Hostess Gift Alert!
Headed to a party?
As your hosts and hostess welcome you, why not show them some holiday love
right back with a foodie-appropriate gift to leave behind? Do some research.
You probably already have a hint if your friends are spice lovers, so here are
some ideas for that crowd. Here’s to good and spicy cheer!
Speculoos - Think a windmill cookie would sell in Nederland, Texas? Schär's knows everyone loves a rich, crispy spiced cookie. Now if you crave a fancy bite with no gluten or lactose, lucky you. In addition to the windmill design, I’m enamored with a squirrel design that captures the holiday spirit. These are Speculoos, by the way. Schär's Gluten-Free Panettone was a surprise. I’ve seen the signature handled boxes on holidays. If you are willing to give fruitcake a chance, you’ll like this light bread toasted for breakfast or with a whipped cream topping for dessert. Raisins, citrus peel and spices bring you back in time.
“The
Vedge Bar Book”
– U Got It Bad is watermelon based with chile pepper syrup. Nordic Sunset
includes aquafaba (You just go ahead and look that up.).Beet Mind Eraser? Well
vodka and vermouth are ways to get me to approach a veg I generally avoid.
Sensing a theme here? Kate Jacoby and
Rich Landau run this place in Philadelphia’s Tiger Building. But that’s not
all. The light bites part includes rose petals in chocolate fudge and Kumquat
Bars should appeal to locals with these trees in their back yards. Lima Bean
Pistou on Toast? My dad would never have imaged his fave veg like this. Oh,
this is beyond…
A
Spiced Life
– Everyday Spice Blend is your basic, then you get the Sorella Spices layers.
Spices are truly an everyday need and this family goes with garlic, paprika,
sea salt, oregano and black pepper. Use it daily from eggs in the morning to
main dishes at night. Butchers Blend takes those and adds onion, rosemary,
parsley, lemon verbena and (surprise!) spearmint. What? The Italian Blend is
also on target with aroma and anticipation in each jar. This Chattanooga, Tenn.
company is into pure, grinded stuff to elevate your daily meals. Thank a
stay-at-home mom for this.
Texans Love Salsa - How could I possibly follow a recipe
when making salsa? Here in Southeast Texas it is a food group and I whip it up
with what’s on hand so sometime there’s more garden tomatoes and sometimes
there are a friend’s green onions. But I sure can fall in love with another
family’s recipe. A Ball jar full of Villa México’s Black Salsa is a roasted,
smoky mix of fresh tomatoes, jalapeno
and garlic. Such depth! With eggs or chips, it’s a meal. That’s right. Who
among us has not made a dinner of chips and salsa? There’s no preservatives,
colors or artificial flavoring. It’s not just me. The salsa won $10,000 to
invest in salsa making from the Sam Adams Brewing the American Dream pitch
competition. Presenting for the business, Momma King’s daughter, Bessie, won the
contest and $10,000 to invest in salsa making. Villa México’s Black Salsa can
currently be purchased directly through the business website: https://www.villamexicocafe.us/salsa,
and ships nationwide.
Darragh Doiron is a Port Arthur area foodie all into the
flavors of a Southeast Texas celebration. Share your ideas with her at darraghcastillo@icloud.com
