Today’s column will be more recipes than words. The holidays are coming up — Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, New Year’s, and my personal favorite, the milquetoast of holidays, Boxing Day. All of this means shopping, shopping, shopping, parties galore, and possibly travel. Don’t go broke; make some original and creative food gifts. And if you don’t have the time or inclination to make your own, don’t push that easy way out Amazon button on your computer, go out and buy some local food gifts.
If you have a considerable number of parties to attend, your go-to may be a bottle of wine or champagne for the hosts. This can get quite expensive and maybe not everybody shares your taste in libations. My current favorite offering is a bottle of superb olive oil, either Frantoia, or keeping it local, any of the organic Arlotta olive oils.
Think about whether taking a perishable (but very useful!) gift is appropriate. Bagels and all the fixin’s from Goldberg’s are a generous present. Some pastries and bread from Carissa’s will come in handy Christmas morning. I am making Melba toasts, deviled ham spread, and taramasalata for the cocktail parties that could use a tasty contribution. Several years ago, I wrote about and assisted in making latkes for Temple Adas Israel’s Hanukkah party. The production of hundreds of potato, curried sweet potato, and Turkish zucchini latkes was carried out at the home of Toby and Arnold Spitz. Why? Because they have a five burner stove, was Toby’s theory!
Think about what your friends or family like. Spicy food? Take the ferries over to Greenport and check out the biggest selection of artisanal hot sauces in the universe at Greenport Fire. Or just stop by L and W Market in Bridgehampton and get some of its Kimchi Jews line of sauces like cherry pepper apple, smoked green, and cannabis srirachas. Charissa’s Harissa, created on the North Fork, can be found at many local grocery stores and markets. A big beautiful jar of orange marmalade from Loaves and Fishes would be a generous gift. For the coffee lover in your life, start them off with a tin of Jack’s Stir Brew coffee beans. Every time they return for a refill, they will get a discount and a free cup of coffee. For your health-conscious friends get some Anke’s Fit Bakery crackers and cookies, even my local I.G.A. carries these.
Along the lines of homemade gifts, many of which you can make while watching television, they’re that easy, are sweet and savory variations on spiced nuts, croutons, granola, marinated olives, liqueurs, birdseed pinecones, dried spice blends, and tisanes. I keep and recycle glass jars for gifting. Also, HomeGoods and TJ Maxx are excellent sources for glass containers, gift tins, etc. Even those little ceramic or glass jars for Greek and French yogurts are perfect for the petit pot of deviled ham, nuts, or salmon rillettes. Just seal with plastic wrap and a rubber band. Attach a note that includes ingredients and an expiration date if applicable.
Here are some of the homemade food gifts I have pounded out so far: dried lemon verbena leaves from a community garden plot (this is an excellent and fragrant tisane that aids digestion, ditto for dried peppermint and spearmint leaves), homemade croutons, three varieties of spiced nuts, dainty toasts for caviar, etc., Cafe Brulot base, birdfeeders, and marinated olives. The more perishable gifts, which are really meant to be shared immediately, are the deviled ham spread and zucchini latkes.
Let’s get cooking!
