Tag Archives: gifts

Triadfoodies Favorite Things & Holiday Gift Guide

Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays, foodies. It’s our absolute favorite time of year and we are back once again to share with you so many of our favorite things and drop them all into our annual Holiday Gift Guide of Glorious Deliciousness. I forget how many years we’ve done this, but we are thrilled to be back with our favorites of 2022. We hope this guide inspires you to grab a an item or two for a loved one’s stocking or re-create this guide and be more popular than Santa himself. Everything you see here is available at local markets and of course, online. And we are happy to be giving away this basket to a lucky winner. Keep reading to find out how to win.

sippin SNAX

Our newest discovery! When it comes to noshing, a little snack mix can’t be beat. Have you ever sat at the bar, drink in hand and found yourself munching away at the salty bar snack? Melissa Wallace definitely had her eureka moment when she thought of sippin SNAX, a selection of crunchable goodies that specifically pair with wine, beer, and cocktails. With seasoned pretzels or peanuts for beer and red wine, the choices are quite fun. sippin SNAX, like all of our gift guide items, make great stocking stuffers, but they are the perfect housewarming gift. If you know a realtor, tell them about these treats for their client baskets, or you can be the star of the gift giving when you arrive with your bountiful selection. We highly encourage the sampler pack which can be delivered right to your door. We find ours at Deep Roots Market in Greensboro and sippinsnax.com

Whole Hive Honey

Your breakfast biscuit just leveled up…literally. From up here in the High Country, Whole Hive Honey has enjoyed several years of popularity and if you’re a visitor to the Boone area, you’ll see their honey on many shelves. The Hive recently released “Sweet Heat,” a hot honey that is incredible. Enjoy it on toast or biscuits, but I highly encourage you to add it to homemade dressings and sauces to add the slightest kick. Its side kicks are the maple flavored honey that is spectacular in its own right and great in a glaze for roasted chicken or your holiday ham or on a biscuit with a little sprinkling of salt, and the Better than Butter biscuit honey is a newbie as well. You’ll be reaching for these sweeties again and again. wholehivehoney.com

Gorilla Grains

My love for the Gorilla runs long and strong. We are rarely without our favorite granola in our home. I’m pretty sure that a long, long time ago, Gorilla Grains was one of our first published “favorite things,” and so he makes his return for 2022. This year’s holiday spice tastes like a Moravian Sugar Spice cookie so we encourage you to seek that out online or in stores like Buie’s Market and the Greensboro Farmers Curb Market, Saxapahaw General Store, or buy online. I am telling you, this granola…it’s righteous…Its crispy, buttery goodness is unforgettable. There is absolutely no other granola like it. gorillagrains.com

Spicewalla Spice Blend Buxton Chicken Rub

If you’ve been to Asheville’s Buxton Hall, you know the flavors of smoking and grilling and Southern goodness abound. If you’ve been to Meherwan Irani’s Chai Pani then you know why it’s a James Beard Award winner. Irani’s spice company, Spicewalla, has created Buxton’s Chicken Rub and let me tell you, you will use it on all the things. Yes, chicken, but also roasted potatoes, veggies, pork chops, steak, next year’s turkey. It is wonderful. You can order Spicewalla online or you can find it in some local stores but do not deny yourself a trip to the spicewallabrand.com where the choices and flavors are seemingly endless.

Fisher’s Christmas Whiskey

I feel like I’d be remiss if I didn’t add a spirit to our holiday gift guide. Fainting Goat Spirits Christmas whiskey can be a bit hard to find once it’s released. This infusion of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg and orange peel is bottled in limited quantities at the distillery for a short time. And if by the time you read this, the ship has sailed, let not your heart be troubled. Look for it again next year. It’s best to get on their email list. The winner gets a bottle of this incredibly popular spirit. Check out FaintingGoatSpirits.com for more information or visit the distillery in downtown Greensboro.

Batistini Farms Vanishing Grape Balsamic

From dressings on salad (ahem, toss some pickles in it…ahem) to drizzles on risotto, this white grape balsamic from Clemmons’ Batistini Farms is liquid gold in my house. It is tangy and sweet and will forever have a place in our pantry and in our gift guide. Find it b-farms.com.

