Food trends are similar to fashion. One day you will be surrounded by cupcakes and the next day it’s pies! If you aren’t a “foodie” shopping for one can be daunting. If knowing the difference between brie and camembert is lost on you, don’t fret! There are plenty of places in the DC area that sell amazing ingredients sure to wow the gourmet in your life.
The Gadget Lover:
Ice Cream Machine: It might be cold now, but come summer any foodie will love an ice cream machine that will make frozen custard, granite, ice creams, gelato and so much more! Two of the best non professional ice cream makers are the CuisineArt ICE 21 and ICE 30, and will make up to 2 quarts of ice cream in as little as 25 minutes!
Where to Find: Hill’s Kitchen $59.95-79.95, 713 D Street SE Washington, DC 20003 202-543-1997
Electronic Food Scale: An electronic kitchen scale is an essential tool in every gourmet kitchen. Any cook will have measuring cups and spoons, but many do not own a proper food scale. They are essential to perfect baking, measuring far more accurately than a set of measuring cups ever could.
Where to Find: Any Sur La Table from $39.99, William’s Sonoma from $49.99, Hill’s Kitchen $49.95 or most major department stores
Sous-Vide Oven: High-end restaurants have been using sous-vide, a technique in which food is vacuum-packed and cooked at precise temperatures to create dishes that are juicy, and intensely flavorful. Any home chef would be thrilled to own one.
Where to Find: $299 -$449 online at sousvidesupreme.com
The Triple Threat: Cheese, Wine and Chocolate
Red Hawk, MT TAM and Devil’s Gulch cheeses: These three America Cheese Society Award winning soft aged cheeses are perfect for a cheese lover. Made and sold primarily in California, they are guaranteed to impress a cheese connoisseur.
Where to Find: Cow Girl Creamery $58 for all three cheeses 919 F Street NW, Washington DC 20004 202-393-6880 or online at cowgirlcreamery.com
Mast Brothers Chocolate: One of only a dozen or so American chocolatiers who hand make the chocolate from cocoa bean to bar, this micro-batch chocolate factory produces one of the purest and most complexes chocolate bars you can buy. Thanks to the purity of their recipe, you can actually taste and compare the differences in the cocoa beans sources like the terroir in wine or coffee.
Where to Find: Cheestique $8/bar 2411 Mount Vernon Avenue, Alexandria, VA 703-706-5300
Parmesan Thyme Wine Pairing Cookies: Cookies designed specifically for wine pairing meant to accompany sparkling wines. Though a parmesan thyme cookie sounds a tad unconventional the effect is a crisp savory cookie that melds perfectly with a Brut or Demi-Sec. Locally made by Cookie Zen, there are two other gift boxes meant to pair with red and white wines as well.
Where to Find: For the DC area location nearest visit cookiesandcorks.com or order online at gourmet-food.com
For The Chef
Chefs L-O-V-E specialty spices! A new and rare ingredient is just a new toy for the kitchen. If you really want to impress them, buy some quality ingredients they’ll really appreciate!
Penzeys Spices: A store entirely dedicated to fresh, quality spices is a one stop shop for a foodie. The workers are very helpful and extremely knowledgeable about the products. Ever spice in the store is labeled with there it comes from and it’s common uses. Perfect for spice exploration and helping novice pick out gifts! Things to look for: Arrowroot Powder (a thickening agent far superior to cornstarch), Fancy Vietnamese Cinnamon, Double Strength Vanilla, well priced Vanilla Beans around, and an impressive BBQ spice and rub selection.
Where to Find: Penzey’s Spices 1048 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD – (301) 738-8707 and 513 West Broad Street, Falls Church, VA, 703-534-7770 or shop online at Penzeys.com
S.A.L.T Sisters: This online retailer has more types of salt that you knew existed. Perfect to impress a foodie look towards their exotic salts such as Aguni exotic Japanese sea salt, and flake salts such as Cypres Black Lava Salt or Murray River Australia salt. If you are shopping for a baker be sure to check out the c.a.n.e. collection of flavored sugars such as raspberry, lime and even Habanero sugar!
Where to find: Despite what their website says Teaism does not carry their products. Shop online saltsistersonline.com
Dean & Deluca: The high end grocer of a foodie’s dreams has a new treat around every isle. Pay particular attention to their Culinary Lavender, Celery Seeds, Ground Sumac, Nigella, or Black Mustard, as these spices can be hard to find elsewhere.
Where to Find: Dean & Deluca 3276 M Street Northwest, Washington D.C., DC 20007 202-342-2500 Deandeluca.com
Special Diets:
Sticky fingers Vegan Bakery: Voted best Vegan Dessert, this DC Bakery is a no brainer for the Vegan in your life. Consider sending vegan cookies or cupcakes via their mail order or going downtown to shop. Gift certificates are also available!
Where to Find: Sticky Fingers Bakery 1370 Park Road NW, DC 20010 202-299-9700 or online at stickyfingersbakery.com
Macarons: If you have a gluten free foodie to shop for consider picking them up a special treat. Macarons have been slated to take the place of cupcakes (if they can ever be dethroned in DC!) and are gluten free! These chic French cookies are a decadent treat for any foodie even if they can eat gluten!
Where to Find:Patisserie Poupon 1645 Wisconsin Ave NW, Washington, DC 20007 (202) 342-3248 www.patisseriepoupon.net or Dean & Deluca 3276 M Street Northwest, Washington D.C., DC 20007, 202- 342-2500
Jana Erwin is the primary chef and writer of CherryTeaCakes.com, a non-profit venture combining the love of fine desserts and feeding the impoverished in Washington DC.