caffeine fix:
Rook Coffee Roasters in Oakhurst and Long Branch, New Jersey is offering a variety of custom gift baskets of all sizes, shapes and prices, with options including pounds or half pounds of coffee, mugs, Melitta pour-over brewers, t-shirts, keychains, gift certificates, and stickers. (The baskets will be wrapped in burlap and cellophane for just $3 extra.)
Want to wear your craving?
I just had to digress from the edible gifts for a moment – check out this awesome t-shirt from 80stees.com:
It may not be edible, but it’s a great gift for the snack-obsessed!
Got a gourmet craving?
Gilt Taste, the new culinary venture from Gilt Groupe, features an ongoing full-price marketplace of curated artisanal products and highly coveted ingredients and equipment, in addition to ‘Daily Special’ sales. This holiday season, Gilt Taste will be offering a number of seasonal items including Chocolate Panettone, Mille Crepes Cake by Lady M, Pop Pie Set by Cake Monkey, chocolates by John & Kira and TCHO, a handpicked selection of cheese and charcuterie from La Quercia and D’Artagnan, and pantry items such as Porcini and Fennel Sal from Wine Forest and Mini Salt Sets by Le Sanctuaire. Check out the full decadent selection at www.gilttaste.com.
(You’re almost there…keep reading to find out what you can win!)
For someone with a fruity craving:
Blue Chair Fruit, an artisanal jam and marmalade company located in Oakland, California, has a huge selection of unique flavors, from everyday to exotic, and the best part is, they offer several gift packs so you never have to choose just one flavor! Check out their Marmalade Lover’s Gift Set ($34.00), with Bergamot Marmalade, Seville-Navel Orange Marmalade and Blood Orange-Chesnut Honey Marmalade with Rosemary, or taste even more options when you give their 6 or 12-month Jam Club!
For someone who craves gadgets and kitchen toys:
Broadway Panhandler in New York City sells all sorts of cool, funky kitchen toys – here are some of my favorites:
Delonghi Mix Breakfast Collection: This colorful collection combines simple, iconic designs with quality materials and expert craftsmanship. Featuring a 5-Cup Drip Coffee Maker, Pump Espresso Maker, 54-Ounce Kettles, and 2- and 5-Slice Toasters, these beautiful appliances make the perfect gift for those who love to make a statement in their everyday living. Available colors: pink, blue, yellow, green, orange, black, white and red.
Pop Art Wood Utensils: Each utensil, which measures 12” long, is handcrafted from a single piece of solid beechwood and laser-etched with Pop Art-inspired images that will not fade. Finished with natural oil to highlight the beauty of the natural wood grain, the collection will not scratch or damage nonstick cookware. The line of utensils includes a fork, slotted spoon, spoon corner and turner. They are a beautiful, unique gift for the cook who likes to stand out.
For the ultimate in extravagant cravings:
No holiday gift list would be complete without a few “ultimate” gifts for those with extravagant taste! Gilt City is offering a list of fabulously amazing experiences, with 100 percent of the net proceeds being donated to the Food Bank for New York City! Wouldn’t you love a custom-designed three-course menu from Emeril Lagasse? Or maybe you’d rather go skydiving with Anthony Bourdain? Check out the full list at www.GiltCity.com.
Well, that’s it! A huge list of some of my favorite culinary gift ideas this year…and now I have a gift you can WIN! Earlier this week, I wrote about the fabulous Godiva Parfait Chocolates you read about in this gift guide, and I have an 8-piece box of them just waiting for one of you, my dear readers, to win! Here’s how to enter:
Leave a comment on this blog post (comments on Facebook or Twitter will not constitute entries) and tell me which of the gifts listed in my 2011 Gastronomic Gift Guide is your favorite, and why.
But wait – there’s more! Want extra entries? Just “like” Random Cravings on Facebook or follow me on Twitter, and leave separate comments here on the blog post to let me know you do. Just remember – one comment = one entry (i.e., if you enter by telling me which gift idea is your favorite, and also follow me on Facebook, you need to leave 2 separate comments here on the blog post.)
All entries must be received by 11:59 p.m. on Friday, December 9 (U.S. addresses only, please), and I will post the winner of the 8-piece box of Godiva Parfait Chocolates on Monday, December 12. So…tell me…which gift idea do you crave the most?
