10 Early 2020 Holiday Season Gift Ideas For A Foodie In Your Life
Black Friday 2020 is about a month away from this article’s publishing, so it is definitely not too early to be thinking about your holiday season shopping for this year. And going beyond this year’s unprecedented holiday season, it never hurts to have some gift ideas up your sleeve to show those in your life that you are warmly thinking of them. Below are timely 10 gift ideas — all available for online-based ordering — of varying price points worth looking into for a foodie in your life.
Honolulu Fish Company’s Bundle Sets
Founded in 1995 by owner and CEO Wayne Samiere, a trained marine biologist, Honolulu Fish Company is a top seafood distributor offering more than 30 varieties of eco-friendly Pacific water fish to over 3,000 customers, including top chefs across the country. It is the only direct distributor in the United States that offers more than 14 species of sashimi grade fish. In turn, Honolulu Fish Company has appeared on several national television programs and in major national food publications like the New York Times, Food & Wine and Cooking Light beyond having its products appear on the Food Network’s Iron Chef America. Furthermore at Honolulu Fish Company each fish is chosen with great care by sashimi experts, and its packages of fresh seafood are intended arrive at homes and restaurant kitchens via FedEx and UPS within 24 to 48 hours; its custom box is designed to keep fish at 40 degrees or less for 48 hours.
I had the pleasure of trying the Honolulu Fish Company’s Sushi Kit – Japan Nigiri Sushi Set with Hokkaido Sushi Rice set. Priced at $149.00, it included 2 pounds of unbelievable sashimi (1 pound of Hawaiian Ultra Ahi and 1 pound of King Salmon) and everything else needed to have an authentic and delicious sushi-oriented meal at home. Unbelievable. Seriously. I cannot wait to order this set again.
Eastern Standard Provisions Co.
Eastern Standard Provisions Co. — a favorite of legendary Chicago broadcaster Oprah Winfrey — is a popular Boston-based gourmet snack brand that ships its hand-twisted pretzels and artisanal salts right to your door. Each of its pretzels is crafted by hand with the finest, all-natural ingredients. All of the pretzels arrive fresh via mail, meaning all the customer needs to do is heat and eat them. The individually-wrapped pretzels are also perfect for freezing, giving the customer an option to enjoy them one-by-one over time.
Under the guidance of well-known restaurateur Garrett Harker and head baker Lauren Moran, Eastern Standard Provisions recently launched a special box offering for Father’s Day. The box, which is available nationwide at esprovisions.com for $59.99, includes one Topknot pretzel, 12 SlidePiece buns, one Bag of Pretzel Bites, and a Gourmet Salt Pack (White Truffle Salt, Chili Lime Salt, Everything Spice, Lemon Rosemary Pretzel Salt). The set, as an added bonus, also features Eastern Standard Provisions Socks and Father’s Day Sticker. But believe you me, the pretzels alone are worth the cost of the set.
While the famous Arthur Avenue stretch of the Bronx undeniably features some of New York City’s best mom-and-pop shops and restaurants — many of which are owned by multiple generations of families — the on-going COVID-19 pandemic has made it hard for many out-of-towners to visit these great spots. Fortunately, Tino’s Delicatessen is one of the Arthur Avenue spots offering holiday gift baskets available for takeaway, curbside pickup and shipping this holiday season.
Operating for over 50 years on Arthur Avenue, Tino’s customized gift baskets feature plenty of authentic Italian favorites. This includes imported Italian pasta, sauce, biscotti and chocolates. Prices start at $50 per basket. And to pair with these gift baskets — as available for takeaway, curbside pickup and delivery via shipping alike — Tino’s smartly recommends a basket with a combination of imported Italian meats and cheeses.
Washington State-based Tavour is a company that tries thousands of beers from small craft breweries, ultimately bringing you the gems you can’t get at the store. In turn, Tavour works directly with hundreds of independent breweries to curate craft beer gift boxes with one-of-a-kind selections. In turn with selections as diverse as the Vanilla Ice Cream Stout from Wild Leap Brew Co. in Georgia and the Juicy IPA from WeldWerks Brewing in Colorado, a Tavour purchase is ideal for any sort of gift-giving opportunity you may come across.
Excellent beer offerings aside, Tavour is onboard with the on-going “Black is Beautiful” beer-related campaign, which brings awareness to more individuals and helps to bridge the gap. Started by Marcus Bakerville, the head brewer and founder of Weathered Souls Brewery, this partnership includes more than 500 breweries from around the country; to join this partnership these breweries have decided to donate 100 percent of the beer’s proceeds to local foundations to support the black community and commit to the long-term work of equality.
