2008 has been the year of surprises. While the economic downturn has been challenging for everyone, the election of president-elect Obama has brought us into a new era of possibilities. So in the spirit of keeping to simple pleasures without breaking the bank, here are some hope-inspiring possibilities for your holiday shopping. This year’s gift list is short and sweet. Nothing too fancy, it’s just a list of quality goods that warm the heart.
ADIRONDACK CREAMERY
Pumpkin and Peppermint Stick Ice Cream
GASTRONOMICA
Magazine Subscription
JULIA BAKER
Handmade Chocolates
ARTISANAL
Cheese and Cheese Classes
Also check out our gift lists from past years: 2007 and 2006.
A. Whimsy & Spice
If I were to hire a personal pastry chef, I would choose Mark Sopchak from Whimsy & Spice. Everything I’ve tasted from biscotti to cookie sandwiches blows me away. Each product showcases not the overbearing taste of sugar but the fragrance and the natural beauty of the ingredients. The honey lavender shortbread cookies are... full article
B. Gastronomica
Published by the University of California Press, Gastronomica is the most intellectually stimulating food magazine that includes a range of scholarly articles, fiction, poetry and luscious images.
The magazine is published four times a year with meaty substance that keeps you thinking throughout that season. I first learned of Gastronomica... full article
C. Julia Baker Confections
The Signature Oval offers an assortment of 10 truffles — caramel, hazelnut and coconut — and six hand-cut chocolates — dark chocolate ganache, raspberry, Irish creme, passion fruit and milk chocolate ganache.
When I bit into my first Julia Baker caramel truffle, it reminded me of a high end Almond Roca, with crunchy almonds encrusting... full article
D. Adirondack Creamery
This year, Adirondack Creamery has come out with two limited edition holiday-themed flavors: pumpkin and peppermint stick.The pumpkin ice cream is made with pure pumpkin and a special blend of spices (cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger), and the peppermint stick is made with Altamarie’s handmade peppermint candy.
The... full article
E. Artisanal Cheese
Artisanal has been bringing New York City good cheese for quite some time now, and their online store artisanalcheese.com has given the world access to their goods.
We love cheese and Artisanal’s cheese master Max McCalman has helped us explore the depth of cheeses and endless pairing possibilities in our Advocating Cheese Feature. In addition... full article
