10 Mail-Order Gifts for 2009

Published on Wednesday, November 11, 2009, by Roxanne Webber / Edit Post

Big Basket of Bean-to-Bar Chocolate Dark Chocolate–Rum Raisin Mini Bundt Cake for Two Exotic Jam Gift Crate

11800 Tequila Essential Artists Series ($34.95). Tequila is a good gift. 100 percent agave silver tequila, packaged in bright, modern bottles designed by 12 graphic artists, is extremely giftable.

2Big Basket of Bean-to-Bar Chocolate ($80). Everyone knows someone who’s obsessed with chocolate, as in likes it a lot. This basket is full of bars from Taza, the only company in the United States that stone-grinds its organic chocolate to make bars, and trendy Mast Brothers out of Brooklyn. Both companies start with raw beans to create their products instead of buying premade chocolate and remolding it.

3Panettone Genovese ($18 to $32.95). This Italian Christmas bread is made by hand at Emporio Rulli in Larkspur, California. It’s buttery, not too sweet, and filled with raisins, pine nuts, and orange peels.

4Wisconsin Cheese Mart Artisan Collection ($64). The Wisconsin Cheese Mart puts together some of the state’s hard-to-find award-winning cheeses in a wooden box, including dry and nutty sheep’s-milk Dante, sharp aged Gouda, and raw-cow’s-milk Green Fields.

5Dark Chocolate–Rum Raisin Mini Bundt Cake for Two ($9.50). The Great Spirits Baking Company makes all-butter Bundt cakes like this chocolate one that’s soaked in aged Pyrat Rum.

6Bellwether Hard Cider ($11.95 to $13.99). Made in upstate New York, Bellwether’s dry cider (sparkling or still) is a good winter apéritif.

7Exotic Jam Gift Crate ($15 to $25). Sunchowder’s Emporia makes small batches of jams and preserves in Florida—including a few surprising flavor combinations such as Pineapple Tangerine, Zucchini Ginger, and Tangerine Ginger Rum—which come packed in a crate with craftsy packaging and labels.

8Sassy Sauces Sampler ($20 to $34). We’re usually skeptical about buying products like dessert sauces, but these won us over when we tried them (and went back to eat more by the spoonful). The sampler comes with rum caramel, peanut butter fudge, spicy dark chocolate, and bittersweet chocolate flavors, which are made in Massachusetts by an ex–Café Boulud staffer.

9St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram (about $30). A perfect addition to winter drinks, this rum-based liqueur (once known as pimento dram) will add warm spice flavors to anything from mulled wine to holiday cocktails.

10Murray’s Salumi Selection ($50). The always-reliable Murray’s out of New York puts together a sampler of small-batch cured meats—including La Quercia prosciutto, Fra’ Mani salame rosa, and Creminelli wild boar salami—and ships it out to your lucky giftee.

ALLThe Ten
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  • I buy a pound Vanilla beans once a year. I place about 8 in a Fifth of Bacardi's White Rum. A pound of Vanilla beans can run from some sources about 40 to 100 bucks, but you get as many as 100 depending on the species. By 9 months out, your beans have flavored the rum to a dark brown. Decant into stylish glass bottles with tight fitting screw top lids, put in 2 to 3 beans each. Then package them...+READ

    I buy a pound Vanilla beans once a year. I place about 8 in a Fifth of Bacardi's White Rum. A pound of Vanilla beans can run from some sources about 40 to 100 bucks, but you get as many as 100 depending on the species. By 9 months out, your beans have flavored the rum to a dark brown. Decant into stylish glass bottles with tight fitting screw top lids, put in 2 to 3 beans each. Then package them up and give them as gifts. Those people that cook will love you, and those that don't will want to learn.

    You can make almost any kind of extract with spices and Rum or Vodka with the slow soak method. I have Coffee, Nutmeg, Rose, Cinnamon, Vanilla, Clove, mint in my pantry shelves right now.

    Beanilla.com has the best prices online that I have found, and good service. I have been doing this with whole beans since 1993.

    You will find a little bit of vanilla oil on the top of the Rum, so if you are careful you can harvest this, and have something that can cost 100's of dollars an ounce if it is pure.

    Cheers,
    Charles. I have been a trained chef for a long time, My dad was one before I was born.-COLLAPSE

  • Beats me.

    I can tell you that I am 100% happy with all of my purchases, as were their recipients. Zingerman's (thanks Prav!) and Beth's were terrific. It also turns out that at Beth's you can call them and they'll put your order into a "Flat Rate Box" from the PO. It really helped with the shipping costs and was really fast. Of course, the number of boxes will depend upon the size of your...+READ

    Beats me.

    I can tell you that I am 100% happy with all of my purchases, as were their recipients. Zingerman's (thanks Prav!) and Beth's were terrific. It also turns out that at Beth's you can call them and they'll put your order into a "Flat Rate Box" from the PO. It really helped with the shipping costs and was really fast. Of course, the number of boxes will depend upon the size of your order.

    As an aside, I called H&D today to order a year's worth of fruit of the month and they checked all the sales for me to make sure I got the best deal. They even switched out the things I can't have/can't stand (like grapefruit) and gave me better stuff for those months. There were a few things that they were unable to ship to Hawai'i (like pineapple, which was fine by me) but other changes were made based on my like and dislikes. I am so looking forward to peaches later this year!

    Happy 2010 All!-COLLAPSE

  • Wow, same article here for almost 2 months? Any plans for something new?

