<p>I’m not Missypie but I think the Tx tamales are good. My SIL used to send us dozens every Christmas. Also have enjoyed the Danish kringles. We often order from Zabar’s - babka, coffee and more - for gifts and for home.</p>
<p>Personally, I always make a gift box (flat rate USPS) of HI goodies. No one has ever complained that it’s the same candies, coffee, tea, mac nuts, etc. many years and they all seem happy. I buy whatever strikes my fancy and make a gift box. A friend likes to buy local jams and jellies, as well as other locally made products. Don’t see why the gift has to be different every year or at all, if it’s enjoyed. Perhaps a rub or seasoning that’s made locally? Oil, vinegar or other seasoning made locally? We have locally made salts, mac nut oil, etc.</p>
<p>So timely - I have been searching for something interesting to send to a friend/business associate and I’m thinking the tamales would be great. </p>
<p>5 dozen tamales sounds like a lot of tamales. I’m assuming they are not very big? Missypie?</p>
<p>My sister-in-law, who lives in Texas, every Christmas sends me a crate of wonderful Texas pink grapefruits. They are large, perfect, and delicious. Much better than the best grapefruits you can get in the supermarket.</p>
<p>I get grapefruit from my mom, who lives in Florida. She orders them from a Florida company called Hale’s. They are beautifully packed and taste just great. If there is any problem with the fruit at all, they will replace the order with no problem (but we’ve never had a problem). </p>
<p>We are also big fans of Harry and David pears. We have those every year at Christmas. Much better than any pears we can buy in stores here.</p>
<p>Smoked Salmon?
When my relatives would come from Mo, they would bring pork tenderloins & leave with salmon & oysters.
( oysters don’t travel well 
This is the chocolate I like out of Portland.
<a href=“http://www.moonstruckchocolate.com/[/url]”>http://www.moonstruckchocolate.com/</a>
But this is the company I really like.
I get the caramels.
<a href=“cadeauxchocolates.com”>cadeauxchocolates.com;
<p>Bookmarked! Love Zingermans monthly and quarterly gifts. Bacon, Adventurer, etc.</p>
<p>" The Hater’s Guide To The Williams-Sonoma Catalog"</p>
<p><a href=“http://deadspin.com/5959212[/url]”>http://deadspin.com/5959212</a></p>
<p>Shrinkrap, perfect reading material with 1/2 of a canna butter brownie.
My legs still hurt, but I pulled a muscle laughing! :D</p>
<p>The tamales come in packages of 6, and freeze beautifully. Yes, they are good…locally made. They aren’t quite the same as if you know someone whose Abuela makes them every year, but they are very good. If you don’t want the holiday pack, there are lots of other options. They have some good vegetarian options. We think the sweet tamales are best with caramel sauce drizzled on top.</p>
<p>missypie - Thank you so much for that suggestion! I have a (virtual) shopping cart ready to go - this will be our Christmas eve dinner! If you get any rewards for referring people, send me a PM so I can give you credit.</p>
<p>One of our family’s favorite sources is Cajun Grocer: [Turduckens</a> | $85 Delivered | Order Now! | Fresh from CajunGrocer](<a href=“http://www.cajungrocer.com/food/fresh-foods/holiday-dishes-turducken.html]Turduckens”>http://www.cajungrocer.com/food/fresh-foods/holiday-dishes-turducken.html)</p>
<p>In case you forget to send someone a Christmas gift, or just want to extend the holidays yourself, remember that Carnival season begins with Epiphany (Feast of the Three Kings), traditionally on January 6th. Try a King Cake from Manny Randazzo’s (Haydel’s King Cakes are good, too.)
