If you’ve got food loving folks on your Christmas list, here’s some food and wine gift ideas with local flavor. Shopping Fort Worth area businesses helps our local economy and is a lot more pleasant than having to battle crowds and traffic at the area big box stores and malls. Here’s Part 1 of my gift giving guide, tune in tomorrow for more Fort Worth food-centric gift ideas.
1. Gift Certificates
A gift certificate to a local restaurant will always please any foodie and keeps our independent restaurants going strong. A gift certificate to the newly opened Tillman’s would surely be a hit (hint, hint, Santa!). Other good options include: Buttons, Lanny’s Alta Cocina Mexicana, Aventino’s, Paco and Johns, Lambert’s, Winslow’s Wine Cafe, Sapristi’s, Lili’s Bistro, Grace, Brix and Spiral Diner.
2. Cowtown Farmer’s Market for locally produced gifts
Visit the Cowtown Farmer’s Market and find a nice selection of gift items.
Wildflower Soaps carries hand crafted soaps made with natural ingredients that make for wonderful stocking stuffers. They carry a wide variety of scents that are sure to please.
Also make sure to visit Artisan Baking Company and pick up some cranberry bread and other holiday goodies like scones, cocoa mixes and homemade marshmallows. If you can’t make it to the Farmer’s Market you can always visit the bakery – more on that tomorrow.
Last weekend at the Farmer’s Market I picked up gorgeous potted paperwhites for $12. These make great hostess gifts. Some of jarred salsas and jams at the Farmer’s Market would also make great stocking stuffers or gifts for co-workers.
For the coffee lover you’ll find Arduro Bean Micro-Roasters at the Farmer’s Market with a nice selection of coffees to suit many tastes. The Costa Rican beans offer a nice medium roast and The Cowtown Blend is a strong, dark, bolder roast. Check out their website for all the flavors they have available. A cup of Arduro coffe is about the only thing that will make me crawl out of bed most mornings.
With a little creativity you could put together quite a nice gift package or stocking stuffers all from local producers – what a great way to support the local economy. Saturdays 8-noon. 3821 Southwest Blvd. Fort Worth TX.
3. Wine from local Wineries
Drive about 15 minutes away from Downtown to the pastoral Lightcatcher Winery to pick up some lovely bottles of wine for your friends and loved ones. While you’re there you can enjoy a tasting to find just the right bottle to gift. I was won over by the Texas Roads Merlot on my last visit. They can package up gifts as well, saving you some time.
Times Ten Cellars also offers a nice assortment of wines. The 2007 Malbec and 2007 Zinfandel left a great impression on my last visit. Now if you really want to wander down a wine trail head to Grapevine and you’ll find several wineries to choose from, here’s a handy list.
4. Tamales from Hot Damn Tamales
In my family instead of cookie exchanges, we have tamale exchanges. My family seems to provide tamales just about every week from Thanksgiving through New Years. Some are made by family members, some specialty tamales my mom orders from particular vendors. In Texas, tamales are an important part of the holiday season and food loving friends or co-workers would love you even more if you come bearing a dozen or so tamales.
Hot Damn Tamales on Magnolia Avene in Fort Worth provides a superior tamale. They differ a bit than a traditional tamale in that the masa is less greasy and the fillings are more on the upscale side. I’m all for tradition, but I love the “modern” tamales that Hot Damn Tamales makes. The vegetarian and vegan fillings are particularly tasty and not a version I can find at my Abuela’s house. If you’ve got distant relatives you can send a little taste of Texas by shipping them some Hot Damn Tamales. Check out the website for more gourmet tamale flavors and shipping and ordering information. 713 W. Magnolia Avenue, Fort Worth 76104.
5. Pendery’s Spice
In a small house on 8th Avenue you’ll find the world of spices that Pendery’s has to offer. Any foodie would lose themselves in the vast array of spices and blends – from exotic African Coast blends, charmoula, tabil, and tandoori to good old fashioned apple pie spice and chili spices. If you don’t know what to do with all these spices they carry plenty of cookbooks to get you started on a spicy adventure.
Gift baskets are available, but you could have great fun crafting the perfect gift from their amazing selection of goodies. The retail store is in the Medical District on 8th avenue. Throw in a mortar and pestle for grinding these exotic spices. 1407 8th Avenue, Fort Worth 76104.
6. Local Beer
Stop by Rahr Brewery for the Wednesday or Saturday tastings and pick up some gifts from the gift shop. Rahr glasses, t-shirts, and ball caps make great gifts especially when rounded out with a 6 pack (which can be found at Central Market). 701 Galveston Avenue, Fort Worth TX 76104.
The Covey Restaurant and Brewery also offers Covey Beer for a year, which for growlers is $120 for 12 months or Pints for $30 for 12 months. My favorite is the Horned Frog Pale Ale. 3010 South Hulen Street, Fort Worth. 817-731-7933.
7. Cooking Class from Central Market
This is a great gift if you have someone on your list that seems to have everything or is just plain hard to shop for. Anyone from a newbie cook to a seasoned gourmand will appreciate the opportunity to learn how to roll sushi, make pasta, or bread. Some classes are less hands on, where you observe a local chef preparing dishes that you sample along with wine pairings. Check the Central Market Cooking School schedule to select a class. Best of all, you can purchase online.
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