Features Gift Gift Guide Highlight Vendor Highlight Local Farm Specialty Market Entertaining Homepage CTbites Holiday Gift Guide For Food Lovers (2023 Edition) April Guilbault November 23, 2023 Ding, dong, ring, ring, ca-ching, ca-ching…time for holiday shopping! From the small to the large, from tours to classes, we have a wonderfully tasty listing assembled for you that could quite possibly take care of all the people on your list (naughty folks not included). We are all about making the holidays easier and well, just more delicious in every way possible for you. So, from us to you, our scrumptious readers and followers, we wish you a truly Happy Holidays! OnWashington Gift Card To Purchase: https://app.yiftee.com/gift-card/onwashingtonOne card, multiple choices! The gift that’s a sure thing-the OnWashington Gift Card, a community-based digital gift card that is a wonderful way to support local small businesses. Consumers can purchase an OnWashington E-Card to send as a gift which can be used at participating restaurants, shops, and salons that are part of AGW SONO Partners’ extensive Washington Street Historic District portfolio. With the OnWashington Gift Card, purchasers can write a personal message and send it to family, friends, and colleagues via email, text, or physical copy. All digital and always available on your phone, recipients can choose to spend it at any participating merchant or mix it up and spend flexibly at multiple locations. Current OnWashington Gift Card merchants include: Eco Evolution, SoNo Fish Market, Il Posto, Salon Etre, Tablao Wine Bar, Los Remolinos, Oishi, Jean’s Closet, Mecha Noodle, Donovan’s, and more to come!The Two Oh Three www.thetwoohthree.comEvery CT Foodie knows the key to a memorable celebration lies in the details. Elevate your festivities with The Two Oh Three’s locally-made and Connecticut-themed wine glasses, pints, mugs, and cutting boards – each handcrafted for hosting in style. Say thanks to your host by gifting them a bottle of your favorite wine inside The 203's beautifully embroidered wine totes or enhance the presentation with a hand-painted Connecticut ornament for a touch of local charm. The Two Oh Three's locally inspired products transform ordinary moments into cherished memories. Here's to toasting the taste and tradition of Connecticut on every festive occasion! Use Code CTBITES for 20% off your purchase this holiday season.J. Timothy’s Taverne www.jtimothys.comJ. Timothy’s Taverne in Plainville has been nationally recognized for their wings with the Food Network saying they have “the best Buffalo Sauce we've ever tasted!” Your foodie friends and family will love cooking at home with this premium sauce (made with real butter-YUM). It’s not just for wings; it’s fabulously delicious and spices up shrimp, eggs, dips, and even roasted veggies. J. Timothy’s ships nationally and can ship directly to your gift recipient, with a note or holiday card included. For the holidays, they are offering these gift baskets that include the much-loved Buffalo Sauce, a container of their special Buffalo Chipotle Spice Mix Dry Rub, oh-so-unique athletic socks, t-shirts, hats and even an ornament of their famous bucket of wings! Click here to shop: shopjtims.comAMG Catering & Events www.amgcatering.comLooking for an "experience gift” this year instead of a “wrap-it-up gift”? Give yourself or your loved ones the gift of cooking this holiday season and purchase a gift certificate for cooking classes. If you are looking for the perfect gift for your 11-15 year old, give them a gift certificate for the AMG “Chefs-in-Training Summer Cooking Camps” (dates to be announced in the new year). Join award-winning chef Alison Milwe Grace of AMG Catering and Events at her state-of-the-art professional kitchen for safe and hands-on “secret” chef tips (shhh!), educational and downright delicious cooking classes. They never disappoint; after all, AMG has been named Best Cooking School four years in a row by Gold Coast! They also have an amazing line up of classes for Winter and spring 2024, from the boozy brunch class to a tribute to Julia Child to couples Valentine’s Day classes to a Chinese New Year class and much