It’s crunch time. If your holiday list is getting longer as the days grow shorter, here’s a baker’s dozen of suggestions for tasteful gifts you can give with just a few clicks of your mouse. Even better, they’re all local.
Speaking of crunch, Polka Dot Bake Shop has reinvented old-style nut brittles into SoftBrittles with the perfect balance of crunch and smooth, melty textures. Our taste-tester loved both the aroma and taste of the Cranberry Spiced Brittle, and hopes Santa will deliver White Chocolate Macadamia Nut SoftBrittle next.
It’s a mouthful: Nourish is Charlotte’s only locally-sourced, organic, vegan, prepared, healthy, food delivery service. No one at our house is vegan, but we agreed the gluten- and dairy-free dishes are downright delicious. The Indian thali with apple chutney made us swoon, and we devoured the thick scoops of “tuno” salad that were so perfectly seasoned and satisfying we never missed the fish in this vegan version. Now with expanded statewide delivery across N.C., it’s easy to give a gift that will Nourish.
The Cannizzaro family hails from New York State, but they’re making authentic, old-world Italian sauces here in Charlotte under the label Cannizzaro Famiglia. We’re looking forward to our arrival of their arrabbiata.
Some call him “Notorious P.I.G.,” and with good reason: Dan the Pig Man is revered throughout the land for his mobile cookery. If booking him for an entire outdoor feast is beyond your budget, you can send your friends bottles of his Carolina Pig Pucker BBQ Sauce.
We’ve just discovered viddlz.com, an online marketplace for indie-foodies known as viddlrs. That’s where you’ll find raw, organic desserts from the Naked Tart. We can’t wait to try colorful, custom fortune cookies by House of Madison Dessert Boutique.
Through support and advocacy, Neet Childs works with survivors of human trafficking, and that means a gift from Neet’s Sweets is doubly good. Strawberries can be ordered with mint, white, or dark chocolate with delicate dustings of coconut or walnuts.
Bakery Belle specializes in shortbread sugar cookies that can be decorated in any style from fun and fanciful to elegant.
Even if you waited too long to place a custom order, you can count on Hey Sugar Shop for a sweet solution. They’re featuring traditional Southern pralines through December.
Local coffee roasters are bringing high-quality beans to a market that grows more and more demanding. Check out Magnolia Coffee, Enderly Coffee, Dilworth Coffee, and Boquete Mountain Coffeefor the caffeinated connoisseurs in your life.
For those who may want to walk off some of those holiday indulgences, give a gift certificate for a culinary walking tour from Feast Food Tours.
Of course, some of the best gifts are those we give on behalf of others. We hope you’ll consider a generous donation to the hardworking organizations that feed our hungry neighbors, not just during the holidays, but all year long. These include Loaves and Fishes, Second Harvest Food Bank of Metrolina, as well as the many soup kitchens and pantries at local houses of worship.
Happy holidays!