Whether you have a food (or drink) lover on your Christmas list this year or have been invited to a fabulous party and need a hostess gift, something local and delicious is always the way to go. We’ve rounded up a few of our favourite local foodie gifts that are sure to delight!
For the Aspiring Bartender
Craft distilleries are rapidly gaining ground as the “new” craft beer phenomenon, with new establishments opening regularly throughout the region. Put a bottle of hand-crafted spirits in their stocking – Surrey’s Mainland Whisky is the newest distillery in town (they opened December 14), and a bottle of their Cinnamon Whisky is sure to spice up any stocking! Or the subtle sweetness of Amaro from the Woods Spirit Company in North Vancouver is the perfect addition to any bar. Round out your gift with an adorable cocktail kit set from The Cocktail Box Company. Each tiny themed box includes everything you need to craft your cocktail except, of course, for the spirits.
Take your gift-giving up a notch and give unique, craft cocktails year-round with a membership to the Roots & Wings Distillery’s Cocktail Club. Members receive four craft cocktail boxes per year, and each box includes a 375 ml artisan spirit (vodka, gin or whiskey-based), ingredients and a recipe to mix a signature cocktail designed exclusively for Cocktail Club members. Each box will make about 6 cocktails… it’s up to the recipient whether or not they’ll share with you.
For the Sweet Tooth
Who doesn’t love to get chocolate for Christmas? And lucky for you, Metro Vancouver is full of incredibly talented chocolatiers. Wild Sweets in Richmond has new chocolate tasting gift sets, which consist of three, four, or five tiers of their cocoa bean-to-bar chocolate collections. Or teach your chocolate lover how to make their own chocolate with a Chocolate Making Workshop from Coconama in North Vancouver. Classes are just 2 hours and everything you make, you take home!
For the Health-Conscious Foodie
Do you have a friend who loves, like really loves, Kombucha? Why not give them the gift of brewing their own ‘booch? Not only will they save money, but they can customize their Kombucha to suit their taste and fizz levels. Starter kits from Hoochy ‘Booch includes a mason jar, bottle, organic back tea, organic cane sugar, super happy healthy SCOBY, recipe and their invaluable 21-day follow-up program. You can pick up a kit at Spent Grounds in Surrey, or direct from Hoochy ‘Booch.
For the Coffee Snob
Do you have that one friend who, when they talk about coffee, refers to different bean varieties and origins, and understands the differences between an americano, cappuccino, latte and macchiato? Ensure they never run out of excellent coffee with a gift of Brew Perfect’s coffee subscription boxes! Each month, the folks at Brew Perfect choose beans from a selection of local roasteries including, 49th Parallel Coffee Roasters, Agro Roasters, Elysian Coffee Roasters, Modus Coffee, West End Coffee and Pallet Coffee Roasters.
For the Tea Connoisseur
Shopping for a tea purist? Head to the Great Wall Tea Company in New Westminster’s River Market for a trio of their top three holiday teas: Organic Dark Chocolate Peppermint Pu-Erh, Winter Orange and German Gingerbread. For the true tea enthusiast, TWG Tea in Vancouver, serves an afternoon tea like no other. The experience is elegant and sophisticated, and the tea is infused into all elements of the meal, and they offer over 400 varieties of tea.
For the Craft Beer Lover
The best gift for the craft beer lover? Beer … of course! Pack up a box of the latest winter brews from a selection of craft breweries across the region. Stand out seasonals this year include Velour Toboggan (Dageraad Brewing), Tactical Turtleneck (Another Beer Co), Frostbite Winter IPA (Dead Frog Brewery), Feurre V4: Cranberry, Sage, Thyme (House of Funk Brewing) and Crispy Winter Radler (Strathcona Brewing). Or, if your beer-loving friend, has a particular style they like (sours, stouts, IPAs), curate a collection just for them.
For the Friend with Exquisite Taste
The DIY Caviar Kit from Burnaby’s Fresh Ideas Start Here (FISH). Each kit comes with 1 tin of sustainable Acadian Sturgeon caviar, chive crème fraiche, diced egg white, diced egg yolk, crackers, and fresh dill. Truly indulgent, this kit would be a perfect holiday hostess gift, paired with a bottle of local bubbly or cider!
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