Metrocurean's Local Food Gift Guide
My favorite type of gift? The edible kind. Each year, Metrocurean offers up a list of some of my favorite local artisans creating gift-worthy good eats.
This holiday season, give friends and family a taste of DC with these locally made treats.
For The Sweet Tooth
• Lucky for cocoa lovers, DC has some wonderfully talented chocolatiers. A few of my favorites: ACKC, Artisan Confections, The Cacao Tree, Christopher's Confections, Chocolaterie Wanders, Fleurir, and J Chocolatier.
• For baked goods, my picks are Buzz Bakery, where pastry chef Tiffany MacIsaac is constantly coming up with creative new confections, and Whisked, whose treats are still available for special order and at the Downtown Holiday Market.
Canned and Jammed• Chef Stefano Frigerio's artisanal jams and sauces are made with fresh produce from area farms. My favorites: the pear ginger and strawberry vanilla bean jams and the smoky bacon and parmesan tomato sauce. Order online or hit the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market.
• At 14th Street's new Smucker Farms store, you can find a variety of Pennsylvania-made jams and butters, including the delicious line from Christina Maser.
For A Toast
• Yes, that is beer expert Greg Engert's mug on that six-pack pictured above. Metrocurean's favorite source for beer knowledge has cu rated some Holiday Pop six-packs, available at Planet Wine.
• For a local sparkling wine, fill your flute with Thibaut-Janisson's Virginia-made Blanc de Chardonnay. Look for it at these retailers.
• The rise of boutique distillers means you can also give the gift of local hard liquor. Check out the spirit selection from Loudoun County's Catoctin Creek and Maryland's Sloop Betty.
For The Carnivore• Nathan Anda's fantastic beef jerky, salami and other cured goodies (above) are made using meat from local farms that embrace sustainable and humane farming practices. Find Red Apron goods at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm Market.
• I'm a big fan of Cibola Farms' beef jerky, made from Virginia-raised bison. Find it at the Dupont Circle FreshFarm market.
• Ship your favorite meat lover one of the festive sausage packs, like the X-mas Morning links, from Simply Sausages.
• Longtime readers know how crazy I am about the fiery hot Birth of Pain bloody mary mix (above) from Toigo Orchards. Perfect for a holiday brunch, it's packed with heat from scotch bonnet peppers. Find it at the Dupont FreshFarm Market. Also look for Toigo's apple and pear butter (available at some Whole Foods), fantastic bourbon peaches, honey and pasta sauce.
• The locally made hot sauces from Uncle Brutha's are some of my favorites. The Fire Sauce No. 10 has an intense smoky flavor. Locations here.
For A Pick-Me-Up• Local coffee roasters are a good place to turn for caffeine-fiend gifts. Metro riders may get a kick out of Quartermaine's Red Line Blend. Also check out ME Swing Co. and Annapolis' Caffe Pronto.
For The Non-Cook
• Send a Soupergirl soup subscription to a friend, and they'll receive deliveries of Sara Polon's hearty vegan soups, made using local ingredients.
Metrocurean's Favorite Local Shops
Where to find great food, cocktail, kitchen and tabletop gifts.
• Cork Market
• Cowgirl Creamery
• Hill's Kitchen
• Home Rule
• Miss Pixie's
• Seasonal Pantry
• Tabletop
• The Hour
• Timothy Paul Home
• Trohv
Did I miss your favorite local treat? Tell us about it in the comments.