Here’s what to buy for the perfect holiday gift basket

Every year I put together Christmas gift baskets filled with some of my favorite foodie finds. They often go to aunts or uncles, to my children’s teachers or to a hostess as a thank you for a wonderful evening.

Some of the elements are local and some are not; some can be expensive, some not. Avoid anything that needs to be refrigerated.

The best Christmas gift basket is filled with things you love – items that you think others will like too.

How do you put together a great Christmas gift basket? Just add …

Something tasty, something sweet

Something bougie, something cheap

… and a spice would be nice.

For something bland, the bourbon cream liqueur from Lockwood Distilling Co. ($ 24.99) makes a surprisingly versatile gift. I saw party goers open it at the end of the night and splash it into a cup of coffee. I’ve tried a White Russian instead of Kahlúa – or a Colorado Bulldog, which I like even better. I’ve heard some people even mix it into their waffle batter or bread pudding.

In my gift box this year, I also included a non-drunk bottle of Papa Scott’s Bloody Mary mix ($ 12). It’s a 60 year old recipe made by a small business owner in Dallas. Mix it with vodka for a typical bloody, with beer for a Michelada-like cocktail or leave it alone for a slightly spicy, tomato-based mocktail.

Make sure you know if your gift giver is a drinker before you wrap them up with alcohol.

For something sweet, I can’t resist Lindt’s dark chocolate with a hint of sea salt ($ 3.99). You could buy more expensive chocolate elsewhere, but it’s no better than this. A single square after dinner is the perfect way to end any meal.

For some bougie, grab a kitchen chip that is fun yet functional. In my house, we keep running out of DeCarlo Pepperoncino Olive Oil from Eataly ($ 10.90). Nobody needs a small bottle of hot olive oil, which is exactly why it’s a great gift: your girlfriend probably wouldn’t buy it for herself. As soon as you drizzle it on spaghetti, shake it in a hearty soup, or sprinkle some butter on bread, you’ll start buying your own bougie olive oil. (Sorry in advance!)

For something cheap, get a gift card for a local restaurant or shop. The smaller the better: Think of this as a way to get a friend to try your favorite spot. I bought $ 10 for Window Seat, my family’s favorite cafe in East Dallas. It is just enough to cover a latte and a pastry.

Add a spice as a finishing touch. Because it is beautiful. If you’re a home cook, pick the spice that you keep coming back to. And don’t think too much about it; It’s not time to pretend you love za’atar (a mix of sesame, oregano, thyme, marjoram, and sumac from the Middle East) when it doesn’t go with your home cooked dinner. I started throwing Trader Joe’s onion salt ($ 1.99) in everything from mac and my kids’ cheese to the turkey taco salad we make on weekday evenings. And hey! The Kitchn says it’s “a lot more interesting than most of the onion salts out there”. It also has to be one of the cheapest.

You can buy any item here:

  • Lockwood Distilling’s bourbon cream liqueur is available in all major liquor stores in North Texas. (Or, if you want to try it first, check out Lockwood’s two family-run bars in Richardson and Fort Worth.)
  • Papa Scott’s Bloody Mary Mix is ​​available online.
  • Lindt chocolate is available in almost every grocery store, as well as in some specialty stores such as the World Market.
  • DeCarlo Pepperoncino Olive Oil is sourced from Eataly at the NorthPark Center in Dallas.
  • Local gift cards should come from every small business!
  • And the onion salt is a Trader Joe product that can be found in any of the nine stores in North Texas.

For more food news, follow Sarah Blaskovich on Twitter @sblaskovich.

[ad_1]
https://www.dallasnews.com/food/restaurant-news/2021/12/08/dallas-foodies-heres-what-to-buy-for-the-perfect-holiday-gift-basket/