For years I’ve shared a list of holiday gift ideas based on my favorite trusted kitchen tools, with links to Amazon or other major retailers for easy ordering. (It’s still there and I’ve updated it to 2023.)
But since the pandemic began, I’ve been doing less Amazon, more small business shopping, following this prompt from Calgary food writer and community advocate Julie van Rosendaal:
Please, please don’t default to Amazon for your holiday shopping – so many small businesses rely on this season to keep them afloat year-round. they may close them permanently. Everyone does online and curbside pickup! Where do you find cool gifts? I’ll go first:
— Julie Van Rosendaal (@dinnerwithjulie) November 9, 2020
So, with the help of some people who participated in her post, I created a new list. This is all consumable, for people who have enough “stuff”.
I found these items and more at various small businesses around Calgary. (If you don’t live in Calgary, you can probably find similar retailers in your community.)
It was so fun to browse! Shopping this way supports local businesses and is much more enjoyable than the mall.
1. High quality olive oil
Grocery store olive oil is fine for everyday cooking, but for drizzling, dipping and dressing, a higher quality, extra virgin, perhaps flavored olive oil is a real treat.
| Find it locally at… Blue Door Oil & Vinegar, where they carry an amazing selection of oils, vinegars, olives and other specialty foods. 8561 8a Ave SW, #3126. also development, which is equally well stocked. In Calgary at Market Mall, with locations in Edmonton, Canmore and Banff. |
2. Vinegar with a gourmet taste
Honey, raspberry, dark chocolate, dark balsamic, cranberry pear, white balsamic… there are endless flavors to jazz up salads and more.
Mix it with this good olive oil for a bread dip, toss it with cut fruit, pour over baked potatoes, grilled fish or poached pears.
| Find it locally at… The Cookbook Co. Cooks, where you will find vinegars such as champagne and tarragon, high quality olive oil, local foods such as Brassica mustards, stunning gourmet gift baskets and of course, over a thousand cookbook titles. 722-11 SW Ave. also Blue Door Oil & Vinegar and development (above) carry specialty vinegars. |
3. Locally roasted coffee
Skip the Starbucks cards and treat the coffee connoisseur in your life to the joy of a unique, premium roast.
| Find it locally at… Fratello coffee roasters, where they pride themselves on coffee that is “consciously chosen, responsibly sourced, carefully roasted”. They also carry coffee making equipment and some loose teas. 4021-9th St. SE. also Analogue Coffee (various locations). Additionally, there are at least six more Calgary-based coffee roasters described in this review. |
4. Specialty tea
After I posted 10 low-sugar drinks that aren’t (plain old) water, readers responded by singing the praises of their favorite soothing tea.
So maybe your loved one will enjoy exploring new teas? Such a treat.
| Find it locally at… TotaliTeaan independent, local, family-run loose-leaf tea business that will give you an excuse to check out the amazing new Calgary Farmers’ Market West. (They also have a location at the South Calgary Farmers’ Market.) |
5. Locally made preserves
There is something special about local jams, honey, nut butters, salsa, dressing, condiments and more. They aren’t necessarily better nutritionally, but you can support someone in your community and share something out of the ordinary.
| Find it locally at… The Spruce Meadows International Christmas Market. Calgarians know this is the place for everything Christmas and all the vendors are Canadian. In addition to an extensive selection of specialty foods, they have a fun selection of coffee, tea, and other beverages. (Available this year on November 17–19, November 24–26 and December 1–3.) |
6. Good chocolate
Accordingly, who doesn’t love quality chocolate? While the studies linking chocolate to heart health aren’t based on the strongest evidence, there is some evidence of benefit, and we can just enjoy it for pleasure, right? For a gift, a local, handmade creation is sure to please.
| Find it locally at… Cochu Chocolatier, powered by Calgary’s award-winning Anne Sellmer, known for her signature flavor combinations like “cherries, peanuts, coconut flakes and sea salt” or “sriracha, sea salt, sponge cake and pretzel” (oh my). Available at their flagship store at 429 8 Ave SE in the East Village and at various local retailers. |
7. Cheese
As with chocolate, why not treat your loved one to something beyond the everyday cheese? A little cheese can definitely be part of a heart-healthy eating pattern. (See here why.)
| Find it locally at… Springbank Cheese Co., “an independent Canadian company … operated by three generations of the Hemsworth family.” Shop online for cheeses, side dishes, accessories and gift baskets or call or visit for guidance on selection. Various locations in Calgary and now in Woodstock, Ontario. |
8. Set of spices
Eating with heart health in mind means more home-cooked food, and high-quality spices can really kick it up a notch.
Like many specialty items on this list, they are more expensive, which makes them a great gift for the enthusiastic cook. Not sure what to buy? Curated collections may be the answer.
| Find it locally at… Silk Road Spice Merchant, which offers “a complete selection of premium quality whole and ground spices, dried herbs, dried chilies and chili powders, and our own hand-blended spice blends and rubs.” Shop online or in person at 1403A 9th Avenue SE or at the Calgary Farmers’ Market. (There’s also a store in Edmonton.) |
9. Flavored nuts
Nuts are consistently associated with better heart health outcomes. If you don’t want a lot of sugar or salt, look for spicy flavors and check the labels. But a little bit of both is fine – you’ll probably have it on holiday with one treat or the other, so why not have it with all the nutrition that nuts have to offer?
| Find it locally at… Go crazy – Lower sugar/salt flavors include Garlic Onion Peanuts, Herb Garlic Almonds, Picante Spicy Peanuts, and Sweet Chili Heat Cashews. Calgary Farmers’ Market (both locations). |
10. Gift baskets
If you want to spend a little more and give a selection of food items like the ones above, how about a gift basket? You can make it yourself or let an expert choose one for you.
| Find it locally at… The Italian Center, where you’ll find a great selection of European snacks, produce, cheeses, desserts, breads and more. Be still my heart. 9919 Fairmount Drive SE plus Edmonton locations. |
11. Bonus: Gift cards for ready meals
Homemade is great, but sometimes life happens and cooking doesn’t. The good news is that many prepared foods are made right from scratch and just fine, for heart health. However, they can get expensive, so the gift-giving fairy to the rescue!
Thanks to everyone who contributed ideas for this new improved gift list!
What else would you add? Join the discussion in our Facebook group.
As always, I have no financial relationship with any of these businesses. Shawn of Springbank Cheese is my neighbor, Anne of Cochu Chocolatier’s kids go to school with mine, but that’s what happens when you shop local! You support people in your community. Yes!