more! They are offering gift certificates for their winter and spring classes and summer cooking camps, or you can organize your own private group cooking class. Life is short-eat well, live well.Bigelow Tea Chai Latte Hot Chocolate Bombs www.bigelowtea.comDo you have a person on your list who is a tea lover? Or maybe a hot chocolate lover? Or maybe just a lover of hygge…all things cozy and comfy? If so, then these fabulous and fun blasts of chai spices and velvety chocolate from the Connecticut company that began blending teas in 1945 are the perfect gift. Stocking stuffers, hostess gifts, party favors, gift toppers…bring on the Chai Latte Hot Chocolate Bombs! Have you not experienced a tea bomb yet? Simply drop one of these flavorful orbs into your mug, pour your hot milk of choice over it and watch the melting and deliciousness start to swirl. It’s perfectly amusing and delicious for sippers of all ages. This warming beverage is actually going to make you welcome cold, wintery days-trust us. Best part, to ease your holiday shopping, they are available on Amazon at this link. Happy Holidays, everyone!Bigelow Tea Seasonal Tea Collection www.bigelowtea.comNot sure what to get teachers, bus drivers, and your mail carriers this holidays season? Bigelow Tea has the perfect gift! Their Seasonal Tea Collection, made locally in Fairfield, CT at Bigelow Tea, is an indulgent blend of seasonal teas great for gifts and stocking stuffers. Conveniently and prettily packaged in it’s own “tea box”, it contains 8 tea bags each of caffeinated black teas, Pumpkin Spice, Salted Caramel, Hot Cinnamon, Eggnogg’n, Caramel Apple and 8 tea bags each of caffeine-free herbal teas Cranberry Harvest, Peppermint Bark, and Ginger Snappish. Great for entertaining as well! Bigelow Tea always come individually wrapped in pouches for peak flavor, freshness, and aroma to enjoy everywhere you go. Gluten-free, calorie-free, and Kosher Certified.Available on bigelowtea.com or AmazonCato Corner www.catocornerfarm.com Named one of the “Top 50 Cheesemakers in the United States” by Food and Wine! Cato Corner Farm offers unique, award-winning raw and pasteurized cheeses handmade from the sweet milk of the farm’s pasture-raised Jersey cows. Perfect for holiday parties or the turophile (connoisseur of cheese) in your life! The Farmer’s Market Basket pairs cheese with other local delicacies, the Ploughman’s Platter is a selection of four complementary styles, while the Cheese of the Month keeps on giving. Choose customer favorites like Womanchego or Dairyere or try the new bloomy rind Celeste, based on a recipe from the Loire Valley. Order by December 19th for holiday shipping or visit our on-farm shop.Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company www.fairfieldcheese.comGive The Gift of Good Food! Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company has been championing artisan cheesemakers for years, and their love of good food guides everything they do. They forge relationships with small farms, creameries, importers, and distributors daily to bring you the best cheese and specialty foods. They taste everything they put in their cheese cases and on their shelves. Sharing good food with you is their passion! On their website, you will find their latest gift selections highlighting some of their favorite producers. Fairfield & Greenwich Cheese Company thinks these gifts are the perfect way to share the gift of deliciousness and good food with your friends, family, and business clients. https://fairfieldcheese.com/collections/gift-boxes Boxes can be ordered for shipping or in-store pickup. They offer local delivery in Fairfield and Cos Cob. Place orders online at www.fairfieldcheese.com/collections/all-gifts or by calling the shops: Fairfield: 203.292.8194 and Greenwich: 203.340.9227Knipschildt Chocolatier sales@Knipschildt.comNo holiday celebration would be complete without festive holiday chocolate collections from Knipschildt Chocolatier. Founded by world-renowned Master Chocolatier, Fritz Knipschildt, Knipschildt Chocolatier has been the premier chocolate maker in Connecticut for over 20 years. Hailed by the New York Times, Oprah Magazine, Town & Country, and