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Last-minute gifts for the food lover

Rachel Nania | rnania@wtop.com

December 21, 2016, 1:07 PM

A plate, cup or bowl can also change the way a diner consumes a menu item. This is something with which the owners of The Shaw Bijou are experimenting. “We care very much about the function of the food, but then we’re adding a little theatrics to it,” Gorsuch says. “We’re actually creating [tableware] to force you to eat the food a certain way. So [the food and the tableware] will interact seamlessly at the end of the day.”
For the entertainer  For the person who entertains frequently, platters, plates and bowls are always a welcome gift. The local ceramics company Cloud Terre sells its handmade dishes online. Chances are, you’ve spotted owner Amber Kendrick’s designs in restaurants throughout the D.C. area. (Photo courtesy Cloud Terre)
Photo courtesy Cloud Terre
For the chocolate lover  You don’t need to send away for good chocolate — plenty is being made right here in D.C. The next time you are at the store, pick up a bar of Undone Chocolate or Harper Macaw.  It’s a great way to show some love to local businesses — plus, your taste buds will thank you. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
For the fashionable foodie  Why wear your heart on your sleeve when you can wear it on your neck? Food 52 sells food-themed necklaces, including whisk necklaces, honeycomb necklaces, macaroni necklaces and more. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)
For the cheese lover  Whether you’re looking for an aged cheddar or an accessory, Carolyn Stromberg has you covered. The owner of Righteous Cheese sells everything from hard-to-find European spreads to cheese boards and knives. There’s even the option to buy into the shop’s cheese-of-the-month club. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
FILE - In this June 16, 2016, file photo, bottles of wine are displayed during a tour of a state liquor store, in Salt Lake City. Cheap liquor, wine and beer have long been best-sellers among Utah alcohol drinkers, but new numbers from Utah's tightly-controlled liquor system show local craft brews, trendy box wines and flavored whiskies are also popular choices in a largely teetotaler state. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
For the wine lover When it comes to wine, WTOP Wine of the Week contributor Scott Greenberg has ideas for the best wine gadgets, the best wine clubs and the best bottles from all over the world for every budget. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
For the baker  Every serious baker needs a serious rolling pin. This holiday season, get the food lover in your life a marble rolling pin. You can pick one up at cooking stores like Sur la Table and Williams-Sonoma. A new apron may also be in order. A Hedley & Bennett design is the “it” apron for professional chefs and stylish home cooks. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
**FOR USE WITH AP LIFESTYLES** Stacks of colorful Dutch ovens fill the racks at the Le Creuset company store in Grove City, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. Going Dutch is making a comeback. At least, when it comes to sturdy _ and often colorful _ stockpots. The heavy cast-iron pots have been best-sellers for top-of-the-line manufacturer Le Creuset since 1925. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
For the braiser  If slow cooking is more the recipient’s style, a Dutch oven is a necessity. A covered baking dish is also a great gift. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
A stack of cookbooks is seen at the Le Creuset company store in a mall in Grove City, Pa., Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. Due to rising fuel and food costs, more people are cooking meals at home rather than eating out, a growing trend that has helped boost sales of cookbooks, according to recent surveys. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
For the reader Cookbooks serve a dual purpose for food fans: they’re beautiful to look at and practical in the kitchen. This year, publications from Food & Wine to The Washington Post have their lists of the best cookbooks of 2016. Some top picks include “Molly on the Range” from Molly Yeh, “Dorie’s Cookies” from Dorie Greenspan and “Everyday Cook” from Alton Brown. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
AP Photo/Keith Srakocic
For pantry provisions  Interested in small-batch tonics? Artisan almond butter? Maybe some pear preserves? Head to D.C.’s Salt & Sundry on 14th Street and at Union Market. The small shop curates a variety of provisions from artisans all over the world. You’ll also find things for the bar, the table and the home. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
a couple of ravioli cutters and other chef's tools of trade sitting on a new chef's uniform. Could be used for training, school, hospitality courses.
