Receta 2014 Foodie Holiday Gift Guide
2014 Foodie Holiday Gift Guide
This is the second installment of my gift guides for the holiday season. Last week I shared with you tons of bestselling cookbooks and kitchen toys, and this week I am sharing some “off the beaten path” foodie gift ideas. They aren’t bestsellers on Amazon, and they aren’t your typical go-to gifts like stand mixers, spatulas or flavored dipping oils. They’re unique, a little quirky and definitely fun. I hope you enjoy browsing them as much as I enjoyed putting the list together for you!
1. DavidsTea
Do you know someone who always asks for tea after dinner instead of coffee? If so, you have to check out DAVIDsTEA; they have an huge variety of loose leaf teas, which you can purchase individually or in gift collections. I bought an infuser mug and a set of tea for my mom two years ago, and she LOVED it; she talked about it non-stop and continues to order new flavors. If you’re interested in a variety, definitely check out The Winter Tea Collection, which includes teas like Apple Custard, Bubbie’s Baklava, Cocomint Cream, Sugar Plum Forest and Vanilla Chai. Yum!
2. Harry & David Monthly Subscription
I absolutely adore Harry & David, and they have some wonderful gift options. Along with some beautiful gift baskets of food, you could also purchase someone a Monthly Fruit Club, which includes options like Fruit of the Month Club, Favorites Club or Plants Club. You can buy these in 3-month, 6-month, 9-month or 12-month options, so the recipient will get a basket of Harry & David goodies each month. Last year, we got my grandparents 12-month Favorites Club and they really enjoyed it. They received a different shipment each month – some were fruit, snacks, cheese, chocolate – an awesome assortment of all Harry & David has to offer.
3. Ice Cream Delivery
If someone on your list is an ice cream junkie, consider sending some amazing ice cream straight to their doorstep. There are a lot of services and monthly clubs out there, but I’m partial to Graeters (they allow you to put together a 6-pack or 12-pack of different flavors) and Jeni’s (choose from individual pints or, if you’re having trouble choosing, opt for a collection).
4. Jonathan Adler Pop Candles
If someone you know has a favorite drink, these candles are a fabulous gift idea! Choose from Bourbon (smells like: davana, cognac, plum, leather accord, birch tree, cedar wood), Champagne (smells like: pink grapefruit, sparkling champagne, raspberry, French cassis, violet leaves, rose petals, crushed sage, crisp mint, and grape leaf) and Vodka (smells like: zest lime slices, pink grapefruit, tonic spritzer, crushed cilantro, gin accord, bamboo water, fresh musk, sheer woods). The description of the bourbon made me think of Ron Swanson from Parks and Recreation!
5. Nudo Italia Adopt an Olive Tree
I have shared this gift idea in previous gift guides, but I love it so much I keep having to throw it out there. Nudo, an olive grove in Italy, allows customers to “adopt” a tree in the grove (you can even pick out which section), and then receive a year’s supply of olive oil from the tree you selected. My husband did this for his parents a number of years ago, and they loved it (we all loved the olive oil). Along with the Adopt-an-Olive-Tree program, Nudo also has a large selection of Italian goods and gifts available for purchase on their website.
6. Prep Pad Smart Food Scale
You know that I’m a huge, huge, HUGE proponent of weighing ingredients when baking, and while I use an OXO kitchen scale, I saw this Prep Pad in the Brookstone catalog and thought it was an awesome kitchen gadget. In addition to weighing ingredients, it works in conjunction with your tablet and can store entire recipes and give you a nutritional breakdown based on the ingredients that you added.
7. RuMe Tote Bags
I first purchased RuMe tote bags quite a number of years ago in an effort to reduce the sheer volume of plastic grocery bags that I would come home with each time I went to the store. They’re an awesome (environmentally-friendly) way to cart your groceries home, and they are a lot easier to carry than traditional plastic grocery bags. In addition to the totes, RuMe also sells a variety of other reusable bags, including these baggies that can be used as snack bags!
8. Salted Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix
If you have a cookie lover on your list this year, this cookie mix from Not Without Salt is the perfect gift. All you need to do is add one stick of butter and an egg, and you have cookies ready to pop in the oven!
9. Tervis Tumblers
If you haven’t heard of Tervis yet, you absolutely, positively have to check them out! We actually have two entire shelves of a kitchen cabinet dedicated to all of our Tervis tumblers, and we always fill one up with ice water before we leave the house. The cups are double-insulated, which means that they keep cold drinks super cold and hot drink hot for an extremely long time. You can purchase them online or at places like Bed, Bath & Beyond or Macy’s. We’ve also started collecting them when we see specialty ones for sale at sporting events or other touristy places we visit.
10. Thermapen
This Thermapen instant-read digital thermometer has been a staple in my kitchen for years… I couldn’t imagine cooking or baking without it! I use it for taking the temperature of everything from whole chickens, deep-fried turkeys, caramel sauce, candy, baked bread, burgers on the grill, and everything in between. While it’s on the pricey side, it’s one of the best kitchen investments you’ll ever make!
Do you have any favorite gift finds from this year?!