dozens more as one of the finest purveyors of chocolate in the U.S., you’ll be sure to dazzle any recipient with their bonbons—often described as “beautiful little jewels”—with each piece of chocolate made-to-order by hand. Work with Knipschildt’s gifting team to personalize your corporate or family and friend gifts with custom packaging details, custom chocolates and even custom design! Reach out to them at Sales@Knipschildt.com to work with a dedicated gifting expert today! Looking for one or two boxes? No problem—their entire product line is available to ship nationwide on Goldbelly.The Glass House Design Store www.theglasshouse.orgThe ALPINISTE 16” round serving dish is a poetic and playful landscape, which will welcome fruit, vegetables, nuts and the like. The mountainous curves allow things to enjoy their own space, without ever running into each other. This provocative serving dish gives way to a fresh imaginative approach to display absolutely anything in an amazingly cool and creative way. Totally bold and inventive! Handmade in France of white Limoges porcelain. See The Glass House Design Store for a host of unique and artful glass and houseware items.Small Batch Cellars www.smallbatchcellars.comCelebrate the holiday with Small Batch Cellars! Drink locally made wine crafted with grapes sourced from premium viticultural areas. Their goal is to make wines with soul and purpose, wines that can spark a conversation. In sourcing fruit from premium vineyards, Small Batch Cellars is able to create delicious and unique one-of-a-kind wines. It has been their dream to create these wines and they are so happy to be able to share them with you! Sip your wine in the unique atmosphere, amongst the barrels and tanks, and fully immerse yourself in the wine making process. Join Small Batch Cellars for live music, cooking classes, wine pairing dinners, and so much more like becoming a part of their wine club family! A.T.Y. Confectionswww.atyconfections.comChoose from their signature boxes in three different sizes, filled with either 30, 15, or 8 of their wildly artful, colorful and decadent bonbons. Some recent holiday flavors were Apple Crisp, Pumpkin Sage, Cranberry Whiskey Mule and Bourbon Pecan Pie. December holiday flavors drop on November 28th so get ready to run your bonbon over to get some, they are available on a first come, first served basis. Badger Bevs www.badgerbevs.com Made with all natural flavors, these domestically made, high-quality cocktail mixers-try their Club Soda, Tonic Water and Ginger Beer-based in Ridgefield, CT will up your cocktail game this season. BE Chocolat www.bechocolat.com Now here’s an advent calendar with some good chocolate! Countdown to Christmas in the sweetest way possible, as you enjoy 24 different expertly crafted bonbons of their holiday and bestselling favorites. Sweetness everyday for 24 days, what could be better?Bon Appetit CT www.bonappetithamden.com This Hamden store has got it all for your holiday entertaining and gift-giving; elegant cheese and charcuterie boards, gift baskets chock full of delicious delights, along with specialty foods from the sweet to the savory for the people you love who love good food. Bridgewater Chocolates www.bridgewaterchocolate.com This season there is a grand collab happening between Bridgewater Chocolates and Litchfield Distillery to create bourbon-infused Dark Chocolate Pecan Tortels and completely adorable (yes sophisticated) Caramel Pilgrim Hats incorporating the award-winning Straight Bourbon WhiskeyCamacho Garagewww.camachogarage.comCamacho Garage is offering a grab-and-go gift to add on when you’re stopping by for a bite to eat. For $100, give the Mexican-food lover in your life a bottle of housemade Habanero Hot Sauce and bottle of El Tesero Single Barrel Reposado Tequila, which was hand selected by Chef Franco in Mexico and bottled exclusively for Camacho Garage! CuratedCT www.curatedct.com Some cool gifts are to be had at CuratedCT such as the CT Roasters’ Collection-6 month supply of coffee from 6 different CT roasters and Disheveled Diva’s Signature Buttercream, which is an unexpected pleasure on everything from classic cupcakes to…wait for it…fried