In these days of stay-at-home orders and restaurant closings and restrictions, perhaps the best gift you can give is that of some exotic foods delivered right to your loved one’s door.
No need for face-to-face (or mask-to-mask) interaction, yet you can still show that you’re thinking of them.
Anyone can go online and order a Harry & David’s gift basket or send an edible arrangement, but why not be more creative and try one of these options?
What’s The Tea?
The 24 teas in this unique Advent calendar range from Chinese black tea to Scandinavian tea, to those flavored with cranberry and elderflower. All they'll need is a favorite mug and a comfy perch by the tree. $32 at UncommonGoods.com.
Santa’s Claws
What could be more luxurious than lobster mac & cheese? How about adding truffle oil? This kit from Hancock Lobster ships the delectable dish, ready to bake and comes with four re-usable ceramic ramekins for $79. If they’re the more casual type, consider sending a lobster roll kit, which includes six traditional split-top rolls, one pound of lobster salad and Whoopie pies for dessert, for $126. Both are available through Amazon.
Say Cheese!
The lucky recipients of this gift will be smiling as they enjoy this collection of best-selling cheeses and classic snacks. Gruyère, manchego, brie, and cheddar are joined by a handful of crunchy bites and a sweet, spiced jam in a festive gift box. It will serve 6-10 hungry folks. $95 at murrayscheese.com.
‘Shrooms, Man!
Oyster mushrooms’ sweet, mild flavor and velvety texture make for delicious eating whether they’re raw or cooked, and you can’t get fresher than growing your own at home. A log from a recently felled aspen or poplar tree is implanted with organic oyster mushroom spores. All that's left to do is soak the log and keep it in a damp, cool, dark place, and harvest oyster mushrooms. The log can be re-soaked and harvested every six weeks or so for up to three years. $30 at uncommondgoods.com.
Roe, Roe, Roe Your Boat
Regiis Ova (“Royal Egg” in Latin) is a new caviar company founded by the renowned chef, Thomas Keller, partnering with caviar expert Shaoching Bishop. The duo felt they could deliver better caviar by going straight to the source. Their company’s “Reigning Supreme” gift box contains supreme white sturgeon caviar from their own farms, alongside a hand-carved mother-of-pearl spoon and a black, branded caviar tin opener in a sophisticated black gift box. $135, with free shipping at goldbelly.com.
Six Degrees of Servin’ Bacon
Every meat lover craves bacon, and this sampler set includes three 12-ounce packages of signature bacon from D’Artagnan, the renowned gourmet food purveyor. It features applewood and hickory smoked pork bacon along with the company’s signature duck bacon. $29.99 at dartagnan.com.
Java Jive
For the coffee snob who travels, Tribo pour-over coffee filters feature a dark espresso roast in all-natural pre-filled portable coffee filters. All the lucky recipient needs to do when traveling, is pour hot water over the filter for a gourmet cup of coffee anywhere. The variety gift box includes seven different types of coffee (14 servings, two of each type) presented in an elegantly designed package. $33 from Tribo at Amazon.
Fork ‘Em
Wild Fork the South Florida-based meat and seafood market with a location at 1451 N. Federal, is debuting gift sets that showcase the rapidly growing brand’s impressive product roster. Just in time for the holidays with gift boxes starting as low as $45. Everything is shipped frozen and arrives within 24 – 48 hours, depending on the zip code. The Curious Chef is the perfect gift for the bold epicurean on your list. At $130.74, it offers 11 pounds of some of Wild Forks’ most unique items, this gift contains enough food to serve 5-8 people. Other gift box options include The Captain’s Catch (seafood); The Wild Array (exotic meats including ground wild boar and quail) and Wild for Wagyu. Full information on how to order and where Wild Fork ships are at wildforkfoods.com.
Rick Karlin is SFGN's food editor. Visit SFGN.com/Food to read his previous reviews. Have a culinary tip to share? Email Rick at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
