Posts Tagged ‘gifts’

2015 holiday gift guide for foodies

Art of Tea sampler

Art of Tea sampler. Photo from Art of Tea.

Need a holiday gift guide for that foodie in your life? Check out some of my personal picks:

Art of Tea sampler sets: For just $25, you can gift someone four small tins of hand-blended organic teas. The Holiday Tea Sampler, with Winter White Chai, Pumpkin Pie, Butterscotch and Dark Chocolate Peppermint flavors, is a favorite and seasonally appropriate. Use code “hellohandmade” for 15 percent off (good through March 31, 2016). Order by midnight tonight, Dec. 11, to guarantee delivery by Christmas!

Ocha Teapot: The handy (and cute) personal Ocha Teapot brews the tea and dispenses just the right amount into your cup. Just place over a cup when ready and watch the tea flow! Great for people who like to control the amount of tea in their cups or for sharing with others. I first encountered this at Max Brenner in Las Vegas and thought it was so cool. Teapots are 30 percent off right now for the holidays.

Big Sur Bakery stollen

Big Sur Bakery stollen. Photo from Big Sur Bakery.

Big Sur Bakery stollen loaf: This holiday bread loaf, with layers of butter, almond paste, rummed raisins and house-candied citrus zest, all coated with granulated sugar is an elevated take on the traditional German stollen bread. Big Sur Bakery’s stollen would be a treat for anyone who appreciates artisan foods.

My Fat Dad by Dawn Lerman: Author Dawn Lerman, who has written for the New York Times’ Well blog, tells the story of growing up with a parent who struggled with his weight in her book, My Fat Dad: A Memoir of Food, Love, and Family, with Recipes. Part memoir, part cookbook, My Fat Dad offers insight into how our parents affect the trajectory of our lives, as Lerman’s father’s near-constant diets and yo-yoing weight prompted her love of food and cooking, as well as healthy eating. At the end of each chapter, Lerman gives us recipes for some of the dishes mentioned, many of which come from her beloved grandmother. An easy read with lots of heart.

 

 

11

12 2015

Holiday gift guide for foodies

Still working your way through that holiday gift list? If you’re shopping for someone who likes food more than your average Joe, then check out these goodies in this holiday gift guide for foodies.

Pretzel necklace from Food52

Pretzel necklace

Pretzel necklace

Food52 also carries necklaces with pendants shaped like whisks, rotelle pasta, crawfish claws and more. All are adorable. All should be on holiday gift guides. Because food jewelry.

The Chef Says book

The Chef Says

The Chef Says

Chock full of funny and insightful quotes, The Chef Says makes a nice gift for that person who is really into what his or her favorite chef may have to say, even when not in the kitchen.

Clean Plates book

Clean Plates

Clean Plates

For the healthful eater, there are the Clean Plates books, which bills itself as “Zagat with a healthy twist.” So far the books are available in Los Angeles and New York City versions, and are also able to be personalized.

Huckleberry cookbook

Huckleberry cookbook

Huckleberry cookbook

From the creative mind of Zoe Nathan, pastry chef extraordinaire at Huckleberry Bakery & Cafe, comes the cookbook of the same name. This is great for the baker on your list, as it contains recipes of many of the bakery’s favorites, both sweet and savory.

Anthropologie gold monogram mugs

Anthropologies gold monogram mugs

Anthropologie gold monogram mugs

Because who doesn’t want their initial in gold?

16

12 2014

Last-minute holiday shopping guide for LA foodies

Valerie Confections SUPER CHOC-O-FOOD

Valerie Confections SUPER CHOC-O-FOOD

Still scrambling for holiday gifts? If you’re shopping for people who like food, or should like good food, then look no further than these L.A. options:

Valerie Confections: While Valerie Gordon is know for her toffees and cute-as-a-button petit fours, an interesting gift would be the SUPER CHOCO-O-FOOD, a huge block of milk chocolate with a hint of caramel loaded with dried pears, apricots, golden raisins, macadamia nuts, cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds and peanuts. The packaging comes from Commune Design, and each color (pink, violet, aqua) corresponds to part of a triptych image found under the label. Valerie now also has teas blended by the American Tea Room just for the shop, including the Black & Blue, which was inspired by her Black & Blue jam and contains black tea from Nilgiri, blackberries, black currants, blueberries and blackberry leaves.

Kiss My Bundt Baking Academy: Chef Chrysta Wilson of Kiss My Bundt, formerly on West Third Street, is now teaching baking classes at Surfas in Culver City. The first class will be on January 15 and will focus on baking with winter citrus. And if you purchase a spot in this class before December 24, you’ll get 20 percent off. If you’ve ever had Wilson’s bundt cakes, you know they’re a treat.

Monsieur Marcel at the Original Farmers Market at Third and Fairfax: This gourmet foods store has all kinds of delicious treats, including European chocolates, fancy vinegars and oils, flavored salts, cheeses, wine and all kinds of fun stuff. This place will have lots of variety, so you’re sure to find something for the gourmand on your lift.

20

12 2011

Personal pick: Swatch’s Full Blooded watch

Swatch's Full Blooded "Blueberry" watch. From Kenmar Watches.

Did you get something this holiday season you’d like to return? An ugly, though expensive, sweater? A useless, though pricey, fountain pen? Maybe you’d like to return it and buy something you’d actually like. If I were you, I would consider the Full Blooded watch ($150 to $165) from Swatch. No longer just a novelty brand (remember those rubbery things that came in different colors that you could use to jazz up your wrist watches?), Swatch now offers pretty good-looking watches for grown ups. This bold purple (“blueberry”) one caught my eye, though I also like the caramel color, which looks more like rose gold to me. Either way, I’d be happy. What are you returning/exchanging your unwanted gifts for?

Related Posts with Thumbnails

03

01 2011