WASHINGTON —- ‘Tis the season of giving. There’s no reason to be perplexed about what to give your nearest and dearest. Here are some unique and delicious suggestions for those last-minute gift ideas:
For the spirited person in your life
- Homemade Gin Kit’s Starter Set — Spirit lovers interested in making a flavor all their own can try pseudo-distilling with the Homemade Gin Kit. The locally produced flavoring bundle (just add vodka) features juniper berries and a premixed blend of herbs designed to produce ready-to-drink gin in as little as 36 hours (Price: $49.95).
- Interactive Winery Tour and Tasting at District Winery — Know a wine lover? Give him or her a behind-the-scenes look at the winemaking process at District Winery.
The tour, priced at $35 per person and running approximately 30 minutes in length, will include a full walk-through of the wine production facility as well as a tasting of seven different varietals of wine. Each guest gets an etched souvenir glass, too. For more information on purchasing tours, call 202-484-9210 or stop by District Winery (385 Water St SE). - Cork Wine Bar & Market Flight Club — The club is a curated monthly wine subscription program featuring themed monthly flights. Membership to the Flight Club includes:
- Three bottles every month
- Invitation to monthly flight pickup parties.
- Tasting notes and winery profiles
- 15 percent off cases of wine
There are multiple levels of membership, priced accordingly. Sign up for Flight Club at Cork or by emailing FlightClub@CorkDC.com.
Courtesy Cork Wine Bar & Market
Courtesy Nycci Nellis
Courtesy Nycci Nellis
Courtesy Keswick Farms
Courtesy Homemade Gin Kit
Sweet tooth fiends
- Ladurée Chocolates — If someone you know has a sweet tooth, Ladurée Chocolates might be just what they need. It offers holiday chocolate collections:
- Praline Gift Pox — A crispy hazelnut praline coated with dark chocolate ($35)
- 75 Champs-Elysees Gift Box — A chocolate in tribute to the House of the Champs-Elysées. A dark ganache is infused with Madagascar vanilla, covered by a crispy dark chocolate shell made up of a cocoa nibs nougatine ($30).
- Initiation Gift Boxes — The assortment includes small milky rochers, 75 Champs Elysées chocolates, 16 Royale chocolates, crispy hazelnut praline chocolates (size 1, $55; size 2: $100).
- Buzz Bakery — Get a cookie box filled with a variety of six cookie types: iced shortbread, vanilla kipferl, chocolate chip gingerbread, chocolate crackle, rugelach, and Christmas sugar cookies. In addition, there is a gift basket that’s perfect for gifting to your holiday host. It includes iced shortbread cookies, peppermint bark, sugared pecans and caramel pear butter. Finally, there is a Christmas morning breakfast bundle that serves 4–6. It includes one veggie quiche, four savory scones, a pan of four cinnamon rolls and a bag of Buzz granola.
Locavore lovers:
- Fresh Farm Market — Visit over the weekend and create a gift basket filled with local goodies:
- Cheeses from Keswick Farms
- Jams from Atwaters
- Belle Acres goatsmilk lotions potions and soaps
- Amaro from don Ciccio
- Vinegars from Lindera Farms
- Central Farm Markets — Check out the market to get Skinny Salamis and Sausages and some other great local options such as:
- Olive oil from All things Olive
- Dog treats from Chase Your Tail Bakery
- Pickles from DC Dill’s
Nycci Nellis is a WTOP food contributor and founder and editor of the TheListAreYouOnIt.com,
