food Gifts to buy?

Any thing you are particularly in love with this year? Things that you will purchase as opposed to making yourselves in the kitchen?

Here are some interesting flavored caviars--I haven't tried these, but I am curious about them...(click on caviar and then have a look at the whitefish caviars)

http://shopping.netsuite.com/s.nl?c=199045

And then Fran's grey salt caramels intrigue me, too:

http://www.franschocolates.com/home.php?cat=2

Although I might be tempted to try those at home...

What else, guys? I am actually looking for smallish editor gifts--$20 price range.

B

[Robin Garr]

What else, guys? I am actually looking for smallish editor gifts--$20 price range.

Barb, why not browse Isola imports, the great Italian-food mail-order place where I got that Tipo 00 Fino flour and a bunch of wonderful Pugliese pastas last year?

http://www.isolaimports.com/

Williams-Sonoma frozen croissants. Trust me on this.

I agree with Carrie on the frozen croissants -- the chocolate are wonderful.

A couple of others I tried, this reccoed in the NYTimes:

OATMEAL COOKIES A sprinkling of coarse-grain salt makes meal-size Salty Oats cookies from Kayak Cookies — regular and chocolate — irresistible. Six for $14.95; kayakcookies.com, (240) 460-3237

Also at your price point: Traditional or caramel apple pie, $19.99; elegantfarmer.com, (262) 363-6770, Elegant Farmer.

Maybe a bit too high, but delicious: Sticky Toffee Pudding Company: Six puddings are $30; stickytoffeepuddingcompany.com

Ottomanelli Brothers, grass fed bison from NY State: $24.95 a pound; ottomanellibros.com

One of our local florists is putting together some really elegant baskets of different herbs, several pots of different types. I like talking to them personally when setting up the gifts -- unusual and people always seem to like them.

Regards, Bob

Ooh, I recall seeing those oatmeal cookies...sound like something I would like for sure.

b

[Jenise]

I needed a lot of interesting but not overly consequential hostess gifts this year for people I would not consider foodies, so I purchased many pounds of Godiva "chocolate creme" ground coffee. I'm personally not a fan of flavored coffee (if we need chocolate in our coffee, we're going to dump a heaping tablespoon into the cup that will create a fudge sludge for the last few sips), but it still seems to be popular among the non-purists, the packaging is elegant and Godiva is a recognizable luxury brand so this seemed like a one-size-fits-all kind of gift.

Too, I purchased some handmade chocolates from a local chocolatier. And I bought several jars of a foo-foo brining mix--salt, sugar, herbs, dried garlic etc--to give to a few people I know who aren't cheffy but who do cook at home and who would enjoy something new to try.

Chocolate truffles.

I have a friend who makes his own (and they are most delectable). I admire his skill.

I wouldn't dream of making them myself.

There are some chocolatiers in the Boston area where I can buy hand-crafted chocolate truffles as treasured gifts for friends (and for my own private indulgence--bwaa haa haa).

-Paul W.

Biscotti or cookies in decorative tins from DiCamillo's Bakery. Great local bakery - I buy their bread quite frequently and packages of the biscotti to take to work to share with co-workers over morning coffee. I don't know if they still are, but a few years ago the biscotti were listed in the Nieman Marcus catalog.

Truffles are pretty easy and fun to make, Paul. You should give it a try!