Local Food Gift Guide

My favorite type of gift? The edible kind. This holiday season, give friends and family a taste of DC with these locally made treats.

Copper Pot jams and sauces
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.

Cured meats from Red Apron
For the carnivore in your life, pick up some of Nathan Anda's fantastic beef jerky, salami and other cured goodies, made using meat from local farms that embrace sustainable and humane farming practices. Find Red Apron goods at the Penn Quarter FreshFarm Market through Dec. 17 or at Planet Wine.

Artisan Chocolate
Lucky for cocoa lovers, DC has some wonderfully talented chocolatiers. A few of my favorites: ACKC (1529 14th St. NW), Artisan Confections (1025 N. Fillmore St., Arlington), The Cacao Tree, Christopher's Confections, Chocolaterie Wanders, Fleurir, and J Chocolatier (1039 33rd St. NW).
Pitango gelato gift card
I don't recommend actually gift wrapping gelato, but snag a $20 or more gift card for a friend at a Pitango Gelato shop and get a free beverage.

Toigo Orchards Bloody Mary Mix
This fiery hot mix is often available at the Dupont FreshFarm Market. Perfect for a holiday brunch. Also look for Toigo's apple and pear butter (available at some Whole Foods), fantastic bourbon peaches, honey and pasta sauce.

Locally roasted coffee
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.


Uncle Brutha's hot 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.


Metrocurean Picks for Local Shopping:
• Cork Market (opening Dec. 4)
• Cowgirl Creamery
• Hill's Kitchen
• Home Rule
• Go Mama Go
• Greater Good
• The Hour

Did I miss your favorite local treat? Tell us about it in the comments.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Wait in line and buy me one (or two) at the original Eastern Market:

http://www.crepesatthemarket.com/index.htm
12/01/2009 10:26 PM
Susie said…
This is a great guide. I often forget about food items for gifts. Thanks!
12/02/2009 10:40 AM
InfamousOreob said…
I love the wines from Chrysalis Vineyards. I love to give local wines (and accompanying wine glass charms/bottle stops/wine chokers)as gifts!
12/02/2009 10:54 AM
robin shuster said…
What a good idea. I want to add one. I love Stan Feder's hand-crafted sausages from Simply Sausage. He has 25 different kinds, and I think they are the best on the East Coast. (He makes sausages for Jaleo and Zaytinya, Bar Pilar, and many other restaurants.)

http://www.simply-sausage.com/
12/02/2009 1:05 PM
Sara Williams said…
Excellent ideas!! But I want all these for myself!
12/02/2009 3:08 PM
Amanda said…
Wine and Simply Sausage - both excellent. I just had a bottle of Kluge's Albemarle Simply Red -- a really nice Va wine.
12/03/2009 11:52 AM
Missy said…
Love Simply Red.

My sister and brother in law are getting Red Apron jerky, I think I'm going to throw Copper Pot bellini jam in my mom's stocking, and I'm also ordering Derek Brown's cocktail class for someone who hopefully doesn't read this site. Also got some great stuff at Eastern Market this year.

This is a terrific guide.
12/07/2009 1:44 PM
Amanda said…
Thanks, Missy!
12/07/2009 2:59 PM
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