Need holiday gift ideas?  I know I always do!  Some people can be really hard to buy for, and you can drive yourself nuts trying to figure something out.  What I’m doing today is just giving you some ideas.  These are things that I either personally use or things I want for myself. 

Sit down, grab a cup of something you like, and get ready.  There’s a lot to cover.  Let’s start with some food gifts!

Oxford Falls

My twitter friend Jim and his wife, Kathy--owners of Oxford Falls, have taken bottled sauces, salsas and Bloody Mary mixes to a whole new level.  A couple of months ago, Jim was kind enough to send me some samples for my birthday. 

Yeah, a couple of the bottles are half empty…so? ;)  This was all that was left after my husband and I opened the box and couldn’t wait to dig in!   The Comeback Salad Dressing--not only is this historic recipe great on salad, but we used it instead of mayo on sandwiches--incredible!  And if you’ve got shredded carrots and broccoli slaw on hand, the dressing makes a great, quick slaw for a side dish, or throw it right on your sandwiches and in your wraps  like we do!

The Dix Salsa he sent was the Fried Green Tomato.  It’s a perfect blend of great flavor and heat--not too much, not too little.  Use it any way that you would regular salsa.  If you’re like us, just open the jar and a bag of chips and have at it. 

Use the London Dry Steak seasoning on your steak, of course--but use it anywhere you want a nice blend of spices, too!

They also have incredible Bloody Mary mixes.  I haven’t personally tried them, but several of my friends have, and they can’t say enough about them.  And Jim didn’t even have to pay them!   The Bootleg version is loaded with bits of fresh carrot, celery and bell pepper.  The Wake Up Crabby is made with shrimp and crab, and is reminiscent of shrimp cocktail.  York Harbor is their shout out to New England with buttery flavor, lobster and a hint of wasabi.  And last but not least, Bacon Cheeseburger!  How great is that? 

From their site, a little bio info:

We have been in the foodservice business since 1984.  From our old restaurant (District Cafe) in Starkville, Mississippi to the Gourmet products we sell today, quality and wholesomeness have been our benchmarks.  From the looks of us...we have taken a proactive stance in R&D and Quality Control from day one!  We have achieved tremendous growth and acceptance from you, the hungry public in recent years.  Today we are the largest bottler of gourmet products in Mississippi!   With that trust we will continue to develop cutting edge products for you to enlighten, surprise, and excite you.  Taking our business to the web makes the process even more exciting for us.  Enjoy our bounty. 

Seriously, you won’t find a nicer guy than Jim.  Want to order or have questions?  Give them a call at (662) 323-9696, or email them at oxfordfalls@earthlink.net. 

You can also follow Jim on twitter: @oxfordfalls

Tiller Cookie and Biscotti Company

So Jim’s friend Larry was also very generous and sent me some biscotti to try.  Three words:  Best. Biscotti.  Ever. 

He sent some gingerbread biscotti, dipped in white chocolate, and some chocolate biscotti--some with nuts, some with chocolate chunks.   We adored these!  I can’t thank Larry enough.  Even the kids loved them.  Not only does he sell in bulk to cafes and coffee shops, but he can also whip up gift baskets for your favorite people.  And you won’t be sorry--they deliciously crunchy and good!

Larry’s contact info is on his site, linked above--in the sidebar.   Jim tells me that Larry is an all around great guy and old school baker, so if you don’t get him right away, keep calling!

Intentional Chocolate

I was contacted by Tara from Intentional Chocolate a short while back, and she asked if I’d like to try some samples.  After looking at the site, I decided I’d love to try it.

What is intentional chocolate?  You can read here for the details, but basically, it’s chocolate that’s been given good thought (or prayer, or blessing) while it’s being made.  It’s believed that this adds a certain energy to the food, that is then given back to the person eating it. 

Is it good chocolate?  Yes!  I was given the Fine Dark Chocolate Pistoles to try.  We loved them!  Very good flavor, with 68% cocoa mass in them.   They’d make a wonderful gift for the holidays or any time of year!  They have lots of other chocolates on the site, so be sure to have a look.

photo from Intentional Chocolate’s site

Check out my Amazon Store for some of my personal picks! 

These are just some of my favorite things--some I use, and some I want!  That’s the link to my Amazon Store.  There are four categories in the left sidebar.  I’ve added some cool kitchen gadgets, books, magazines…some ideas to get you started.  How about a couple of gadgets in a nice baking pan, with a magazine subscription?  That way, your gift keeps giving all year!  And most foodies are always up for a  new cookbook, so check out the hot new books for the season--you’re sure to find something they’ll love.

Now I’m not saying buy your wife, girlfriend or mom a new pan and call it a day.  Unless you want to sleep on the sofa.  Be creative!  A new pan, sure!  Add a restaurant gift certificate for that place she always wanted to visit, or a nice bottle of wine.  How about some indulgent chocolates? 

So, happy shopping--and if you’ve more great ideas, please leave them in a comment  below.  There are so many great gift ideas out there, and I know I’ve just gotten the tip of the iceberg!