Tis the season for holiday shopping and gifting, and here at Cooking District we have something for nearly everyone on your list. Over the next few weeks we are going to highlight some of our favorite picks. First up, some delicious edible gifts. Food gifts are perfect because they are universal, can double as hostess gifts for any parties or dinners on your schedule. They can also help jump start your own entertaining. some of our current favorites:
Bon Appétit Box was created in 2014 by French husband and wife team, Zoé and Bertrand, high school sweethearts who bonded over a shared passion for food and travel! Bon Appetit Box, based in San Francisco, create delightful boxes chock full of French treats that are delivered to your doorstep. Every box is carefully curated with popular French treats to deliver as authentic an experience as possible, without needing to hop on a plane! Within your Bon Appétit Box, you will find 7 to 8 scrumptious gourmet items like juicy green olive tapenade from Provence, tasty Rillettes du Perigord or rich buttery sea salt caramel from Brittany. From the ancestral Apéritif ritual, to the modern Café Gourmand, Bon Appétit Box allows you to experience the flavors and traditions of France in a unique and fun way! Within each box, you will find a delicious array of goodies perfect for picnicking, before-dinner socializing, or as a well-deserved treat just for yourself. Every box includes detailed cards telling the story of the products within – origins, craftsmen, anecdotes, and tasting tips. Simply open your Bon Appétit Box and allow yourself to be whisked away on a French culinary adventure.
Cathy's Biscotti are baked from scratch and are hand crafted using the finest ingredients: sweet cream butter, fresh eggs, Callebaut cocoa and bittersweet chocolate, Madagascar Bourbon vanilla, roasted nuts, fruits, spices, and pure citrus oils and zests. Every batch of biscotti is finished with their signature sprinkle of sugar.
The quality of ingredients and the love that is baked into each batch is reminiscent of a simpler way of baking. All of their biscotti are made by hand; and they do not use preservatives. The delicious treats are meant to evoke sweet memories of childhood and family, whether it was baking alongside your grandmother, or the aroma of a warm batch of cookies wafting through the air when you came from school. With one bite, you'll be transported back to a simpler, uncomplicated time.
Coleen's Better Than Breadsticks. In 2009, Coleen Graham started the business, Cheeseparties.com. Her specialized skill set for pairing cheese with other food and beverages drove her to educate others on flavor complexities. Amongst her repertoire of classes includes demonstrations on particular cheese genres, pairing parties, and catering. Coleen began making breadsticks as an accent to her catering and pairing parties; a tasty snack for guests to munch on before the main course was served. Over time, Coleen’s breadsticks gained in popularity. Clients began to inquire about where to purchase her products. Thus, Coleen’s Better Than Breadsticks was formed.
Today, Coleen has six different varieties which sell in wine bars, craft beer bars and specialty markets in the Chicagoland area, and on Cooking District. Her commitment to making a quality breadstick came as a result of her small batch production with only the finest quality ingredients. Each recipe is developed and tested by Coleen to match the flavor profile she sought out to create. Every stick is hand cut and stretched to perfection. Coleen’s Better Than Breadsticks is an artisan breadstick that is truly, “better than any breadstick.”
Decadence Gourmet Cheesecakes are cheesecakes in a jar, made using quality ingredients, including Philadelphia Cream Cheese®, whole eggs, unsalted butter, pure cane sugar and real cream. The cheeesecakes come in both sweet and savory flavors. Pick your favorite flavors, or mix-n-match. There is more than a pound of decadent cheesecake in every six-pack.