The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
3 ideas for culinary holiday gifts
Time to shop for gifts for the culinarily-minded in your life.
Handblown Mexican glassware
For anyone who appreciates global culinary traditions, try Mexican glassware as a gift. Mother and daughter Jacquie Lewis and Jules Vertrees and business partner Sarah Laping Garland work with artisans from around the world to produce beautifully designed items for the kitchen and entertaining. They have a particular focus on artisan goods from Mexico, Thailand and Morocco. We’ve long been fans of their handblown glassware, made from recycled glass bottles by artisans in Tonala, Mexico. The sturdy glasses hold about 13 ounces and are comfortable in your hand. Our favorite is the orange swirl, because, in addition to being beautiful, the swirl is applied to the outside, and provides just a bit of grip. The glassware also is available in aqua, with two blue-white gradient glasses and two blue swirl glasses. It’s all dishwasher safe, and there are carafes to match.
$48 for four handblown glasses, $40 for a handblown glass carafe. Order at verveculture.com.
A gift box of jams and chutneys
Here’s a suggested gift for that friend or relative who has toast for breakfast every day: a
gift box of jams and chutneys. Andrea George of Atlanta-based Rapid Gourmet wears many hats: She does catering, provides meal prep, teaches cooking classes and has created a line of gourmet gifts that includes jams and chutneys, seasonings and soup mixes. We sampled a gift box of her jams and chutneys. The first thing that struck us was that these are not supersweet products. Each is sweetened, but only lightly, so the flavor of the fruit really shines through. We also liked that there are discernible chunks of fruit in many of them. Open a jar of pear cherry chutney and enjoy the aroma of freshly roasted pears and the bits of pear included. It’s one of our favorites. Her tomato basil chili jam was a surprise; it’s a bit savory, a bit sweet, and has just the tiniest bit of heat. Served with cream cheese on a piece of toast, it’s delicious. If the gift recipient is ready to move beyond toast, each variety comes with suggested uses — whether pairing it with greens or Cornish hen, or topping a dish of ice cream.
$8 per 9-ounce jar of jam or chutney. $35 for a gift-wrapped package of three pre-selected jams or chutneys. Available at the Wednesday East Point farmers market, Buford Highway Farmers Market, Emory University Farmers Market and the New Black Wall Street Market in Stonecrest, or at rapidgourmetonline.com.
Fresh food customized for your pet
What about the furry members of your household? Maybe you have a picky eater, or a dog who needs help with arthritis or other joint issues. Perhaps, you just want your pet to enjoy freshcooked meals that are made with human-grade ingredients. Petplate will customize a meal plan for your pet and send you frozen containers of meals made with turkey, beef, chicken, lamb, pork or venison — each with a recommendation for serving size, based on the calorie count, that will keep your dog healthy. Thaw what you need for the week and serve within seven days. The remainder can be frozen for up to a year. Treats, such as chicken apple sausage bites, and supplements, like Joint Jumpin’ Mobility Cookies, also are available. We tried Petplate out on six dogs, and they licked every bowl clean and eagerly enjoyed every treat.
Starting at $1.43 per meal for the full meal plan. Treats are available at $44.96 (includes shipping) for four 4.5-ounce packs. Supplements are available at $67.80 (includes shipping) for four 9.8-ounce packs. Order at petplate.com.