Gotta Go Ultimate Gift Guide 2011

Image/ChocolatefortheSpirit

It's time for the fourth annual Gotta Go Ultimate Gift Guide 2011, giving you ideas accumulated through personal experience, referrals and submissions. The handy list (in no particular order) is wrapped with links and recipient suggestions making it easier to find a perfect gift for just about everyone.

This year's Ultimate Gift Guide has a new item: the Judges' Favorite Award. The judges were unanimous in their enthusiasm of the inaugural distinction.

Without further ado...

JUDGES' FAVORITE AWARD

Chocolate for the Spirit

What: Gourmet hand-crafted chocolates

Who: Chocolate lovers, hostess gift, monthly club, stocking stuffer

Where: ChocolatefortheSpirit

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Burton's Maplewood Farms

What: Rum-infused maple syrup, pure maple syrup

Who: Foodies, gourmet cooks, pancake and waffle lovers

Where: BurtonsMaplewoodFarms

Christy Beaver and Morgan Greenseth

What: Mini pies cookbook

Who: Stocking stuffer, Children, gift exchange, baker

Where: MiniPies/UlyssesPress

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Cooking Greek Indy

What: Baklava cheesecake
Who: Hostess gift, family, individual, cheesecake lovers
Where: CookingGreekIndy

Winnie the Pooh
What: Disney's tale of everyone's lovable bear Cd/Blu-Ray set

Who: Movie buffs, Children

Where: WinniethePooh/Disney

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240 Sweet

What: Gourmet marshmallows

Who: Sweet lovers, stocking stuffer, monthly club

Where: 240Sweet

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iRenew
What: Well-being waterproof bracelet
Who: Elderly, athletes, stocking stuffer
Where: iRenew

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Lucid
What: Absinthe louching gift set with authentic wormwood
Who: Discerning drinker, Absinthe lover,
mixologist
Where: DrinkLucid

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Sweet Tooth Bakery Indy
What: Cake bites/pops
Who: Hostess gift, family, college
students
Where: SweeetToothBakery

CAMUS Cognac

What: Cognac gift set

Who: Discerning drinker, Cognac lover, mixologist

Where: Camus.fr

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Cooking Greek Indy

What: Gift basket of gluten-free brownies and cookies

Who: Gluten-allergy sufferers, hostess gift

Where: CookingGreekIndy

Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

What: Disney tale of Captain Jack Sparrow Cd/Blu-Ray set

Who: Movie buffs, Johnny Depp fans, Children

Where: PiratesoftheCaribbean/Disney

Flying Wish Paper

What: Flying wish paper

Who: Group, family
Where: FlyingWishPaper

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Molly Bakes
What: Crazy for Cake Pops cookbook

Who: Kids, stocking stuffer, hostess gift, bakers
Where: CakePops/UlyssesPress

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Jill Silverman Hough

What: 100 Perfect Pairings Main Dishes; 100 Perfect Pairings Small plates

Who: Novice and expert wine drinkers, foodies, office gift exchanges

Where: JillSilvermanHough

Image/YandLBauducco

Bauducco Panettone
What: Italian traditional holiday cake with
Hershey's chocolate chips
Who: Hostess gift, family
Where: BauduccoFoods

Holiday World

What: Holiday World public figure Mrs. Koch bobble head

Who: Stocking stuffer, Holiday World lovers

Where: HolidayWorld/PatKoch

Image/UlyssesPress

Valerie Lum, Jenise Addison

What: Ice Cream Happy Hour
Who: 20-somethings, gourmet cooks, hostess gift, stocking stuffer
Where: HappyHour/UlyssesPress


Elizabeth J. Musgrave is a syndicated columnist, syndicated blogger, travel writer, performing arts and restaurant critic. Catch her as Indy’s Entertainment Adviser on 93 WIBC, and follow her on Twitter @GottaGo and Facebook. Gotta Go is published in the following newspapers: South Sider Voice, Indiana Weekender, New Palestine Reporter, Pendleton Times Reporter and Fortville-McCordsville Reporter.

Ultimate gift Guide 2009

It’s that time of year again: snow, carols, crowds and serious decisions. Online or in-store shopping, blue or white bow with the gold wrapping paper, gift cards or actual presents, the spirit starts to wane.

Gifts which are unique will be remembered long after the tinsel is gone and the latest gotta-have-it is tossed to the side. The annual round-up of gifts discovered throughout this year, whether by design, referral or accident, is even tastier than last year. The quality, uniqueness and ease to buy are some of the factors which are looked at carefully before the items make it on this list.

Stocking stuffers can be the favorite gifts this year, if you get the perfect little something tucked between the popcorn balls and candy canes. Finding the trinket to please the recipient, without breaking the piggy bank can be easier than imagined, just by shopping in a non-traditional place. For example, rather than merging with the hundreds of others in the mall, stop in at a local winery for your vino-loving friends and family.

“For stockings and inexpensive small gifts,” described Meredith Easley, Easley Winery, Indianapolis, “you can’t go wrong with wine charms, a charm tree for display or wine bottle stoppers.” Other gift ideas for the wine lover are vacuum sealers, customized wine labels and the deluxe wine-making kit, complete with one free wine class.

For the wine drinker who thinks he has everything, try scooping up some tasty treats from the West Coast. Sacramento Cookie Factory has thin wafer cookies to accent red and white wines. Mocha-Chocolate, Raspberry-Almond and Lemon-Vanilla rearrange taste buds for a distinctive approach to wine. These saucer-size wafers also can be used to create unique desserts.

The chocoholic isn’t forgotten if you remember to order some of Trunnel’s Farm Market’s home-made fudge. Located just outside of Owensboro, the KY Bourbon Chocolate flavor ranks No. 1 on this year’s fudge choice.

Have a sweet lover in the family, who isn’t crazy about chocolate? Try out the hand-made gourmet marshmallows in more than 45 flavors, including Chai Spice and Lemonade, from local Indiana Artisan company 240 Sweet. These fluffy creations are delicious by themselves, making hot chocolate optional.

If traditional shopping isn’t possible, but ordinary gift cards seem too impersonal, purchase a more customized card or membership, without leaving home. Available by telephone or online, gift cards are available for a family membership to the local children’s museum, zoo or even the neighborhood YMCA. Most theater and concert venues will accommodate holiday buying needs whether a single performance or a season subscription is in the budget.

With the economy tightening the Christmas-giving budget this year, creative approaches can be the successful key to a gift which will be remembered long after the egg nog and snow have disappeared.

Guide to Ultimate Gifts

240Sweet
240SWEET.com
California Wine Wafers
sacokfac@pacbell.net
Easley Winery
easleywinery.com
Trunnell’s Farm Market
kevintrunnell@bellsouth.net

This post was originally published under "Gotta Go" in the West Side Community News in Indianapolis, and the West Indianapolis Community News.