Let's Make It Local! Holiday Gift Ideas
Selecting a great gift and then sharing that wonderful reveal when it is opened are two parts of the fun of gift giving. There’s always a story behind the selection: why you bought it? who made it? how you found it? Great gifts come with great stories that make a connection. This year is a perfect time to make those local connections, and to gift fresh with local finds for everyone on your list.
With the help of some of our favorite Edible supporters—all with local businesses and roots, plus plenty of stories to tell—we bring you six selections to “gift it local” and celebrate good food, good drink and good times.
FOREST FEAST NOTEBOOK TRIO
Does someone need a spot for notes for their own story, garden plantings or original recipe ideas? Help them keep it all together or make a list and check it twice in a beautiful Forest Feast set of purse- and pocket-friendly notebooks, created by cookbook author, photographer and illustrator Erin Gleeson of Woodside. Her inspired watercolored food+drink illustrations are woven through the recipes and stories in her Forest Feast cookbook series, and add artful pops of fruits, herbs and vegetables to the covers of this set. TheForestFeast.com
FOUSTMAN’S SALAMI
And for the meat lover or the entertainer with a charcuterie board to plate? Foustman’s wooden gift box of salami delights might seem like an unconventional gift, but the traditional techniques and unique flavors that go into making these artisanal pork, beef, turkey and lamb salamis are nothing short of classic. For four generations, this South Bay family-owned company has continued their proud Italian culinary tradition to the snacking delight of the Bay Area. Customize your gift box of four salamis from 12 tempting flavor combinations. Foustmans.com
J. LOHR WINE TRIO
Got a California wine lover on your list—one who appreciates the care and cultivation that result in great winemaking? Or who is waiting for them to reopen the remodeled J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines San Jose tasting room? Here’s a trio of wines ready to impress. Pioneering Central Coast winemaker J. Lohr has set aside a handpicked selection of three of their award-winning regional classics in a gift box set. Jerry’s Holiday Classics Set includes The J. Lohr Arroyo Vista Chardonnay and Fog’s Reach Pinot Noir grown in cool-climate estates in Monterey County, and one of Paso Robles’ most iconic selections, the Hilltop Cabernet. JLohr.com
ALEXANDER’S PATISSERIE
When in doubt, show up with chocolates! Boxed, beribboned and ready to treat. Alexander’s Patisserie, now with two locations in Cupertino and downtown Mountain View, has been delighting locals with their confections, pastries and other baked goods. At the top of the gift list are seasonally rotating selections of macarons and chocolatey-chocolates including bon-bons and other sweet treats. This season, you can box up your handpicked selection of handmade chocolates where each flavor and piece is shaped like a unique jewel.
FILOLI
It’s time to share the sparkle and shine at the Filoli annual holiday festivities and visitor exhibits. Every year, Filoli lights up the house and garden grounds to welcome evening visitors ready to be dazzled by the impeccably decorated house and 16-acre gardens adorned with thousands of sparkling lights. A walk on the grounds and in the house is sure to make you merry—but if you want to share the fun and get all dressed up, how about two tickets to one of their themed nights, like “Vintage Christmas” or “Holiday Hats.” All is calm and (very) bright at Filoli November 20—January 2, so reserve your tickets early to continue (or begin) your yearly tradition.
MOTHER HIPS GLOWING LANTERN ALBUM
A gift for any Bay Area music lover, The Mother Hips’ Glowing Lantern limited-edition vinyl record will hit the spot with their breezy harmonies and what The New Yorker called “sing it sweet, play it dirty” California rock and roll sound. The vinyl itself is a striking collector’s gold color, and a portion of the proceeds from this album will go to the Bay Area Blue Rose Foundation. The Mother Hips’ Glowing Lantern vinyl album is available for preorder now at BlueRoseMusic.com.
