This post is presented by Wüsthof
Never show up empty handed. Standing on a doorstep my mother’s voice rings at the back of my head as if she’s standing right there with a megaphone. In this season of gathering with friends and sharing meals, she’s got that megaphone volume turned up to 11.
This weekend, I’m planning a trip to the Linden Hills Farmer’s Market’s indoor market. I’m bound to run into people I’d forgotten to get something for (teachers, mail people, newspaper carriers, random co-workers—there are gift opportunity ninjas stalking me for at least the next month!)
The LHFM is my go-to gift spot because of the people contained within. The market is frequented by chefs, influenced by chefs (most notably Steven Brown of Tilia) and catered to the food obsessed like me. I love stopping by the Kitchen in the Market stall to get my cookbooks signed by their local authors, stock up on Red Table meats for a killer charcuterie tray and taste test product samples to my heart’s content.
This weekend is their biggest market and market manager Libby Wyrum had several suggestions for me on unique gift ideas.
- Mill City Bread Company offers two make-your-own bread kits with a Danish Dough Whisk for under $25.
- A bottle of Olive Oil from the Farm – a single source purveyor of Spanish oils is available only at this market. Bottles start at $30. Add fresh basil from Living Green Farms to round out the for extra dish inspiration.
- Gentleman Forager has wrapped up ball jars of dried porcini mushrooms for under $10.
- Whistler Soda makes terrific retro flavors of sodas. 8 Packs available for $10.
- Linden Hills Spice has two jars of blended spice, “Spice it Up and Smokin’ Maple.” in a red box with a silver bow and for $18.00.
- Petite Sweets Pastries makes both tins and platters of Whoopie Pies, all wrapped up in a pretty bow. Prices starting at just $3.00.
- Hand roasted, hand selected, single batch coffees from St. Paul’s Bootstrap Coffee are perfect gifts to bring if you’re an overnight guest somewhere.
- Herbivorous Butcher, has terrific vegan additions as an alternate to those cheese + charcuterie plates (no, really!); including summer sausage and teriyaki jerky. Prices start at $5.
- Lefse, apple pies + pumpkin bread + berkshire pork will be available from Broadfork Farm. Prices start at $15.