This holiday season, support small Island businesses and shop local, especially if you’re shopping for the foodie in your life. The Island has so many unique gift ideas that won’t break the bank.
For coffee lovers, Chilmark Coffee’s sole roaster, Todd Christy, has been roasting up new beans. Ethiopian and Kenyan coffees are his latest roastings ($17.50). Online, a special gift pack of ‘two bags in a box’, are available for $30 shipped. chilmarkcoffeeco.com.
For the tea lovers, Vineyard Teas hand-blended by Holly Bellebuono will warm up anyone’s cold winter nights. Herbal, black, and green loose leaf teas make an elegant gift. Two of her best sellers include the Katama Chamomile Calming Blend Tea and the Martha’s Vineyard Wise Woman Tea ($16.95). vineyardherbs.com/teas.html.
Chocolate lovers have a few on-Island options that will make anyone’s sweet tooth happy. Not Your Sugar Mamas is offering “healthy treat plans” (starting at $49.97/month). These subscription boxes to their cookies and chocolate bars allow you to set up monthly shipments of NYSM products. notyoursugarmamas.com.
Another chocolate option is New Moon Magik’s Enchanted Chocolates. I recommend giving a bag or two of their “Keep It Real Hot Chocolate Mix” ($12). Made with 70 percent cacao chocolate and vanilla sugar, it’s the richest hot chocolate you’ll ever taste. etsy.com/shop/NewMoonMagick.
And because chocolate is the best gift, don’t forget Murdick’s Fudge an Island tradition that offers a three-slice fudge gift box ($32.95), crafted with the freshest fudge flavors of your choosing. You can also add caramel corn, peanut or cashew brittle, and salt water taffy to your order. murdicks.com.
For salt lovers, especially those who love artisanal, small batch sea salts, Martha’s Vineyard Sea Salt is a great gift idea. With their “hostess with Artisan Ceramic Salt Cellar” option, you can get two ounces of this gorgeous Island salt paired with a salt cellar ($35). mvseasalt.com.
For beer lovers, both Bad Martha Beer and Offshore Ale sell some great apparel, barware, and other beer-related goodies online. Wrap your friends and family up in a Bad Martha Chappy Wrap ($89) or give a set of Offshore Ale Pint Glasses ($6.95/each). offshoreale.com and badmarthabeer.com.
At LeRoux Gourmet, foodies and their shoppers have a one-stop-shopping paradise: assemble a basket of olive oils, MV-produced sea salt, honey, chocolate, teas and coffees and top it off with a bottle of LeRoux’s Cranberry Pear White Balsamic Vinegar. lerouxkitchen.com.
For the cookbook lover, there are some delicious options from Island authors, listed below. Instead of ordering online, support local Island bookstores like Edgartown Books and Bunch of Grapes.
- Fresh from the Farm: A Year of Recipes and Stories by Susie Middleton
- Man Made Meals: The Essential Cookbook For Guys by Steven Raichlen
- Kale, Glorious Kale by Catherine Walthers
- Morning Glory’s Farm Food: Stories from the Fields, Recipes from the Kitchen by Gabrielle Radner
Whether you decide to purchase on-Island gifts or decide to bake up some homemade treats as gifts, remember that the season is more about how you’re making your friends and family feel, and less about how much money you spend on them. Create memories by getting into the kitchen to do some baking, or stepping outside for a walk on a local farm while sipping warm cider. ’Tis the season!
