Every year we arrive at what miraculously happens to already be mid-December where we proceed to hit a wall of excitement, with a generous sprinkling of utter urgency, that sums up our ritualistic last minute holiday shopping. Luckily for us, and you, we lean into what we feel are the best gifts out there—local consumables or contraptions that cater to drinking and eating all the good things with the people you love the most. So beyond buying basic gift cards (which, no shame in that game either to support your area businesses) we want to share a few of “our favorite things” to make your last gastronomic push in 2019 delicious, memorable and Colorado true.
For those who are more kind with caffeine:
Queen City Collective Coffee, the Denver based roaster, offers two pre-wrapped gift boxes full of craft coffee products that give back this holiday season as part of its core mission, the Made by HER program, which supports female-run coops in Central America and revenue sharing practices in Africa.
- The Camper’s box ($35) includes the Queen City Collective Coffee MiiR mug, and five packs of the unique Steeped coffee.
- The QC pack ($45) contains a full bag of coffee, a Queen City t-shirt and a five pack of Steeped coffee bags.
*Steeped Bags are made of renewable plant-based materials and are printed with no toxic VOCs, offering ethically-sourced specialty coffee that is micro-batched, locally roasted, then nitro-sealed for freshness in single-serve form. Enjoy free shipping on all orders $40+.
Protein Stocking Stuffers:
Break up the traditional candy binge with some meaty snacks in the form of a collaboration between Karl Strauss Brewing Company and Cowboy Star Restaurant and Butcher Shop. The two craft entities concoct a hearty, beer-infused jerky made with Wreck Alley Imperial Stout, brewed with darkly kilned malts, cocoa nibs, and Columbian coffee beans, for a rich tag-a-long that’s ideal for holiday road trippin’.
C Star Provisions Steakhouse Stout Beef Jerky is available for purchase in 3 oz. bags at shopcstar.com ($9.34) & use code: HOLIDAY2019 for 15-percent off.
For those more at home outside:
MONTyBOCA is an online community, resource guide and shop to “elevate your meals” outdoors with a plethora of camping/hiking recipes courtesy of classically trained chef Steve Corso. Grab a copy of MONTyBOCA’s first pocket-sized cookbook ($13.99) & use cyber discount code: CYBERBOCA for 20-percent off all purchases.
-3.5 x 5.5 pocket-size w/ elastic band page holder
-Water-resistant sturdy cover and pages
-20 trail-tested recipes
-Packing and cooking checklists
-Notes pages
-$2 of every cookbook sold online goes to help protecting public lands and community projects
-A copy of the e-book so you can use it anywhere
Plasticize them:
Although gift cards may come off as a tad bit boring, at the end of the day we all tire of turkey on day two/three, need to break for brunch or venture out with our cool cousins for a fun family outing. We suggest you pop into Brooklyn’s on Boulder haberdashery to purchase a Lee Spirits Co. gift card to share some beautifully meticulous, hand crafted libations. Or, take advantage of the awesome deals currently going down at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery with their 12 days of Holiday Giveaways & snap up an additional $20 with the purchase of a $100 gift card.
For the spirit forward friends/famiy:
Distillery 291 rolls out the red carpet with great gift packages and convenient holiday hours: Wednesday through Friday 5-11 p.m., Saturday 12-11 p.m. and Sunday 12-5 p.m. & last minute shopping on Christmas Eve, with Philip Rawleigh and Emily Rhoades in the tasting room from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Plus, distillery tours are available Thursday, December 26, through Monday, December 30, and again Thursday, January 2, through Saturday, January 5.
- Score a one-of-a-kind leather-wrapped copper flask (handmade by Whiskey Leatherworks) & bottle of 291 Colorado whiskey- single barrel ($150). Or, get the vessel a la carte for $85.
- Everything you need to make an epic 291 Old Fashioned: A bottle of 291 Colorado whiskey- single barrel + The Decc, a citrus-clove liqueur, bitters and 291’s secret Old-Fashioned recipe ($125).
- A whiskey laden date night: Follow the process from grain to barrel to bottle on a distillery tour and tasting for two while sipping on two handcrafted 291 Colorado whiskey cocktails ($100).
- We like it neat: Grab a bottle of 291 Colorado whiskey- single barrel and two 291 whiskey glasses ($100). “Pour a dram of 291, relax by a crackling fire, repeat.”
- Deck the halls with a bottle of The Decc liqueur and two 291 Whiskey glasses ($50). “Our citrus-clove liqueur is the best kind of Holiday on Ice.”
Axe & the Oak Distillery introduces something uber unique this year with a “Build Your Own Whiskey set” ($75) that includes: a 1L Axe and the Oak barrel, a bottle of Pikes Peak Hill Shine, varying levels of toasted staves, and an instructional how-to booklet to create your own killer cocktails and infusions.
To order contact Axe & the Oak via their Facebook page or e-mail Lauren Reece at lauren@axeandtheoak.com to place your name on the waitlist.
For those who like to linger in the kitchen:
From traditional inlaid cutting boards to functional cheese-slicing varieties and luxe looking sushi plates we can’t say enough about the craftsmanship from the folks at FishRule Studios. The family-owned business specializes in handmade products designed using domestic and exotic hardwoods and acrylics with “a contemporary surfboard vibe.”
Our top picks are the cheese slicers ($50) or the small (8 inch by 6 inch by .75 inch) “Bar Board” ($35) perfect for cutting limes to garnish your G&T’s.
Do vegetable/fruit puns ever get old? The answer is no, no they absolutely do not, and Berry Good Goods makes some of the most cutesy craft items for your cocina. We love our “Everyday I’m Brusselin'” & “Get Figgy with it” dish towels ($14/set of two–$24) made from 100-percent cotton and measure a solid square size (27 x 27 inches).
*Kitchen products from FishRule Studios & Berry Good Goods are available at Eclectic CO at 214 N. Tejon Street, Colorado Springs.
For the well-versed beer snobs:
Merch they really want is at Cerebral Brewing in Denver. At their recent fourth anniversary shindig, Cerebral unveiled a rad skeleton tee ($25) that is so Nightmare Before Christmas, a perfect folder lagerbier pin ($6) and some seriously amusing glassware: “Permanent Hangover Sled God” that reads “Feel the rhythm! Feel the rhyme. Let’s Get Fucked up it’s Pastry Time.” ($15).
Then head to their online store for more screamin’ t-shirt deals or pay them a much deserved visit and get your last minute photos with Santa on Sunday, December 22, from 11-2 p.m. Receive a high res image sent directly to your email within 24 hours for $20 plus a beer for you & cookies and hot chocolate for the kiddos from the big man himself.
CROWLERS. Simple. Welcome. Buy these sharable bad boys and support your favorite local breweries for familial interactions that go something like this:
-Punctual family member: “Oh you’re late are you?
-Hypothetically us: “Yes… but, I brought beer!”
-[Happily hands the angry face person an oversized can.] *Disaster averted.
Now that’s a wrap:
Gifts are bought–well done, but lastly, the tedious part… We recommend you visit Eclectic CO to find ways to wrap your gifts inside what, yet another gift! Adorable pom hair ties, ornaments, personalized spoons & brightly colored garlands offer a plethora of options that’re also reusable for future celebrations.
For some creative suggestions check out the blog post from Rin+RUCKUS and put these sustainable options to work to beautifully complete your gift giving presentation.
Still feel stuck? Give us a shout! Email us at droberts@rockymountainfoodreport.com and we will give you more personalized suggestions for your last minute gift giving needs.
Happy Holidays and thank you from the bottom of our hearts for your dedicated readership.
