Holidays or holidaze

The Leather District Gourmet, Kim Kennedy, Boston

Posted by
Jacqueline Church
Dec 3, 2006

Alas, my crazy $25,000 gourmet gift suggestion - a gala dinner in Bangkok called "Epicurean Masters of the World", has come and gone. My apologies to readers distressed at having missed that deadline. I'll try to do better next year.

But I soldier on with advice on lots of other fun gifts so don't despair. I thought it would be fun to poll my favorite chefs, food writers, and artisan producers about holiday gift giving. I posed this question:/p>

"What was the best food or kitchen gift you’ve given or received?"

From fellow food-blogger, Gurgling Cod: Mom gives him and his brother a knife each year.

Just as I wracked my brain for some superstition about knives as gifts, I received this from Regina Schrambling, a favorite food writer AKA Gastropoda. She recalls best gifts received:

martini pitcher filled with Ice Cubes (candies)
also a piece of copper cookware every Christmas and birthday
a Chinese cleaver used daily (a gift of a penny back to the gift giver, lifts the curse of the severed relationship said to attach to gifts of knives.)

And from a local Boston food writer – holed away in a library on her first book deal (yay!):

received: Crab from Maryland and lobster from Maine are two of her favorites; a new coffee maker with cute mugs
given: breakfast in bed; gelato makers with cute dishes; popcorn buckets with colossal boxes of candy for movie fiends

My friends at Bauer Wines recommend a lovely sparkler:

Krug Grande Cuvee Champagne @ $150 it's a better value than the more familiar Dom or Cristal.
Or a LBV Port

The boys at Bauer have never steered me wrong. At a recent tasting hosted by Bauer, we were also introduced to a lovely Tokaj, a Hungarian dessert wine.

From Helene York, Director, Bon Appetit Management Company Foundation Helene recalls a terrific selection of three artisanal Oregon cheeses; accompanying them, two local beers, and a locally-crafted (but obviously not domestically sourced) bamboo cutting board. She can’t get herself to use it as a cutting board and instead puts it to use as a cheese platter.

Laurel at Quady Winery recommends:

Quady Vineyards’ Electra. Named for the little electric feel of frizzante on the tongue, is full of bright fresh melon/peach flavors, very light (only 4% alcohol). Good as a brunch wine, good as a light afternoon drink while waiting for the guests, good as a pre-dinner aperitif, good frozen as a sorbet for between courses, good after dinner with fruit and light desserts and perfect to hand to the hostess and it won't break the bank. "The angel on the label just says holidays."

Allan Benton loves grits and cornmeal from Falls Mill in Belvidere, TN. “the right cornmeal goes a long way towards a country boy’s gourmet feast!”

This week I cover: