A very good friend of ours is turning 40 and we'd like to get a really nice food- or wine-related gift. (Budget, ~$250) -He lives in the Bay Area and collects wine. He is really into small family-owned boutique wines. -He is an outstanding home chef, and has been on a farm-to-table kick recently. For example, he recently put together a 4-course menu with wine pairings with ingredients only from local purveyors. This would have to be something that can be shipped. We don't want to get him a nice bottle of champagne or any cooking equipment. One idea I had was to order an assortment from an artisan cheesmaker (such as Bobolink Dairy in New Jersey). So, foodies of HF, what have you received, or heard of that I should know about? Thanks in advance.
Your lovely Austin Specs has 6 bottles of Ghost Block cabernet. Very hard to come by, and a great collectors wine. You'll want to call to have them hold it. Also, Black Kite will release their pinots to the public that haven't been purchased by us folks with allocations on 12/1. Last year, it sold out quickly and is again a collector's wine. The pinot 4 pack of all varieties will run you about $250. Finally, if you want to go the cheese route, I would probably do the Dean and Deluca cheese gift. There are varying levels you can purchase. Cheers, Sock Monkey
www.robertpecotawinery.com/ Pecota's 1999 merlot (if you can find it) is unreal. Also, they have a 3-pack cab (00, 01, 02 vintages) going for $140. Heck....you can get one for yourself at that price.
A little different idea: Find one of those cooking classes with a famous chef in his area like Alice Waters and give him a gift certificate (if he's into that type of thing). Some of these bring in celebrity chefs for special events: April Strings, Draegers Cooking School, Whole Foods-Salud, Tante Maries Cooking School, The Cheese School of San Francisco, SF Baking Institute, Ramekins, Kitchen on Fire, Delfina, Cafe Cuvee, Masa's, Hawthorne Lane, California Culinary Academy, Sur La Table, Two San Francisco, Inside the Kitchen/The Ritz-Carleton, Half Moon Bay, Chef Kerry's Cooking Class, & the First Cooking School.
I'll admit I am biased: How about innovative and unique locally made chocolate by Arte Y Chocolate. There is edible artwork on many of the chocolates. I can send you current pics and put together a gift box at any price range. Send me a PM. YUMMY AND BEAUTIFUL