Foodstuff: Festive foods

The holiday season is officially in full swing, and if you haven’t sufficiently stuffed yourself or the ones you love, now’s your chance to shop small and local and scratch that epicurean itch with a few food-themed gift ideas found around the Roaring Fork Valley.

Tuesday Foods in Carbondale is offering a curated Latte Gift Box ,which includes servings of three unique latte mixes: matcha, cocoa, and mocha. Available to ship nationwide, these beverage blends are created with Tuesday Foods’ house-made formulas of energizing herbs and spices. They all come packaged in a beautiful shiny black box made of compostable material and tied with a striking black and white ribbon, the perfect cozy Christmas morning pick-me-up, or soul soother the day after a raucous New Year’s Eve, priced at $120.

Meat & Cheese Restaurant and Farm Shop in Aspen has created specially curated baskets and boxes this year, perfect as a hostess gift or to serve at home in a pinch when carolers pop by. Variations include the “Meat & Cheese Classic,” a selection of meats and cheese, crackers, jams, mustard, olives, cornichons, dried fruit, a cheese knife, and an artisan chocolate bar for $186; the “Breakfast Basket” with homemade sourdough, farm fresh eggs, local bacon, butter, jam, pancake mix, maple syrup, homemade granola, and locally roasted coffee for $154; a selection of snacks such as hard cheese, soft cheese, salami, crackers, olives, popcorn, Marcona almonds, and cheese crackers for $113; a sweet treat with artisan chocolate bars, cookies, a locally-made brownie, and caramels for $104; or a customizable option for any price point where you’ll work with the Meat & Cheese team to select your own gifts from the Farm Shop. Finally, the seasonal “Hostess Box” is $95. It features a rotating, hand-picked selection of staff favorite Farm Shop items such as olive oil, Marcona almonds, sea salt, jams, or almond butter.

For international flair brought to you in Basalt, stop by La Pastaiola. They’ll import classic panettone from Italy. Styles include a bread stuffed with raisins, candied orange, and citron peels, weighing in at almost two pounds for $38; a pistachio cream, almond, and chocolate flake-stuffed version for $45; or a unique Giuseppe Giusti Panettone, with balsamic vinegar-infused dough, a raisin soak, and cream filling. For $62, it’s shelf stable for eight months and, when warmed, pairs perfectly with vanilla ice cream. These bombastic breads sell out every year, so shop early. For those who rather savor the savory, the pasta pros will also crank out special seasonal pasta such as squid ink fettuccini, lasagna Bolognese, or cannelloni with ricotta and spinach. Their Pasta Masterclass is also a great gift idea for friends or family who value experiences over stocking stuffers.

Speaking of stocking stuffers, for a small package with a big impact, head back down Highway 133 to Pollinator Chocolates, where a $32 beautiful box of nine “choose your own adventure” bonbons taste even better than they look if you can believe it.

For those interested in a more one-stop-shop experience, you can catch three-weekend holiday markets across the valley this year by heading to the Snowmass Holiday Market on Dec. 13-15, the Basalt Holiday Market at TACAW on Dec. 15, or the Carbondale Arts Pop-Up Holiday Farmers’ Market between Dec. 21 and 22. Each will feature a variety of artisan makers and bakers and should satisfy any last-minute grab for gifts. Bonus: You’ll get to meet the teams behind these epicurean endeavors. 

Katherine Roberts is a mid-Valley based writer and marketing professional who comes from a family of small business owners, and as a small business owner herself, encourages you to shop where you live this holiday season. She can be reached via her marketing and communications firm, Carington Creative, at katherine@caringtoncreative.com.