Black Mountain Chocolate Fruit Cake

She’s the living Queen of our Favorite Things. Take her to a party and be the “popular one.” Pair it with some sipping SNAX for a salty sweet treat. Pick up more than one as she freezes great. Enjoy her all season long and find her at Black Mountain Chocolate in Winston-Salem. blackmountainchocolate.com

Now you have your list, no need to check twice. So go out and support local small businesses. We will be giving the entire contents of the holiday gift guide to a lucky winner. Follow YES! Weekly on Facebook leave a comment on the gift guide post about what you’re most excited to try. We will announce the winner on Friday, December 9, and the winner can collect their basket on or after December 14.

Triadfoodies’ Favorite Things: 2020’s Holiday Gift Guide of Glorious Deliciousness!

2 Replies

What. A. Year it has been. Fa La La Lawdy!

We’ve been quarantined and kept from our friends, our restaurants and our monthly Chef’s Tables (we barely squeezed one in back in March before the world shut down). We miss you all very much. Honestly, with all that’s going on and all that’s not, I haven’t had a lot of desire to hop on here and blog. There aren’t restaurant reviews to churn out and I haven’t really kept track of my recipe making (except on insta…I do post pics of food). But! Pandemic or no, we’ve had a few opportunities to discover new local yummies and behold! With some new to us and some that have finally found their rightful place in our gift guide, here are just a few of our favorite things from 2020. Keep reading for your chance to win the entire list! We hope you’ll mask up and get on out there and support your local shops. All of the items mentioned make for great snacks and stocking stuffers.

Triadfoodies Favorite Things Holiday Gift Guide

Carolina Kettle Potato Chips

Specifically, the Sir Walter Cream Cheese & Chive. A riff on the sour cream and onion, they’re slightly less tangy than the latter but definitely pack a flavorful punch. We actually love all the Carolina Kettle chips, founded by Josh Monahan. You can find these chips at Mast General Store, Wine Merchants Bodega and quite a few local markets. Check the website carolinakettle.com for locations.

Memaw’s Cheese Tiddies

I hope y’all know what a Memaw is. The name is cute and attention getting and the little cheese crackers are great for snacking. Cheese Tiddies are brought to you by the same folks who make the above Carolina Kettle chips, 1in6 Snacks, so they know their …well…snacks. Give them a read when you get a chance as the company gives back to the local food bank with every purchase.You can find Cheese Tiddies at local markets, Mast General Store and online. 1in6snacks.com.

A La Brava Hot Sauce

This Winston-Salem hot sauce is gaining quite the popularity around the Triad. I love the Diablo on chicken wings mixed with a little butter and honey. Owner Marcos Medina is giving the winner one of all three hot sauces, Diablo, Habanero and La Mayan. You can find A La Brava at Wine Merchants and other independent shops, Lowes Foods, Publix, Harris Teeter, Deep Roots, GMart and several other stores in NC, SC, VA and TN. Visit goalabrava.com for more info.

Anson Mills Carolina Gold Rice

If you know, you know. Honestly, Anson Mills heirloom rice is top of the line and a chefs best friend. It is a little bit pickier to cook with than traditional store bought rice, even the highfalutin ones, but it’s so worth the extra step, which basically requires you to spread it out in a baking sheet and put it in the oven to help “dry it out” after cooking. It smells like popcorn when it cooks. It elevates any dish you prepare. No wonder it’s the choice of chefs all over. And our friends at Anson Mills not only included the Carolina Gold Rice, but also some grits! Happy day! Ansonmills.com

Smoke City Meats Pimento Cheese 833 Reynolda Road, Winston-Salem, NC

As you know, pimento cheese doesn’t pack well outside of refrigeration. I love all of Chef Matt Pleasant’s pimento cheeses but you really ought to try the White Pimento Cheese with white cheddar, parmesan and olives. Truists will also love Chef’s original and spicy pimento cheese. Follow SCM for specials, take homes and recipe ideas. Winner receives a $25 gift card for whatever they want in the store. We hope it includes pimento cheese….and MEAT (obviously). smokecitymeats.com

Wine Merchants & Vin 205 Bodega 205 S. Stratford Road, Winston-Salem, NC

Remember pre-pandemic when I had that Chef’s Table at Vin 205 and it was incredible?? As in back in February? Doesn’t that seem so long ago? And doesn’t it also make sense that we’ve had three Chef’s Table’s there? Sure does! Well, honestly I can’t decide what my favorite thing about Wine Merchants is. Caleb? Yes. Alan? Yes. Justin? Yes. The wine? Yes, yes. The bodega with all the great shopping, confections, local meat, pasta, snacks? Heck yes! The take and bake items? Oh please, absolutely. So winner gets a $25 gift card and then you can meander and get whatever you want, like a take and bake and wine. You deserve it. vin205.com

