Santa’s list?
Our look at Wisconsin foodie gifts is much tastier
It’s not hard to come up with a Christmas gift when your special someone loves food and drink. The possibilities range from a monthly charcuterie club by a lauded Milwaukee chef to newly designed Bundt pans for the baking obsessed, and many Wisconsin products in between.
GIFT BASKETS AND BOXES Made in Wisconsin Gift Basket
What do you get the person who has everything? Edibles. No, not those edibles. Let’s say consumables. Wisconsin has so many local delicacies, and one of my favorite gift ideas is to fill a basket with nonperishable food items. .
Think coffee from Colectivo (Milwaukee), honeycomb from Steve’s Bees (Mequon), mustard and pretzels from East Shore Specialty Foods (Hartland) and Usinger’s salami (Milwaukee). Although you can make your own basket, some places, like Larry’s Market, will do all the work for you. You can choose from pre-made baskets ($40-$65) or have them make a custom basket. For a custom assortment, you pay for the price of the merchandise plus the price of a basket ($10 to $27) and an additional charge for assembly ($15).
Larry’s Market is at 8737 N. Deerwood Drive in Brown Deer. larrysmarket.com
— Alysha Witwicki, special to the Journal Sentinel
Spice House Gift Box
A gift box of spices is a no-fail present that will please rookie cooks and seasoned chefs alike (no pun intended). And Wisconsin has two local options for the foodies in your life, The Spice House and Penzeys (Fun fact: the founders of these companies originated from the same family headed by Bill Sr. and Ruth Penzey). The Spice House has tons of options, ranging from the Fisherman’s Collection (spices perfect for any type of fish) to the Deep Dish Collection (four spice blends for topping a pizza). Prices range from $35-$140.
Penzeys has six Milwaukee-area locations. penzeys.com. The Spice House has locations at 1031 N. Old World Third St. and in the Milwaukee Public Market, 400 N. Water St. thespicehouse.com
— Alysha Witwicki, special to the Journal Sentinel
Anarchy Acres Heritage Wheat Flour Combo Pack
Any baker would appreciate an assortment of locally grown, stone-ground heritage wheat flour from Anarchy Acres in Mount Pleasant. Bakers can spend the winter in their kitchen finding their ultimate flour combination for bread, cookies, pizza dough, etc. Anarchy Acres’ Two-Pound Flour Combo Pack for $32 includes three locally grown and ground heritage flours: Red Fife, Wisconsin No. 2 (a type of Turkey Red) and Marquis. A larger Four-Pound Combo Pack is available for $48. (Prices at retail sites can vary.)
Farm pickup is available from Charlie Tennessen at 2407 Newman Road in Mount Pleasant, or orders over $15 ship free. Anarchy Acres: anarchyacres.com
— Jennifer Rude Klett, special to the Journal Sentinel
Wisconsin maple syrup variety pack and coffee mug
For the home cook, baker or pancake lover, try giving a sweet taste of what those beautiful
Wisconsin maple trees can produce. Skinny Sticks’ Maple Syrup, near Wausau, offers food gift boxes starting at $59.99 of various Wisconsin products including maple syrup. Or, choose the Maple Syrup 3 Variety Pack of their best-selling Kentucky Bourbon Aged Maple Syrup, Pure Maple Syrup and Wisconsin Bees & Trees Honey Blended Maple Syrup for $25.99.
Organic Cinnamon Spiced Maple Sugar is available for $9.99 for 6.15 ounces. Visit the online syrup store for apparel and graphic Skinny Sticks’ coffee mugs for $12.99. Free shipping over $125.
Some Skinny Sticks products are available in stores, but most gifts are online only, skinnysticksmaplesyrup.com/
— Jennifer Rude Klett, special to the Journal Sentinel
Door County Cherry Sampler
A gift of Door County cherry products should please just about anyone. Cherry DeLite from Country Ovens produces many cherry products including irresistible Dark Chocolate All Natural Dried Cherries ($5.99 for 8 ounces), Dried Montmorency Tart Cherries ($12.49 for 1 pound), Dried Balaton Tart Cherries ($7.99 for 6 ounces), and 5-ounce jars of Cherry Sprinkles & Maple Syrup for $5.99 to top sweet potatoes, ham or a homemade bowl of popcorn.
Cherry De-Lite products are available at the Factory Retail Store, 229 E. Main St. in Forestville, roadside stands and gift shops throughout Door County, or select grocers including Metcalfe’s and Sendik’s Food Markets. countryovens.com
— Jennifer Rude Klett, special to the Journal Sentinel
FOOD AND DRINK CLUBS Bavette’s Charcuterie Club
For the charcuterie and cheese lover, here’s a box-of-the-month to give once or as often as once a month for up to a year, assembled by a James Beard Award-nominated chef.
Chef Karen Bell of Bavette la Boucherie in the Third Ward monthly offers a different collection of meat, cheese and pairings, but each will have some type of charcuterie (housemade pate, terrine, rillettes or sausage, sometimes salami by a guest producer), cheese, a bottle of wine, and various accompaniments, such as crackers or bread, jams, pickles and mustards.