  • I just ordered all sorts of stuff from Zingerman's and Beth's. Both had many different things, including baked goods, Oaxacan mole, and tiny pickled artichokes from Zingerman's and pickled asparagus from Beth's (along with preserves and chutneys). I've forgotten what all I ordered, but I know I'll have enough for hostess gifts with plenty left over for my pantry. I just got a styrofoam cooler...+READ

    I just ordered all sorts of stuff from Zingerman's and Beth's. Both had many different things, including baked goods, Oaxacan mole, and tiny pickled artichokes from Zingerman's and pickled asparagus from Beth's (along with preserves and chutneys). I've forgotten what all I ordered, but I know I'll have enough for hostess gifts with plenty left over for my pantry. I just got a styrofoam cooler from Omaha Steaks with frozen crab claws and 2 types of demi-glace.-COLLAPSE

  • lynnlato, CHOW actually partnered with Foodzie this year for a Holiday Charity Drive, check it out:

    http://www.chow.com/stories/11976

    Deborah from CHOW

  • What, no mention of Zingerman's?!

    http://www.zingermans.com/

  • Great thread, thanks Roxanne! I just ordered a gift from Harry & David and also some gifts from Sassy Sauces. I had to phone Sassy Sauces as I had a question and the owner herself answered the phone. She was delightful to chat with and even gave me the name of a website that hosts small artisinal food purveyors - www.foodzie.com. She was also pleasantly surprised to learn that she was listed in...+READ

    Great thread, thanks Roxanne! I just ordered a gift from Harry & David and also some gifts from Sassy Sauces. I had to phone Sassy Sauces as I had a question and the owner herself answered the phone. She was delightful to chat with and even gave me the name of a website that hosts small artisinal food purveyors - www.foodzie.com. She was also pleasantly surprised to learn that she was listed in chow's top 10 mail order gifts.-COLLAPSE

  • Here, I started it: http://chowhound.chow.com/topics/670928

  • You know, I think I'm going to start a thread about this! People have suggested some really incredible things that I never would have heard of had I not asked.

  • A gift I ordered: nifty sourdough starters.
    I found starter cultures from various parts of the world with a quick Google search.
    Ordered from http://www.sourdo.com - about $10 each.

  • I have sent mostly Texas products, since I live here. The best ones are CollinsStreetBakery.com for cakes, cheesecakes and pecan pie
    NBSmokehouse.com for ham, bacon, sausage
    LammesCandies.com for chocolate pralines
    PittmanDavis.com for fruit
    All are wonderful with the best selections and variety. I also favor SanSaba pecans and Austin nuts.

  • Mr. Spear Asparagus! I've been sending their 3-pound box to best
    friends for more years that I like to admit, but each and every one of
    them says it's the best gift they receive. Order a box for yoursself, also and you'll see what I mean. They are giant, but the most tender
    you'll ever eat. They sing "Spring Is Here"! Your pals will get an announcement at Christmas, then come early Spring, the...+READ

    Mr. Spear Asparagus! I've been sending their 3-pound box to best
    friends for more years that I like to admit, but each and every one of
    them says it's the best gift they receive. Order a box for yoursself, also and you'll see what I mean. They are giant, but the most tender
    you'll ever eat. They sing "Spring Is Here"! Your pals will get an announcement at Christmas, then come early Spring, the asparagus will arrive and ManOMan will they love it!-COLLAPSE

  • I've sent apples from http://www.honeycrispvermont.com/ before, and they are excellent - huge and full of flavor.

  • Oh my goodness! I posted and forgot about this thread for a week, but thanks everyone! I'm glad to receive positive reports about Harry & David. I've had other stuff from them, and sent their fruit on occasion, but never received so I wasn't sure. I may try bellaviva, too, as it appears to come with Martha's seal of approval.

  • I have received Harry and David fruit - I had a bad batch of pears, last year, and I called, and they could not have been more wonderful about it. They sent me a new batch of pears, and include a little extra for my trouble. It's a top notch company!

  • I've gotten a lot of Harry and David's and almost all of it has arrived in perfect condition. In fact, I just got a box of Bosc pears today and have already eaten two of them. A friend starting giving me H&D at Christmas about a decade ago and I've been getting it ever since. Over the years I've only been disappointed by a few boxes of peaches that arrived overripe/mushy. I called customer...+READ

    I've gotten a lot of Harry and David's and almost all of it has arrived in perfect condition. In fact, I just got a box of Bosc pears today and have already eaten two of them. A friend starting giving me H&D at Christmas about a decade ago and I've been getting it ever since. Over the years I've only been disappointed by a few boxes of peaches that arrived overripe/mushy. I called customer service a couple months ago about the peaches and they sent a replacement plus a gift of a small box of 5 pears, 2 apples, some chocolates and mixed nuts.

    I've sent Harry and David gifts to friends and they've been thrilled. I'd say "go for it."

    I'd send Harry and David's and be completely confident.-COLLAPSE

  • Stephanie...oooh!!! Well, I can only tell you what the recipients told ME and one of them was my son, who would not hesitate (nor would I want him to) to tell me if what he received was poor quality!!! Sorry to hear that, though!

  • I got Harry and David fruit last year and it was all bruised and mostly rotten :(

  • I sent Harry & David fruit last year and will again this year...their apples and pears are really excellent. You might consider them, Straw!

  • I was so excited over the cardboard wrapping only to discover nothing in the article was about it :(

  • http://www.bellaviva.com/
    StrawbrryF, not inexpensive but BellaViva offers top notch fruit baskets and gifts.

  • Do you have any good fruit gift ideas? For those of us who want to send a slightly healthy holiday gift?