Foodie Friday: Gifts of Food & Wine for the Holidays

Over the last several years, the husband and I have encountered the following problems when giving gifts to the majority of our family members:
    – The recipient pretty much has everything they could want;
    – The recipient can get themselves pretty much whatever they want; or
    – The recipient has repeatedly said they have no room for more ‘stuff.

Needless to say, this has made us get more creative with our gift giving!  What we’ve found is that most anyone can enjoy good food or wine, and you don’t have to break the bank either!

One of our favorite gift sites is AllenBrothers.com.  Don’t dismiss this website as just Omaha Steak’s more expensive counterpart.  Allen Brothers sells some of the best meats available; and has a better selection of exotic meats than Omaha.  The Husband and I have gifted both Wagyu and Bison from Allen Brothers, and have always gotten rave reviews.  (Never heard of Wagyu?  It’s basically the best beef you can get in the U.S.  We’re always jealous whenever we give it to someone!)  If you have a foodie on your Christmas list…anything from their selection is likely to be a big hit!

If meat isn’t your thing, wine is always a great alternative.  One of my favorite go-to wines is Clos Saint Michel Chateauneuf du Pape.  I personally love Chatauneuf du Papes and Pomerols-which can easily run upwards of $50 for a single bottle.  Clos Saint Michel has consistently put together a tasty wine at a decent price.  The linked bottle is a 2005 vintage; which was a fantastic year in France.  For $25 this is an incredible price for a vintage that would taste great now-but will be even better in about another 5 years.