Seattle food lover's gift guide

December 16, 9:31 AMSeattle Food ExaminerTraca Savadogo

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 If you’re looking for a holiday gift for your food loving folk, look no further.  With a distinct Seattle focus, these gifts are sure to delight the food lover in your life!  

Out-of-towners will enjoy briny oysters plucked fresh from the Pacific.  And nothing says love like wild smoked salmon. 

For stocking stuffers…think of delectable edibles from drinking chocolate to  seasoning salts and bacon jam.

And if your food lover is a local, give the gift of experiences.  Let the chef come to you…with private culinary classes.  Ever want to learn how to make pasta?  Or still struggling with yeast breads?  Grab a few friends for an evening of food & fun with your own private class.  Or if you're curious about wine...schedule an evening with Seattle’s own roving sommelier!

For a bargain indulgence, catch a movie in elegant surroundings…and enjoy cocktails delivered to your seat!

Gifts for the food lover?  This line up delivers big on flavor....





Pacific Oyster Gift Pack (Taylor Shellfish)
Seafood is ubiquitous to the Pacific Northwest...and what could be better than ringing in the New Year, sucking down a couple dozen oysters?  Through the holidays, Taylor Shellfish offers oyster gift packs, made up of four types of oysters, just harvested from nutrient-rich waters of the Pacific. Packs include: Olympia oysters, Kumamoto, Totten Inlet Virginica, an oyster shucking knife, instructions, and Jon Rowley’s guide “Art of Eating an Oyster”. (P.S. Dad, if you’re reading this…try to look surprised!) www.taylorshellfishfarms.com

 


Smoked Salmon (Jensen’s Smokehouse)
If you’re serving up smoked salmon…or sending a little love across the country, look no further than Jensen’s smoked salmon.   King, White King, Keta, and Sockey…perfect for entertaining or guild the holiday table with lox or hot-smoked salmon.  If you visit Jensen’s Greenwood location, be sure to pick up some double-smoked bacon.  I never met a bacon I didn’t like, but this bacon is in a league of its own.  www.jensenssmokehouse.com





Drinking Chocolate (Fiori)
For serious chocolate lovers, look no further than Bellevue-based Fiori chocolatiers.  Fiori's drinking chocolate is a full-flavored chocolate experience…and you’ll never look at hot chocolate the same way again.  My first cup of Fiori’s drinking chocolate ruined me.  It’s so hauntingly delicious...I almost look forward to our rain-soaked winters!  www.fiorichocolatiers.com





Seasoning Salts (Secret Stash)
Want to turn you food into something spectacular? For the cook who has everything...gourmet seasoning salts add that serious "wow" factor. Chef Joseph Conrad and Janna Wemmer teamed up to bring you Secret Stash sea salts.  These salts are rich in flavor and add pizzaz to everything from scrambled eggs to grilled meats.  Great for stocking stuffers...try a few of my new favorites: Nicoise Olive, Bloody Mary or Coconut Garam Masala.  www.secretsalts.com

Bacon Jam (Skillet)
Skillet, that roving airstream, is cranking out some serious food.  Perhaps you’ve been fortunate enough to try the Kobe beef burgers with bacon jam?  Yes, you heard right.  Sweet, salty, smoky bacon jam is just divine!  And lucky for us, the boys at Skillet have bacon jam available for sale.  Ship a few jars of this stuff across the country ...and don’t blame me if you become very popular with your friends and family.  Suddenly the folks in Florida take an interest in where you had lunch….”Oh, you went to S-k-i-l-l-e-t, eh?  Did you pick us up some bacon jam?”  I can hear it now….  www.skilletstreetfood.com





Gift Certificate (The Big Picture)
I'm not fond of gift certificates but a gift certificate from The Big Picture is in a whole other class. This 21-year or older movie theater is the definition of luxe. A super sexy space, neighboring with El Gaucho, The Big Picture is the best place for a movie, bar none.  Speaking of the bar...the theater has a full bar and will deliver to your seat! Grab a silver Champagne bucket of parmesan popcorn and you are in for a real treat! A $40 gift certificate buys (2) movie passes, (2) cocktails, and a bucket of their hauntingly delicious parmesan popcorn. www.thebigpicture.net
 




Private Culinary Classes
 One of the most memorable events of 2008, my friends and I hired a sushi chef to come teach a private class.  Dinner, entertainment, and a learning experience all rolled up into one evening.  And the sake tasting was a great way to kick off the night!  Sushi not your thing? No problem.  There are a number of great local chefs teaching private classes. 


My favorite private chefs are:  

Becky Selengut from Cornucopia -- Think local and seasonal with an Herbfarm aesthetic .  www.cornucopiacuisine.com

Hope Sandler, who started the Sur La Table culinary program.  Canning & bread making are just a few of her specialties.  E-mail her at: chefsandler@comcast.net





Roving Sommelier (Queso y Vino)
Have a case of wine delivered...or arrange for a private wine tasting with Queso y Vino's roving sommelier, Catherine Reynolds.  Got a taste for the Iberian Peninsula?  Catherine's your girl.  After 8 years as the wine & cheese buyer for the Spanish Table, she's branched out on her own venture.  Your personal sommelier awaits you at Queso y Vino.  E-mail Catherine at: quesoyvino@gmail.com