I’m stocking the pantry and making holiday gift lists hoping to get ahead of the busy Thanksgiving to Christmas gatherings. Here are three items that make excellent gifts, and you still have time to buy them for yourself and your guests before Thanksgiving.
Sam’s Famous Salsa
If you have foodies on your guest list or gift list who like things spicy, Sam’s Famous Salsa fits the bill. The salsa trio arrives in a lovely gift box that’s fun to open and can spice up all your holiday meals. The salsas are made by award-winning chef Sam Derr, owner and president of Elite Superior Foods, from recipes handed down by his family. He grew up in the Tarahumara Indian region in northern Mexico.
The media salsa is my favorite while my husband prefers the mild and my son “borrowed” the hot version to take home. Sam’s salsa is perfect for our favorite family breakfast/brunch of cheesy scrambled eggs with fresh-made, authentic Ancho pork tamales from The Tamale Company’s Bodega on Cedar Ridge in Duncanville.
You can order the three-salsa gift box online from Sam’s Famous Salsa, now on sale for just $9.99. The gift box arrives in an attractive package with two pairs of sunglasses thrown in. I have been wearing my pair of the lightweight sunglasses almost every day. Visit samsfamoussalsa.com for more information.
Holiday Gift Pack
If you’re looking for a unique gift for someone on your list who likes to mix things up, the Select Spritz Gift Pack created by Select Aperitivo and La Marca Prosecco helps anyone become a mixologist. It’s as easy as 1-2-3 to make a colorful and refreshing spritz with this Italian aperitivo. Pour three parts chilled prosecco over ice, add two parts Select Aperitivo and one splash of club soda. Garnish with a green olive and you’ve made a colorful and refreshing Venetian Spritz.
The Spritz is a perfect aperitif to serve along with a platter of olives, cheeses, and crackers before dinner. The attractive ruby red gift package contains a bottle of Select Venetian Aperitivo, a bottle of La Marca Prosecco, and a special Select Spritz glass. The Select Spritz Gift Pack is priced at $27.99 online, and is also available at your local Specs.
Wine Purifier
TheWand™ wine purifier was created by Dr. David and Derek Meadows, a father and son team who both love wine. But they didn’t like the histamine headaches caused by some vintages. Learning that 75 % of wine drinkers complained of similar issues, they spent years researching a cure. They wanted to find a method of removing the sulfites and histamines in both red and white wines without affecting the taste. They were finally able to invent a disposable wine wand purifier that removes up to 95% of the allergens. Simply drop the wand into the wine glass and stir to purify your wine in three minutes.
Leave the attractive wine wand in your glass to help identify it at social gatherings. It’s available in a variety of colors, including pink, silver and gold. Visit drinkpurewine.com for a special offer of an eight-pack of silver wine wands for only $9.99. They are also available at Total Wine in Cedar Hill. Pure Wine also features wine purifiers for bottles along with other products online.