Black Mountain Salted Caramel Bar + Drinking Chocolate standing in for the BMC Fruit Cake

So because 2020 is being so 2020ish and all, Black Mountain Chocolate did some moving (literally) and shaking and at the time of this posting, they were only taking pre-orders of seasonal items. We have loved the Queen of Fruitcakes since the inception of our Favorite Things and it’s still available to order. To play it safe, BMC is giving the winner a candy bar, chocolate to drink and a $20 gift card. So, the lucky winner will also get to shop at the brand new Black Mountain Chocolate located in the Innovation Quarter. blackmountainchocolatefactory.com

Now, get shopping! But….how to win??
We’d like to thank all the makers above for giving these items for our gift bag of gloriously delicious favorite things!

Please, foodies, we implore you to support these and all local shops this season and the sooner the better. It has been so hard for so many and your support is keeping them alive. Comment below on what holiday item you are looking forward to trying this year OR drop any new finds in the comment section. We’ll give them a try and maybe they’ll make it to our finds next year. By commenting here or on Facebook and Instagram, you’ll also be entered to win the ENTIRE Favorite Things Gift Guide as a goodie bag. And I’ll have some runners-up too, who will take home one of each A La Brava Hot Sauces as well as Cheese Tiddies and Carolina Kettle Chips.

****IMPORTANT****Winner will be announced Sunday, December 13 and must be able to take possession of the goodie bag in person. NO SHIPPING. Winner should expect to pick up the goodies on Wednesday, Dec. 16 (weather permitting), in Winston-Salem and can be contactless, if preferred. I have arranged that the winning bag can be picked up at Wine Merchants at 205 S. Stratford Road if an in-person hand-off cannot be made.

As always, foodies, thank you for reading and supporting local! Merry Christmas and may your New Year be blessed and healthy.

Giveaway!! triadfoodies finds for Valentine’s Day

Leave a reply

From the latest Chow in YES! Weekly….

Can you feel it? That’s love in the air. The love of local food. We just loved putting together our Holiday Gift Guide and thought it would be lovely to do the same for Valentine’s Day. And once again a lucky reader will win this entire basket. We chose items that we thought celebrated this much-hyped “holiday” in a slightly different way. Sure, we’ve got some token chocolate, but we tried to think a bit out of the heart-shaped box too, all the while celebrating some wonderful North Carolina purveyors.

Foothills Brewing Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout

This is one sexy lady. Foothills Brewing releases this vintage annually, to much fanfare. The night before the release (which was this past weekend) Foothills throws a pre-release party. The party then heads outside where people literally camp out to be one of the first to get their hands on a coveted bottle. The Foothills team encourages the fun with swag. Then the doors open at 8:00 am with the tap flowing (with breakfast even) and then bombers go on sale at 9:00 am. Foothills Marketing Director Ray Goodrich says, “it’s really a fun party. And it’s become such an experience that it’s gone from a craft beer tradition to ‘Winston-Salem tradition’.” You can get Sexual Chocolate at the tasting room and at the pub and most local beverage stores for a limited time (and often limited sales customer). What to pair it with? Foothills’ Dave Goliszek says, “Grilled meats because the char of the meat pairs with the roasted barley. But also any dessert that would go great with coffee. Think molten lava cake or especially a raspberry cheesecake because the bitterness cuts the sweet, just like coffee.” foothillsbrewing.com

Cloister Honey (Ghost Pepper)

Why not add a little heat to your night? Produced in Charlotte, Cloister Honey’s Ghost Pepper was named Southern Living Magazine’s Honey of the Year. The honey is many a favorite of chefs around the state. Ghost Pepper will bring a bit of heat to your flavor party. How we love it….Drizzled over some goat cheese or brie, it has a sweet and spicy kick to jazz up whatever it touches. Or warm it up and drizzle it over a pizza with some arugula and pancetta or sopressata. Owners Randall York and Joanne Delarionda have also dressed up their other honeys with lavender, bourbon, vanilla, cocoa and cinnamon. If you are not quite sure what to do with your flavored honey, they can help you with that. Says Randall, “We have recipes on our website that are easy and the flavors are very interchangeable.” You can take a look at the full line of honeys on their site and find it on the shelves of several local retailers. Savory Spice Shop in Greensboro for one, almost always has a good variety. cloisterhoney.com

