Say ‘Happy Holidays’ with local, giftable sweets
If ever there were a year to shop local for holiday gifts, it’s 2020.
Alisa Fasnacht of The Marketplace at Emerald Valley recently told The Post-Gazette that she’s kept detailed business records to help with planning and inventory every year, but those records were utterly useless this year. You can’t predict what you’ll sell, or how much of it you’ll sell, during a pandemic when everyone’s habits are upended.
But it’s not only the small business owners who need support. It’s the consumer, too. With people trying to stay out of crowded malls and big box stores, many are turning to online shopping. But shopping at your local small business can also be a good option. Many small businesses are offering free curbside pickup so you can keep your dollars in the local economy and stay safe at the same time.
The Food Column brings you two consecutive weeks of local gift suggestions for the foodies in your life. Next week, we’ll tackle savory treats and drinks.
This week, we focus on sweets, given that we have so many local chocolatiers and confectioners (and we’ll hit just a sampling of those). Here’s what some local sweet shops are featuring this year.
Boxed bark and truffles
The Milk Shake Factory is selling a new holiday item this year: a 16-ounce package of peppermint bark ($30) — dark chocolate with crushed peppermint candies. (There’s also a similar box of hot chocolate bark). The packages are sold in all Milk Shake Factory locations around the city.
If you’re looking for something more upscale, try a 24piece box of peppermint truffles ($28), which have a peppermint chocolate whipped center covered with either dark or milk chocolate and a sprinkle of candy cane. These boxes are sold at The Milk Shake Factory locations, in Giant Eagle Market District stores or on edwardmarc.com.
While Betsy Ann Chocolates
in Wexford doesn’t have any new items this year, they have an old standby that president Jim Paras recommends for holiday gift-giving: a fancy 8-piece box of American Original Chocolate Truffles ($24.99). Flavors included are chocolate chunk, cookies & cream, macadamia coconut, pecan caramel, toasted almond and crunchy peanut butter.
“This is one of those things that you don’t typically buy for yourself, but if someone gives it to you as a gift, it gives you license to eat it,” Mr. Paras said.
Betsy Ann chocolates are available online at betsyann.com, or the website also lists all the stores in the area that carry their products. There’s a store at the Wexford factory also.
Drinking chocolate
Instead of a box of chocolates, a unique twist for the chocolate lover on your list would be some drinking chocolate. Amy Rosenfield, owner of Mon Aimee Chocolat in the Strip District, noted that she carries Theo & Philo Dark Hot Chocolate ($20), made by Philo Chua, a Carnegie Mellon University graduate who hails from the Philippines. It comes in a picturesque package with a red bow, all ready to put under the tree.
Mon Aimee also sells its own drinking chocolate. The milk and dark chocolate varieties are currently sold out on the website, but the dark spicy chocolate variety ($13) is still in stock. Visit the Strip District shop or order from monaimeechocolat. The shop also has some chocolate products that don’t appear on the website, so a trip to town could be worthwhile.
Honey and tea bundle
Bumbleberry Farms in Somerset sells a “Bee Thankful Bundle” ($59), which includes an 11-ounce jar of avocado blossom honey, an 8ounce jar of cinnamon stick honey cream spread, a canister with 15 bags of jasmine and 4 to 6 of thankyou green cards tea, made by a local designer. Order from bumbleberryfarms.com/shoppe/ bee-thankful-collection, or check bumbleberryfarms.com/retailers for a list of local shops that carry Bumbleberry products
Food events
Breakfast with Santa at the Shack: Breakfast, pictures with Santa, raffles, prizes. 8 to 11 a.m. Dec. 12 at Joe’s Crab Shack, Station Square. $12.99 for adults; $5.99 for ages 12 and under. joescrabshack.com/event/ breakfast-santa. Eat with Santa: Activities, food, music, gifts, and visits with Santa. Dec. 12 at The Cabaret Banquet Hall and Event Center, Homewood. Breakfast 10 a.m. to noon, lunch 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., and dinner 5 to 7 p.m. $10 for adults, $7 for children under 12, $15 for bottomless mimosa and beer. eventbrite.com (search for “Eat with Santa”). Christmas Cookie Decorating Class: Wine tasting, cookie decorating, supplies,com/retailers instruction by Jennie Lynn Confections. 1 to 4 p.m. Dec. 13 at Greenhouse Winery Annex, Monroeville Mall. $40; ages 21 and up only. eventbrite.com (search for “Christmas Cookie Decorating Class at Monroeville Mall”), or call 412-380-6888.
Holiday Feast in the Mountains: Wine tasting, hors d’oeuvres, pumpkin soup, smoked salmon, beef bourguignon with roasted Brussels sprouts and homemade spaetzle, chocolate mousse yule log, Christmas cookies, mulled wine. 4 p.m. Dec. 13 at SanaView Farms, Champion. $ 85. sanaview.com/events. ’Tis the Season: Live Baking Workshop with Chef Hetal Vasavada: The proprietor of the Milk & Cardamon of the Milk blog, “MasterChef” contestant in season 6, will teach a workshop on baking Cardamom Scottish Shortbread and Spiced Chai. 4 p.m. Dec. 13 online. $35. Benefits Aqwalife, a Canonsburg nonprofit dedicated to providing clean drinking water around the world. eventbrite. com (search for “’Tis the Season: Shortbread Cookies and Spiced Chai with Chef Hetal!”).