chicken or a grilled cheese. DBO Home https://www.dbohome.com/collections/seasonal Handmade, modern heirlooms of dinnerware, serving ware and more for your home. Artists and founders Daniel Oates and Dana Brandwein believe that everyday luxury is the combination of comfort, beauty, and quality. From their sleek yet organic pitchers, ice buckets and butter dishes to place settings and vases, your table will be all the more beautiful and unique and your food taste all the more scrumptious.Dusty Dude Woodworks www.dustydudewoodworks.com Artistic charcuterie boards, cutting boards from classic styles to holiday snowmen and gingerbread men, the prettiest pizza peel you ever did see, beverage flight boards, stove top covers and more. Eco Evolution www.ecoevolution.co Everything your eco-loving cooking and baking gift recipient could want; produce bags, reusable lunch bags, teas, coffees, beeswax wraps, bamboo Matcha spoons and whisks, mugs, teas, coffees and more. And all earth friendly. Fatto a Mano www.fattoamanobreads.com Don’t delay because holiday pre-orders are happening now for the much loved Limited Edition Espresso and Dark Chocolate Panettone, Apple-Spice Frangipane Crostata, Holiday Cookie Box, Pistachio Spread, Dark Orange Covered Candied Orange slices and oh, so much more. We will let you discover and drool.Fetch LLC www.fetch-llc.com/ Tasty, small batch, organically made, human grade treats for your furry best friend who has been extra good this year; Grain Free Organic PUmpkin and Peanut Butter treats, Peanut butter bones, and cute lil’ donuts and Pupcakes, too. Free shipping over $50.Flanders Fish Market www.flandersfish.com Lobster Pot Pies, clam chowder and bisque, shrimp cocktail and lobsters, a cookbook, seasonings, dressings and dips…put any of these together and you’ve got a tasty sea-loving gift.Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill www.geronimobarandgrill.com/Geronimo Tequila Bar and Southwest Grill is giving its guests the opportunity to do some holiday shopping while grabbing a bite to eat at both its Fairfield and New Haven locations. For $100, take home a set of shot glasses and special bottle of El Tesero Single Barrel Reposado Tequila, aged in American Oak bourbon barrels, hand selected in Mexico by the Geronimo team and bottled JUST for the restaurant! Grace Farms Foods www.sharegracefarms.com This tea and coffee company donates 100% of their profits towards ending forced labor worldwide, selling premium herbal, black, green, and wellness teas, single origin coffees, beautiful gift sets, and accessories. Sips and drips towards a more peaceful world. Guess Where Trips www.guesswheretrips.com Pick your areas of interest, your area of departure and they will plan out an itinerary for you. Their trips include a “Before you Go” package and four surprise stops. Each stop has a new destination, recommendations, maps, travel trips and fun facts to keep you amused along the way. CTbites readers get 10% off when you use code CTBITES10. Be sure to use our affiliate link to purchase! https://guesswheretrips.com?sca_ref=4819058.Mcx0HnKio2Hook and Arrow www.hookandarrow.co The holidays just heated up! This award-winning, small batch hot sauce was born out of a love of food and the outdoors and it will be an adventure! Try single bottles of Cayenne Garlic, Pineapple Jalapeno, Habanero Ginger and Habanero Cayenne or fabulous gift sets that will take your taste buds for a walk on the wild side. Each purchase gives back to conservation initiatives.Jackalope Organic Seeds & Sprouts FB @ Jackalope Organic Seeds & Sprouts You can grow your own superfoods with their fabulous little kits for micro greens, sprouts, herbs and veggies. Easy to grow, space conscious, and fun to watch! This is a perfect gift for any veggies lover or person wanting to hop onto the train to better wellness in 2024!LeRouge Handmade Chocolates by Aarti www.lerougebyaarti.com From specialty cakes and “chocolate portraits” to make-your-own-bars and decadent truffles with unique and delicious that echo flavors from around the globe, a gift of chocolate from Aarti will be a welcome gift this holiday season.Lucas Local Oyster Bar www.lucaslocalct.com/ For your 2024 Bucket List: Oyster Shucking Classes which include a variety of a dozen oysters to shuck (or try to shuck), tools, a cocktail (do you dare shuck and sip?), tee and shucking knife. Try something new this year, shuck yeah!Manny’s Ultimate Mixes mannysubm.com Non-alcoholic fun for the holidays and beyond with Manny’s Ultimate Bloody Mary Authentic Non-Alcoholic Mix, a proprietary blend resulting in a distinct flavor profile that’s rich and savory with a perfect amount of kick. Bonus: you can go beyond the drink and add to gazpacho, cocktail sauce, chili and meatballs. Maple Craft Foodswww.maplecraftfoods.comLocally tapped, Maple Craft Syrups, are labeled “maple syrup”, but they look like a flask that liquor would come in. And the bottles are each hand-dipped in wax, like a fine crafted liquor bottle might have…a beautiful gift. Owner, Dave Ackert uses spent bourbon barrels from local partner Litchfield Distillery. Local X 2! They also have their own brand of Maple Cream, and a few other pantry staples. Northeast Winemaking www.northeastwinemaking.com The perfect place to acquire supplies for the new or experienced winemaking enthusiast in your life. They’ve got it all from bottles and corks, to fresh grapes and juices and winemaking classes.Palmer’s Market https://www.palmersdarien.com/order-online-holiday/ Palmer's culinary-inspired gift baskets are sure winners for the foodie in your life: The Bakery Box, Palmer’s Picks with a sampling of their favorite snack and sweets, Sweet & Savory, Seasonal Fruit or their Artisan Basket with small-batch craft products. There is truly something for every palate. Order before December 18 or call (203) 655-2077 and Press 1 to be connected to the Sales Team.Papineau Studios www.papineaustudio.com From the private art studio of Anne Marie Papineau in Litchfield, artisan glassware to make your table and every drink you serve all the more memorable. Lead-free crystal glassware is etched and painted with details of natural elements such as strikingly colored feathers, Birch trees, hearts, dragonflies and more.Paul’s Custom Pet Food www.paulscustompetfood.com If you have a person on your list who loves a furry companion, this is a great gift to give. Our pets deserve healthy, handmade, fresh nourishment too, and Paul’s puts great care and ingredients you recognize into his broths and food. Check out his culinary/dietary options, goodies, and treats for your furry pals.Prospector Popcorn www.prospectorpopcorn.org Prospector Popcorn offers a delectable and unique selection of gourmet popcorn, making it the perfect holiday gift for everyone on your list. Your holiday gifts support Prospector's mission of creating competitive and inclusive jobs for people with disabilities. Shop their gift shop at: https://prospectorpopcorn.org/pages/gourmet-pocorn-holiday-gift-shop/Rebel Daughter Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla Extractwww.rebeldaughtercookies.comHere’s your chance to try one of Rebel Daughter Cookies’ secret ingredients: house-made vanilla extract that we slow-age using premium Madagascar Bourbon beans we buy direct from farmers. Elevate your own kitchen by throwing out your store-bought “extract” and join the rebellion!Stylish Spoon www.stylishspoon.com 3-month subscription of their OATmeal cups: fully baked and ready to eat, these super moist OatMEAL Cups are an upgrade for anyone who loves oatmeal. A perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack. Keep them in the fridge or freezer, and pop one in the microwave or oven for a warm oatmeal you can eat with one hand. Fresh-baked, organic, non-GMO, GF, DairyFree, Soy Free and vegan.Sweet Bouquets @sweetbouquetsct Can’t find the perfect gift? Then send a Sweet Bouquet that combines flowers, chocolates, fruits, and berries to make it a festive and fun addition to the holiday. As tasty as they are gorgeous!Sweet Lab Confections www.sweetlabconfections.com Kinda hard to resist a chewy, creamy caramel, isn’t it? It will be even harder when you try one flavored with Espresso, Raspberry, Ginger, Apple Cider or Gingerbread. Check website for retail locations.Taste of New Haven Food Tours www.tasteofnewhaven.com Give the