Culinary Escapade

photo credit: Patrick Q

The way to a foodie’s heart is through his or her belly. Giving the foodie in your life food items is great, but premium gourmet stuff is even better. As promised, here is part two of my holiday gift roundup for foodies – edible gifts.

Truffle Salt

Truffles are super expensive, but add an amazing dimension to your dishes. This gift gift would combine the pungent aroma and flavor of black summer truffles and a fine grain Italian sea salt. If you want to offer a taste of those rare underground mushrooms to a special foodie without burning a whole in your wallet, this is a great solution at under $20. You can purchase it here.

Hot Chocolate-on-a-Stick

Is this a cool idea or what? Just swirl the cubes of belgian chocolate into a mug of hot milk or heavy cream and presto! You’ve got yourself a cup of hot cocoa. Available here.

I Heart Vanilla Products

Fellow foodie and blogger, Elaine from A Series of Kitchen Experiments has a business that produces the some of the finest vanilla beans around. If you know someone that loves vanilla, whether it is to cook and bake with or to simply stir vanilla sugar into their coffee, you can order everything from vanilla beans to vanilla sugar here.

Raw Honeycomb – Comb Box

Filled with honey equalling the life’s work of thousands of bees, each golden cell brims with the concentrated nectar of rare and remote flowers. Great for pairing with wine and cheese or spreading on hot buttered toast. Order it from here.

Purpose Design Gourmet Spice Kits

I like to encourage the entrepreneurial spirit. This Montreal-based business on Etsy does gourmet spice kits and spice racks. There is tons to choose from. I personally like the chai tea kit. Check it out here.

Cheddar Cheese Biscuits

I love cheddar cheese biscuits. The Salem Baking Co has bite-sized biscuits that are baked with extra-sharp aged cheddar cheese with a hint of cayenne and paprika. They come in a cool old-fashioned tin too. You can get it here.

Indian Curry and Pistachio Artisan Brittle

For those with a sweet tooth and a liking for Indian food, this is for them. These Morning Glory Confections are flavored with coriander, fenugreek, and turmeric. They also sell other flavors, such as: Chai Tea & Cashew; Cocoa Nib, Coffee Bean, & Pecan; Fleur de Sel & Peanut; and New Mexico Chili & Pumpkin Seed. Visit them here.

O Meyer Lemon Olive Oil

You can never go wrong with good olive oils or good vinegar. They are indispensable for making good dressings or marinades. O Olive Oil’s most popular oil has organic Meyer lemons that are crushed together with fresh hand-harvested California Mission olives. You can get their oils and vinegars here.

Marchesi di San Giuliano Sicillian Marmalades

Available in Red Grapefruit, Blood Orange and Mandarin, this is a great gourmet gift for a jams and preserves fan. Imported from Italy, they represent the bounty and uniqueness of Sicilian citrus. Get it here.

Alili Moroccan Harissa

Here is something with a kick that that I sure a spicy food lover would enjoy. This one is a little thicker than most of those found on the market. It is a fiery blend of chiles, citrus and spices that is most traditionally added to couscous, but you can add it to other things, such as a wet rub for meats, added to scrambled eggs. Available here.

Don’t forget to check out part one if you have not yet.
Stay tuned for part three (books) in a few days!