18 Shopping Days Left

Tonight I’ll be making one last push to finish my Christmas shopping so I can start enjoying my weekends again without worrying about sending gifts off to my family in Hawaii.

After my last post of gift ideas for foodies, reader Ann asked for more suggestions in the $15 to $20 range. (I do note that my original list included one item that was under $20.) I thought it was a good idea because we all need some nice gifts for coworkers, party hosts or food bloggers (ha!) that aren’t very expensive. So here are more suggestions of food-related gifts, all under $20.

See you at Union Square!

Kara’s Holiday Cupcakes, $3.25 each, from Kara’s Cupcakes stores. Kara’s is my special occasion cupcake retailer. Just giving these little treats will make anyone feel special. For the holidays, Kara’s is selling special holiday flavors: spiced pumpkin and “peppermint twist” (chocolate cupcake with white chocolate buttercream frosting with candy cane sprinkles). Pick up half a dozen for $19.50 and you’ll have a nice holiday brunch gift. :)





Bodum Double-Walled Glass Mugs, set of 2 Espresso, $19.95 from Sur La Table. Bodum is one of the finest names in glassware, especially glassware that can take a lot of heat. I actually have a teapot from Bodum and love it. This particular pair is made for espresso. I think the clean design and practicality of it makes it a very elegant gift.


Montsarra NV Cava Brut, $15.29 from wine.com. It’s always nice to have something sparkling for the holidays, but sometimes you don’t have the budget for champagne. One of my favorite sparkling wines is Spain’s cava. I find it more drinkable than Italy’s prosecco (another alternative to Champagne). This particular bottle is described as having “lasting bubbles and a crisp finish.” Now who wouldn’t want that?


Hand-sliced Jamon Serrano (8 oz.), $16.95 from La Tienda. Next year, the food world is going to go crazy over Jamon, the Spanish ham. Well, everyone will be talking specifically about jamon iberico, which is the king of jamon and will finally be allowed to be imported into the United States for the first time. But you’ll need to spend nearly $100 to reserve a chunk of this special meat. As an alternative, give your friends an intro to jamon with serrano so they may want to start saving their money for iberico. You can start with this taste of Jamon Serrano from one of the better known Spanish online retailers, La Tienda.



Dizzy Cocktail Glass, $2.95 each, from Crate and Barrel. Doesn’t this just look perfect for a holiday party? I think Crate and Barrel has some of the most beautiful glasses at reasonable prices. At $2.95 each, you can buy a set of six (that’s $17.70 for those too lazy to add) for a nice holiday gift.







June Taylor Meyer Lemon Marmalade (8 oz.), $14, from June Taylor. Made in Berkeley, these marmalade are hand-made by June Taylor, who can be found every Saturday morning selling her jars at the Ferry Plaza farmers market. But you can get these beautiful-looking jars of marmalade online or at June Taylor’s Berkeley Still-Room, which is open during the weekends for the holidays.


Holiday Motif Box, 8 pieces (3.5 ounces), $18, from Recchiuti Chocolates. A last-minute holiday gift (and you know there’s always someone you forget) can always be found at Recchiuti Chocolates at the San Francisco Ferry Building. This particular box includes quaint winter designs that make it a very special office gift or grab bag. Again, also a nice gift for yourself. ;-)