Two Triangles Sparkling Wine

The signature sparkling from Carolina’s Vineyards & Hops. We’ve featured CV & H before as the destination to enjoy North Carolina Wine and craft beer with local menu items like charcuterie and panini, plus desserts. In addition to the celebrated vineyards across the state, CV & H produces their own line called Two Triangles. This sparkling is is one of the first wines they created and bar manager Ashley Jones says it’s a top seller. “This wine is a toast and tribute to North Carolina. It’s not too sweet and not too dry and a reminder of how balanced our state is from the mountains to the coast and the two triangles that represent the Triad and Triangle.” This wine features tropical flavors, peach and honeysuckle and a hint of effervescence. What we love it with….artisanal cheeses like a creamy brie or something spicy with jalapeno. Chorizo would be marvelous, as would a great spicy curry dish. 111 S. Marshall Street, Winston-Salem; carolinasvineyardsandhops.com

Brasstown Chocolate

Named after the town in Western, NC because it’s home to one of the premiere folk art colleges in the country (John C. Campbell Folk School). Brasstown Chocolate’s founders Rom Still and Barbara Price wanted the name to be a reflection of the artistry of their chocolate. Still is an award-winning chocolatier tempering and molding handcrafted chocolate in Winston-Salem since 2010, when it simply started out as a hobby. His bars have won International Chocolate awards for the past few years running. We love this chocolate because of the complex flavors imparted by the native region from which the bean hails. Our winner will enjoy Ecuador, awarded the Whole Foods Market Good Food Award and the bronze winner in the 2015 International Chocolate Awards. The bar is made from organic Nacional beans from Manabi and has flavors that are more floral than fruit, with spice and the natural taste of honey. These bars average $8 retail. Obviously meant to be savored. brasstownchocolate.com

Granny Roselli’s Pasta Sauce & Pasta Wench Fettuccini

What’s more decadent and romantic than light, handmade pasta topped with a satisfying and rich pasta sauce passed down from generations? There’s just something about this simple Italian dish that says “romance.” And not because of Lady and the Tramp. But feel free to do that, when no one’s looking on your date night in. Maybe it’s the twirling of the pasta. Of course it’s definitely the red. Granny Roselli’s pasta sauce is made in Surry County and inspired by Daisy Roselli, who owned Sunny Italy Restaurant in Wilkes County for years before her passing a few years ago. Now, her son, John, keeps the tradition alive. Pasta Wench All Natural Gourmet Pasta (formerly of Boone) is now made right here in the Triad, on site at Musten & Crutchfield in Kernersville. Our winner will enjoy Original flavor but when you see this pasta (available at locally-owned markets), check out their other flavors like Chocolate or Cabernet, Wild Chipotle or Black Pepper. It’s mostly available in noodle form but they are working on a ravioli to be available soon. Granny Roselli’s Pasta Sauce, Salad Dressing and her famous Seasoning Blend are available at area supermarkets, as well as Musten & Crutchfield.
For more info about Pasta Wench, visit the online store, pastawench.com

Tart Sweets Macarons

Special for Valentine’s Day, Tart Sweets Boutique bakery and coffee shop created these lovely conversation hearts with messages of love for your sweetie. Why we love them? Have you seen them? They’re adorable. And crazy deliciously, crispy light and creamy. You’ll find all kinds of yummy confections at Tart Sweets, in addition to bourbon cherries, chocolate dipped stemmed berries, and other delights. Not to mention rows of French macarons filled with flavors only limited by pastry chef, Chelsea Tart’s imagination. Our winner will love their gift card to customize their selection.
848 W. 5th Street, #110, Winston-Salem tartsweets.com

As always, reach out to us if you know of a product that deserves to be loved and gifted, maybe you’ll see it in a future guide. If you want to get your hands on Valentine’s Day basket, follow the YES! Weekly Facebook page to learn how you can win! The winner will be announced on Friday, February 12. And be sure to watch WFMY’s Good Morning Show at 6:45am on Friday as I share this on live TV!