Prices vary by month and offerings from $65 to $85, but subscription prices are fixed: $195 for three months, $390 for six months or $780 for 12 months.
Orders typically are due about the middle of the month, and pickup is the following week. (This gift is for locals only — shipping isn’t available, so recipients or givers must pick up the boxes at Bavette.) This month, the ordering deadline is Dec. 15, and pickup will be Dec. 21 through 24, so customers will have the charcuterie package in time for Christmas.
Bavette la Boucherie is at 330 E. Menomonee St. and is open Tuesday through
Saturday. To order, call (414) 273-3375 or go to toasttab. com/bavette and choose “Retail” under the menus, swiping over to the monthly charcuterie club. Note that in early 2022 (exact date to be determined), Bavette is moving to a new location in the Third Ward, 217 N. Broadway.
— Carol Deptolla, Journal Sentinel
A wine club membership from Vino Third Ward
Vino Third Ward’s wine club takes the guesswork out of buying wine. Staff members select wines each month for two clubs. Private Selection offers two bottles for $35, a good choice for beginners. Sommelier Club offers one or two premium bottles for $50 for those with more discerning tastes.
The clubs also include store discounts plus access to tastings and events.
Vino Third Ward, which features a large selection of wines from around the world as well as beer and spirits, is at 219 E. Erie St.,. For details, see vinothirdward. com
— Jordan Tilkens, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Panettone from Semolina
Christmas comes but once a year, and so do many of the foods associated with it, such as panettone, the sweet Italian yeast bread, typically studded with dried fruit. Panettone’s time is now.
Semolina, the new shop selling house-made fresh pastas and Italian and American specialty foods, is selling limited quantities of panettone imported from Italy. The splurge-y breads are $45, and many come wrapped for gift giving. (Mini panettone are $7.50.)
Pantry items from store shelves could be assembled for a make-your-own gift basket (or in a Semolina tote bag), as well, and the shop will have bottles of nonalcoholic wines, natural juices and tonics for making holiday mocktails. It sells gift cards, too, so recipients can stop in for fresh pastas to cook at home or sign up for hands-on cooking classes that will debut later.
Semolina is at 2474 S. Kinnickinnic Ave. and is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. More about the shop is at semolinamke.com.
— Carol Deptolla, Journal Sentinel
Whole grains from Angelic Bake House
For the healthy eater on your gift list; pick up breads, wraps, buns, crisps or crusts made with sprouted whole grains by Cudahy firm Angelic Bake House.
Seven sprouted whole grains are used. They are red wheat berries, quinoa, oat groats, rye berries, barley, amaranth and millet.
Products are also available for those who have vegan, dairy-free, nut-free, kosher, allergen-free, high-fiber and low-sodium diets.
Available online at angelicbakehouse.com or at some area stores.
— Joanne Kempinger Demski, special to the Journal Sentinel
La Flamme Reserve bourbon
Bourbon may be America’s spirit, but Wisconsin has a thing for brandy. Which means La Flamme Reserve, a five-year-old bourbon whiskey finished in Armagnac (brandy) barrels makes for a good gift.
Over the past decade, J. Henry & Sons has found a following for its Wisconsin bourbons. Their newest release, La Flamme, might appeal to fans of bourbon forward cocktails, though at 114 proof it has a spicier profile and makes a better option for sipping.
Since 1946, the Henry family has been growing corn, rye and wheat just north of Madison. Liz Henry and husband Joe added distilling to their lineup in 2009, starting J. Henry & Sons.
La Flamme and other J. Henry spirits are distributed to retail locations throughout Wisconsin (including Total Wine, Ray’s Wine & Spirits in Wauwatosa and Gary’s Beer & Liquor in Oak Creek).
Also, J. Henry & Sons Tasting Room, 7794 Patton Road, Dane, will be open Thursday through Sunday through December for sales, tours and tastings. The tasting room is closed in January for winter break.
— Kristine M. Kierzek, special to the Journal Sentinel
The newest Bundt pan
What foodie doesn’t love to bake? Especially with a new and unique cake pan as a gift?
A great choice is Nordic Ware’s new 75th Anniversary Braided Bundt pan, which celebrates 75 years since home cook Dotty Dalquist and her husband, Dave, began forming Nordic Ware; a company just across the state line in Minneapolis.
The firm has come out with more than 50 styles of Bundt pans since 1950, when the first Bundt hit the market.
Designed during the pandemic, this newest pan looks like interwoven strands that the firm’s website says symbolize togetherness, continuity and strength.
Priced at $62.50, the cast aluminum pan has a 12cup capacity.
For smaller cakes, another new pan is the 75th Anniversary Braided Mini Bundt, for $65, with a capacity of 3.5 cups.
Both pans are available at nordicware.com as well as at some area stores.
— Joanne Kempinger Demski, special to the Journal Sentinel