Why not stocking stuffers for food lovers?
can choose from an assortment of flavours from the shop—go for a seasonal blend such as the candycane herbal tea, the rejuvenating mulberry tea, or the classic London fog black tea. The tins come in a floral, reusable, handmade paper pouch, which can easily fit into stockings. Find it at Silk Road Tea (2066 West 4th Avenue) or online at www.silkroadteastore.com/. HOLIDAY MACARONS If you want to surprise someone with a tasty treat under the tree (or hanging on the mantle, in this case), we suggest picking up some holiday macarons ($2.50 each) from Thierry Chocolaterie Patisserie Cafe. Chef Thierry Busset has created some delicious seasonally inspired flavours, including cranberry (made with cranberry reduction in the buttercream and a whole roasted cranberry in its centre), gingerbread (with a ginger-spiced shell and orange-mascarpone buttercream), and stollen (a spiced shell with rum buttercream and a rum-raisin-andcandied-orange marzipan centre). It all comes together in a colourful macaron box—just put a bow on it and you’re set. Find them at Thierry Chocolates (1059 Alberni Street).
KOJI SALT For those who are wondering why salt would ever make for a great gift, you’ve never tried this kind of salt. Dosanko’s housemade Japanese seasoning ($10 per jar) combines koji (a type of fungus grown on white rice), salt, sugar, and citric acid. It is full of umami (savoury taste)—flavourful but not overwhelming—and serves as the perfect seasoning for all types of culinary creations. Use it in soups, sauces, salads, cooked veggies, seafood, chicken wings, fries, and more. Besides being low in sodium, it also has probiotics and enzymes that are said to be beneficial to your health. It’s packaged in a mini Mason jar for convenient gifting. Find it at Dosanko Restaurant (566 Powell Street).
GLASS MORTAR AND PESTLE
You may not be familiar with a mortar and pestle, but it’s a handy device that has been used in cooking since ancient times. Mosser Glass’s handmade glass mortar and pestle ($30.99), in an ethereal shade of jade, can be used for grinding sesame seeds or crushing cloves of garlic. Don’t worry about herbs or spices leaving a scent; the glass won’t absorb any of the oils or smells. This eight-ounce bowl comes with a pouring spout and is accompanied by a rounded and easy-tograsp pestle for crushing a variety of ingredients. Foodies and the like will be impressed with this gift—it’s unique and thoughtful. Find it at the Gourmet Warehouse (1340 East Hastings Street).
ACACIA WOOD UTENSILS AND COPPER
What’s better than gifting edible goods to foodies? Surprising them with cooking utensils so they can make magic happen in their own kitchens. President’s Choice Holiday Home Collection has come out with copper utensils such as a spatula and a wooden spoon made with acacia wood ($7 each), adding a stylish touch to otherwise ordinary-looking cooking tools. Acacia wood is naturally durable, and its oils will give it water resistance. We don’t know about you, but we would be very excited to start using these if we found them in our Christmas stocking. Find them at the Real Canadian Superstore (various locations).