Beyond making internationally-popular beverages, MTN DEW recently made headlines with its MTN DEW Outdoor Stimulus, which gave fans a boost by reimbursing more than $200,000 in hunting and fishing permits earlier this summer. The DEW team knows this is a challenging time and has been honoring those who embrace the adventurous spirit of the great outdoors with a monetary reimbursement for their hunting and fishing permits, while also supporting the conservation of the great outdoors through an additional $100,000 Outdoor Grants Program that specifically rewards conservation and outdoor nonprofits. DEW is also currently giving fans of the outdoors an awesome opportunity this hunting season with the launch of “Recharge Retreat,” where they can have a chance to score one of five week-long retreats into the wild now through October 27 via DewRechargeRetreat.com.
But for followers of the DEW who wish they could rep their DEW passion on their sleeve, their dreams have come true. The DEW Store is a one-stop-shop for exclusive DEW® wear and gear that you cannot find anywhere else. It is offering free shipping on all orders over $10 to all members of the brand new DEW Nation HQ.
That’s My Buddy Drink Insulator
The “That’s My Buddy” drink insulator makes for a fun and novel stocking stuffer or gift. Simply upload your person/lover/baby/dog/cat/hamster/bird — or any face — and choose from many whimsical backgrounds, and the company will put that face front and center on the sleeve. $12 per sleeve with a discount on orders of 3 of more; the same company also sells customizable face masks with comparable pricing. More info can be found via the brand’s social media accounts via @DrinkBuddyOfficial.
Want to treat those stressed-out parent friends of yours this #Halloween? Send them this EAT, DRINK, AND BE SCARY Halloween Beer Bucket from @gmtgiftbaskets
Head on over to my blog to learn more and to see how you can get 10% off. https://t.co/GJLrih5JmC #Gifted pic.twitter.com/4KsiMYg9se
— 📺 Di Ranere (@FSMMedia) October 15, 2020
Earlier this year GourmetGiftBaskets.com was honored as a top food site by Newsweek, and after trying out a few of its products, I understand why that is. The “Eat, Drink & Be Scary Beer Bucket,” priced at $69.99, includes 6 great beers, handcrafted Kettle popcorn, peanut butter cups and Halloween Junior Mints in a Halloween-themed pail. The “Goblins Grub Popcorn Tin” features 2 gallons of salty-sweet goodness, and the “White Chocole Candy Corn” popcorn is extremely addictive. Both tins arrived fast and had weeks (or days, as I tend to overconsume snacks) of goodness within them.
Jacques Torres Chocolate’s Holiday Offerings
Simply put, Jacques Torres is one of the world’s most famous pastry chefs and chocolatiers. Torres got his start as a chef in his native France, working under 2-star Michelin chef Jacques Maximin in the early 1980s. He went on to earn a Master Pastry Chef degree, and in 1986 Torres became the youngest person to ever win the prestigious Meilleur Ouvrier Patissier De France competition. In 2000, Torres — also the recipient of the James Beard Foundation Pastry Chef Of The Year honors — moved on from Le Cirque and opened up a chocolate factory and retail store in Brooklyn. Less than 2 decades later, Torres now has stores all over New York City. 2 years back he opened Choco-Story New York: The Chocolate Museum & Experience, at which attendees discovered chocolate’s journey from tree to chocolate bar through a self-guided tour of what was believed to be New York’s first ever chocolate museum. Beyond overseeing those popular locations, Torres also stays busy as a judge on the Netflix series Nailed It and has notably authored several best-selling cookbooks over the years.
Jacques Torres’ stores and website are currently selling treats themed for Halloween 2020. This includes Hocus Pocus (an adorable chocolate witch on a pumpkin as available in Dark and Milk Chocolate), Jacques O’ Lantern Puzzle (a Jack O’ Lantern puzzle with a mix of Torres’ signature dark, milk, and white chocolates), Halloween Lollipops (available in ghosts, pumpkins, witches hats and more), All Things Wicked (a gift set including Torres’signature wicked hot chocolate, pecan brittle and bars, all made with a spicy blend of ancho and chipotle chilis to excite the palate) and Mini Chocolate Bar (bite-sized candy).
On the Thanksgiving end, the brand’s 12-piece Thanksgiving Bonbon Box, priced at $27.00, is a Fall Holiday Season exclusive. Each box contains 8 signature assorted bonbons along with 4 turkey decorated chocolates. Looks so cool that you may be hesitant to eat this world-class chocolate out of respect for Torres and team. I am excited to see what is coming from Mr. Chocolate for Christmas!