<a href=“https://www.randazzokingcake.com/pages/Best-King-Cake!.html[/url]”>https://www.randazzokingcake.com/pages/Best-King-Cake!.html</a></p>
<p>A heads up that at restaurant.com you can buy a $50 food basket coupon for $5 today - limited to food basket PURCHASES $100 or more and at a certain food basket vendor. But maybe worth checking out…</p>
<p>[Specials</a> by Restaurant.com: $50 Certificate towards Gift Baskets](<a href=“Daily Deals on Dining, Travel, and Entertainment experiences | Deals”>Daily Deals on Dining, Travel, and Entertainment experiences | Deals)</p>
<p>Has anyone mentioned some kitchen gadgets yet? How about some new gadget that they could use over & over again…LOVE the cooking class idea…</p>
<p>About the kitchen gadgets - I’m finding that more people are avoiding buying anything made in China and especially anything to do with food prep/consumption. Unfortunately, it’s still tough to find non-PRC made kitchen gadgets even at high end stores. I noticed that Amazon has started providing Country of Origin info on many of the items they sell, as does Fantes. </p>
<p>Last weekend we received a kitchen gift bought at Williams-Sonoma that I exchanged (without telling the people who gave it to us) because it was made in China.</p>
<p>Just something to consider -</p>
<p>Don’t want to take over this thread but this question is food gift related…</p>
<p>Our family does an adult gift exchange. Item must be food related (actual food, item used to make food, board game about food - whatever, but food RELATED). $$ limit, $25. </p>
<p>I drew my brother’s name and am stumped what to get him. (we keep names anonymous till everyone has opened then we guess who had our name). He is an AVID fisherman (has a 50 foot boat, takes charters out), goes deer hunting - is a general outdoorsman. Any ideas for something new you’ve come across that might cover one of these favs for him??? Don’t want to go the usual “jerky” type route -that’s been done for him in the past…I thought about the Choffy mentioned upthread but think it will be tough to get for the price (he does drink coffee but also will go on health kick binges now and then).</p>
<p>Oh no! Now I can’t decide between the pecan praline King cake and the tamales.</p>
<p>If they like baking, the Flour cookbook might be a good option. Flour is an excellent and kind of iconic Boston bakery (they beat Bobby Flay on Throwdown with their sticky buns) and bakers that I know love the cookbook.</p>
<p>How about a Portillo’s Chicago hot dog package? [Deprecated</a> Browser Error](<a href=“Chicago Style Hot Dogs -10 Pack | Portillo's”>Chicago Style Hot Dogs -10 Pack | Portillo's)</p>
<p>Abasket, </p>
<p>Cabela’s sells a venison bacon kit: [Cabela’s:</a> Cabela’s Venison Bacon Seasoning Kit](<a href=“http://www.cabelas.com/seasonings-cures-brine-cabelas-venison-bacon-seasoning-kit.shtml]Cabela’s:”>http://www.cabelas.com/seasonings-cures-brine-cabelas-venison-bacon-seasoning-kit.shtml)</p>
<p>as well as a marinade kit: [Cabela’s:</a> Sportsman’s Gold Big Game Marinade 3-Pack](<a href=“http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cabin/Food-Processing/Seasonings-Cures-Brine|/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104557680/Sportsmans-Gold-Big-Game-Marinade-3-Pack/1199543.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1101298%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd715289&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd715289%3Bcat104557680]Cabela’s:”>http://www.cabelas.com/product/Home-Cabin/Food-Processing/Seasonings-Cures-Brine|/pc/104798880/c/104723280/sc/104557680/Sportsmans-Gold-Big-Game-Marinade-3-Pack/1199543.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse.cmd%3FN%3D1101298%26WTz_l%3DSBC%253BBRprd715289&WTz_l=SBC%3BBRprd715289%3Bcat104557680)</p>
<p>They also sell grilling planks that your brother might like for fish. Maybe you could find a stainless steel fish basket or a wide turner to go with some cedar grilling planks.</p>
<p>abasket - I immediately thought of spice rubs for his fish. Assuming he cooks it. My husband has a broad selection of spice rubs. He doesn’t cook fish but he has one for each thing he cooks - i.e. one for tritip, one for chicken, one for pork, one for steak.</p>