For the pasta lover Forget boxes of dried pasta. Encourage the pasta lover in your life to make his own with a set of ravioli stamps. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
** FOR USE WITH AP LIFESTYLES ** A box of assorted peppers are amongst the produce available to be sorted through by members of the community supported agriculture program at Congregation Shearith Israel Wednesday, August 8, 2007, in Atlanta. The community supported agriculture program (CSA) at this synagogue is similar to many around the country in which faith-based groups buy shares in a local farm and receive a weekly portion of the harvest. (AP Photo/John Amis)
For the environmental eater Consider gifting your friend or loved one a CSA (community supported agriculture) subscription. It’s a membership-of-sorts to a local farm. Each week (or month) members receive a box full of produce from the farm. Some CSAs also include meat, eggs, olive oils, jams, and honey in the boxes. (AP Photo)
AP Photo
For the farmers market fanatic If the person on your list spends weekend mornings at the farmers market, consider gifting a new tote to carry that kale in style. (Thinkstock)
Thinkstock
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 08: A view of the 1821 Bitters booth during the 31st annual Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show on March 8, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Nightclub & Bar Media Group)
For the mixologist  A new set of bitters or bar tools is perfect for the cocktail connoisseur. Brad Thomas Parsons, author of the popular book “Bitters” is out with his new book “Amaro,” which will look just as good under the tree as it will on a bar cart. (Getty Images)
Getty Images
The area around Union Market will be redeveloped. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)
For the food-fan who has everything If the person on your list has no need for another plate, pan or provision, swing by Honeycomb Grocer at Union Market. There, you’re sure to find something unique. The market is from D.C. chef Erik Bruner-Yang, and it sells a small, curated collection of specialty Asian goods. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)
WTOP/Rachel Nania
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A plate, cup or bowl can also change the way a diner consumes a menu item. This is something with which the owners of The Shaw Bijou are experimenting. “We care very much about the function of the food, but then we’re adding a little theatrics to it,” Gorsuch says. “We’re actually creating [tableware] to force you to eat the food a certain way. So [the food and the tableware] will interact seamlessly at the end of the day.”
FILE - In this June 16, 2016, file photo, bottles of wine are displayed during a tour of a state liquor store, in Salt Lake City. Cheap liquor, wine and beer have long been best-sellers among Utah alcohol drinkers, but new numbers from Utah's tightly-controlled liquor system show local craft brews, trendy box wines and flavored whiskies are also popular choices in a largely teetotaler state. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer, File)
**FOR USE WITH AP LIFESTYLES** Stacks of colorful Dutch ovens fill the racks at the Le Creuset company store in Grove City, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008. Going Dutch is making a comeback. At least, when it comes to sturdy _ and often colorful _ stockpots. The heavy cast-iron pots have been best-sellers for top-of-the-line manufacturer Le Creuset since 1925. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
A stack of cookbooks is seen at the Le Creuset company store in a mall in Grove City, Pa., Friday, Sept. 5, 2008. Due to rising fuel and food costs, more people are cooking meals at home rather than eating out, a growing trend that has helped boost sales of cookbooks, according to recent surveys. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
a couple of ravioli cutters and other chef's tools of trade sitting on a new chef's uniform. Could be used for training, school, hospitality courses.
** FOR USE WITH AP LIFESTYLES ** A box of assorted peppers are amongst the produce available to be sorted through by members of the community supported agriculture program at Congregation Shearith Israel Wednesday, August 8, 2007, in Atlanta. The community supported agriculture program (CSA) at this synagogue is similar to many around the country in which faith-based groups buy shares in a local farm and receive a weekly portion of the harvest. (AP Photo/John Amis)
LAS VEGAS, NV - MARCH 08: A view of the 1821 Bitters booth during the 31st annual Nightclub & Bar Convention and Trade Show on March 8, 2016 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Gabe Ginsberg/Getty Images for Nightclub & Bar Media Group)
The area around Union Market will be redeveloped. (WTOP/Rachel Nania)

If there is a food lover on your list, fear not.

Whether you’re looking for bitters or books, here are some last-minute gift ideas.

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