gift of food…and travel (sort of) with Tours of one of the great food cities in CT-New Haven! Pick your tour, such as State Street Pizza, Downtown Pizza, Murder Mystery Cocktails, Pasta, Fries Around Town, Tacos, and more. Have fun, see some new sights and eat your way through 2024.Thorncrest Farm & Milk House Chocolates www.milkhousechocolates.net Each chocolate can be traced back to the cow that provided the milk! Check out their Peppermint Bark Custom Gift Boxes, and customizable assortments of truffles, toffees, caramels.Twelve Percent Beer Project twelvepercentbeerproject.square.site You’re going to want to get your hands on their Twelve Days of Christmas Gift boxes-a mix of twelve beers from their brewery partners. Every box is a different mix and supplies are limited so pre-order yours now. P.S.-they deliver anywhere in Connecticut (someone 21+ just needs to be able to receive) and they guarantee delivery by Christmas!UCONN Dairy Bar GCs https://dining.uconn.edu/uconn-dairy-bar/ Stocking stuffers or gift toppers for the Husky/ice cream lover in your life: gift certificates for the beloved UCONN Dairy Bar! And so easy…buy in person or online and have them shipped! A scoop of Jonathan XV Supreme (vanilla with a peanut butter swirl and mini M & Ms) will soon be in your gift recipients future.Watercure Farm-Pomfret www.watercurefarm.com This new distillery in the Quiet Corner of CT creates spirits that are distilled from local crops, taking handmade spirits to a new level. Try their 1686 American Bourbon Whisky (Batch 3 now available), Corn Whisky made from 100% CT grown corn, Apple Spice Flavored Rum using apples from an area farm, and more tasty tipples to whet your whistles. Weathered or Knot @weatheredorknot_ct Beautifully crafted and curated wooden items for your home such as cheeky charcuterie boards, kitchen gadgets such as honey dippers, measuring spoons, salad servers, coaters. Weathered or Knot pairs with local businesses and artisans that reflect the charm of New England.Cookbooks by Connecticut AuthorsLes Dames d’Escoffier New York Cookbook: Stirring the Pot by Silvia BaldiniFavorite recipes from some of the most influential and accomplished women in the food world.Cooking My Way: Recipes and Techniques for Economical Cooking by Jacques PepinTips and tricks to save money, time and effort cooking at homeCompassionate Cuisine by Linda Soper-Kolton 125 plant-based vegan recipesForage and Feast by Chrissy TracyRecipes for Bringing Mushroom and wild plants to your table.Big Bites: Wholesome, Comforting Recipes That Are Big on Flavor, Nourishment, and Fun by Kat AshmoreFrom the creator of Kat Can Cook comes 110 simple, nourishing, mostly gluten-free recipes that are big on flavor and reimagine the concept of “healthy food.”A Touch Of Salt from Rowayton SeafoodA touch of salt, stories and ingredients from the sea is a book steeped in family, history,community, and seafood the pillars that anchor a family-owned seafood restaurant and market,Rowayton Seafood. Meet the hard working and passionate fishermen and harvesters who provide thesedelicious gifts of the sea and discover what it takes to get their products to our markets,restaurants, and kitchens.If you’re a home cook, we are huge fans of Ninja Kitchen products. Here are a few coupon codes for your holiday shopping needs. CT Eggnog! Arethusa Farm-Litchfield https://www.arethusafarm.com/eggnogThis Eggnog lands on our gift-giving list every because, well, it’s simply a holiday must-have for a good, ol’ fashioned hap-hap-happiest holiday and this is the best one you’re going to get!Mountain Dairy Farm-Storrs www.mountaindairy.comIt’s a farm-to-bottle process for this holiday favorite that is produced at a home farm that has been chugging along for nearly two and a half centuries. This is eggnog the way eggnog should be made. Shaggy Coos Farm-Easton www.shaggycoos.farmFrom cow to bottling, Egg Nog made local. This nutmeg and vanilla kissed seasonal drink will have you coo-ing…Terra Firma Farm-North Stonington www.terrafirmafarm.orgThis farmstead creamery lets their cows graze on pasture grasses and hay and happily forage, resulting in a superior Eggnog for your holiday celebrations.
