DAYTON EATS: Give the gift of food this holiday season

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

Long in a marketing flash of inspiration that is now far, far away, a company called Harry & David began selling gourmet gift baskets featuring “Royal Rivera Pears” they were growing in an orchard in Oregon’s Rogue River Valley.

That was 1934.

Yes, gift baskets were around long before then, but Harry & David was one of the companies often credited with helping to popularize gourmet gift baskets and make them more readily available to the public at large.

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

Today, gift baskets are even more plentiful and can satisfy every palate and interest.

You love ice cream? Order a Jeni’s ice cream collection (https://jenis.com) that will arrive in 1-2 days for around $60 plus shipping.

Wishing for Santa to deliver an authentic deli experience? Order a box from Carnegie Deli (https://carnegiedeli.com) in New York — stuffed with three pounds of pre-sliced pastrami and corned beef with mustard, half-sour pickles and rye bread with a couple of black and white cookies thrown in for good measure.

There are coffee boxes, cheese boxes, sausage boxes, tea boxes, wine boxes, pasta boxes ... and, most likely, other boxes just one order away from delivering a gift of nourishment, flavor and taste tailormade with your recipient in mind.

Companies like Mouth (www.mouth.com) and Olive & Cocoa (www.oliveandcocoa.com) are two of my favorite non-local companies to order gifts from when it comes to season’s eatings, but an unending number of other businesses out there can also help step in depending on what food goods you desire.

When it comes to shopping locally for foodie gifts made easy, it’s probably not shocking to hear that Dorothy Lane Market is like our own Harry & David. DLM is ready to make your shopping simple and someone else’s dreams come true.

The gourmet grocery store has a little more than 200 gift ideas packaged and ready to ship around the country to family, friends and colleagues.

A visit to www.dorothylane.com offers a bevy of options from which to choose.

Credit: Gina Weathersby

Credit: Gina Weathersby

Of course, there are plenty of Killer Brownie options to send, but other savory options are featured. One such offering is the ultimate charcuterie and cheese board ($95).

There’s also a “seacuterie board” that will impress the recipient swimmingly with a selection of tinned seafood favorites, including shellfish, octopus and canned tuna.

There’s a British cheese pairing box ($45) and a vegan cheese pairing box ($45).

There is an ultimate grilled cheese kit ($60) and a DLM grass-fed burger kit ($65). There are healthy self-care packages ($50) and an option for a gift box where you can pick your treats.

There’s a salami of the month club, a Killer Brownie of the month club, an artisan bread club, a VIP chocolate bar club, a tea of the month club, an Ohio coffee club, a pasta club, a bacon club, a cheese club and a grilled cheese club. You can mail a movie night, cocktail party or a pad Thai dinner meal kit. The options are surprisingly varied.

I personally love the DLM Favorite Collection ($100), featuring some of their best DLM signature products they sell that include: Vera Jane’s extra-virgin olive oil, a DLM milk chocolate bar, DLM 100% local honey bear, DLM 1948 classic dark roast coffee, DLM organic peanut butter, DLM jumbo premium mixed nuts, DLM Sea Salt Caramels, DLM deluxe granola and a Killer Brownie bar pack.

The French pantry favorites box ($75) is also something off the beaten path for the foodie in your life, allowing them to whip up those wonderful French bistro salad dressings with Banyuls vinegar, Nicolas Alziari French Olive Oil and Edmond Fallot mustards. There’s also French chocolate from Paris, as well as an Aioli from the Luberon region to enrich any sandwich or egg dish.

The store’s best seller is the Ohio Artisan Box, which curates a selection of products from Ohio food crafters including an Ohio-shaped cheddar cheese, Maverick Chocolate Co. dark milk chocolate, North Country Charcuterie salami, Buckeyes, DLM jumbo premium mixed nuts, Boston Stoker Highlander Grogg and Original Killer Brownie bars. You can complete the Ohio theme by adding an Ohio bamboo cutting board to the order.

Credit: Contributed

Credit: Contributed

When it comes to gift-giving this year, you can’t go wrong with food and drink; and when you’re short on time, you can’t go wrong with ordering it online and having the work of packaging and shipping done for you. With just three weeks left, this is your reminder to order today before your shipping window closes.

You can go local, you can look at your favorites from the state, or you can look with a wider lens across the country. If you have a credit card that’s ready to go, most things you can think of are ready to ship.

Wishing you season’s greetings and season’s eatings as you navigate this final push to the holidays!

Dayton Eats looks at the regional food stories and restaurant news that make mouths water. Share info about your menu updates, special dinners and events, new chefs, interesting new dishes and culinary adventures. Do you know of exciting outdoor spaces, new exciting format changes, specials, happy hours, restaurant updates or any other tasty news you think is worth a closer look at? Email Alexis Larsen at alexis.e.larsen@hotmail.com with the information and we will work to include it in future coverage.

About the Author