BistroMD is a meal delivery subscription service that helps gets its consumers onto a healthy dietary track. Letting its subscribers stock their freezers with healthy, chef-prepared, doctor-approved food, the meals of BistroMD are far more enjoyable than what many people may have imagined for “healthy” fare. BistroMD’s Chicken Bacon Mac & Cheese, for example, is only 310 calories and immediately fixed my cravings for pasta, dairy and meat
Easy to heat and even easier to eat, it was a sad moment in my week when I realized that I was down to my last BistroMD week. But fortunately, BistroMD is easy to order and maintain a subscription to online, and also feasible when it comes to gifting.
Reportedly the world’s favorite Italian liqueur, Disaronno Velvet was recently launched in April 2020 and is the latest innovation within the liqueur category. Incredibly-smooth, Disaronno Velvet at 17 percent ABV boasts the floral character of almonds with nuances of chocolate and vanilla. Blending the unique flavor of Disaronno Originale and the richness of a velvety cream, Disaronno Velvet is best served over ice, or add a touch of Italian elegance to your favorite cream cocktails such as a Velvet White Espresso Martini and Velvet Godfather. This liqueur is the perfect holiday gift for those who love sophisticated cream liqueurs. And for this holiday season, Disaronno International has created a Disaronno Velvet Holiday Pack — with a suggested retail price of $27.99 — that contains a 750mL bottle of Disaronno Velvet and two branded white and gold glasses to enjoy the liqueur in. My favorite spirit as of late, holiday season aside.
Shrubb season in Martinique is one of the great holiday traditions within the Caribbean. A cousin to spiced rum and other Caribbean elixirs, Shrubb is one of the oldest and preeminent traditions of Martinique’s rich cultural heritage. The heritage behind Shrubb kicks off around All Saints Day — November 1st — which also is a time of seasonal abundance of citrus on the island. Some of the peels and pulp from the harvest would be reserved for the family’s holiday shrubb.
Earlier this week I had the pleasure of attending Spiribam’s virtual tasting workshop titled “Old Fashioned 101.” This online-based experience helped display that whiskey is not the only principal ingredient that one can use to make a delicious and strong Old Fashioned cocktail. Playing into that, Spiribam produces many excellent rums, including Admiral Rodney Princessa ($50), Chairman’s Forgotten Casks ($50), Rhum Clément VSOP ($40), Rhum JM VO ($40), Rhum Clément Créole Shrubb ($33), Rhum Clément Mahina Coco ($25) and Rhum JM Sirop ($12). Those specific 9 rums from Saint Lucia and Martinique were kindly presented to a select group of writers by Ben Jones (Managing Director of Spiribam) and Kiowa Bryan (National Brand Manager). I now feel more prepared to celebrated 2020’s All Saints Day even if still stuck in the colder climate of New York.
Cape Cod Potato Chips’ Limited Edition Pink Himalayan Salt & Red Wine Vinegar Potato Chips
This month, in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cape Cod Potato Chips is teaming up with former Bachelorette, mother and fellow Massachusetts native Ali Fedotowsky to honor the countless fighters and survivors of breast cancer through a special donation to the local Massachusetts community. For the 4th consecutive year, Cape Cod Potato Chips is bringing back the Limited Edition Pink Himalayan Salt & Red Wine Vinegar Potato Chips, which donate 5 percent of all proceeds to breast cancer research. This year, during a time of uncertainty the importance of continued research and care is more important than ever and to further support the 1 in 8 U.S. women affected by the disease, Cape Cod and Ali Fedotowsky are coming together to make a special additional donation to the Susan F. Smith Center for Women’s Cancers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, a New England-based comprehensive cancer treatment and research facility.
TweetAbout the Author
Darren Paltrowitz Darren Paltrowitz is a New York resident with over 20 years of entertainment industry experience. He began working around the music business as a teenager, interning for the manager of his then-favorite band Superdrag. Since then, he has worked with a wide array of artists including OK Go, They Might Be Giants, Mike Viola, Tracy Bonham, Loudness, Rachael Yamagata, and Amanda Palmer. Darren's writing has appeared in dozens of outlets including the New York Daily News, Inquisitr, The Daily Meal, The Hype Magazine, All Music Guide, Guitar World, TheStreet.com, Businessweek, Chicago Tribune, L.A. Times, and the Jewish Journal. Beyond being "Editor At Large" for The Hype Magazine, Darren is also the host of weekly "Paltrocast With Darren Paltrowitz" series, which airs on dozens on television and digital networks. He has also co-authored 2 published books, 2018's "Pocket Change: Your Happy Money" (Book Web Publishing) and 2019's "Good Advice From Professional Wrestling" (6623 Press), and co-hosts the world's only known podcast about David Lee Roth, "The DLR Cast."
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