Holiday 2014: Give the Gift of DAYTON FOOD !

New Flavor from Boston Stoker: Killer Brownie, available at Dorothy Lane Market

Stumped on Christmas gifts this year?  Tired of the same old, same old?

Today, the Food Adventures Crew offers up some unique Holiday Gift ideas, guaranteed to please any foodie on your list.  Heck, it will please anyone on your list who eats.

The King, Hungry Jax, Chef House and The Big Ragu have gotten their list of foods and they’ve checked it twice.

So without further delay, check out the new styles on display as Food Adventures presents the….

** 2014 CHRISTMAS “MUST TREATS” – Our favorite Dayton Food gifts for the Holiday season.** (and even a couple gifts just outside Dayton)

— BOSTON STOKER’S KILLER BROWNIE FLAVORED COFFEE:  Two Dayton originals collide to form a chocolaty, caramel flavored coffee that is brand spanking new.  Grab some at your local Dorothy Lane Market’s Boston Stoker coffee desk, where is it flying off the shelves.  At $15 bucks, the 12 ounce bag should last into the new year, without breaking the bank.  With that being mentioned, we all agree, you cant’ go wrong with ANY coffee gift from our hometown favorite, Boston Stoker.  Speaking of Killer Brownies….

Killer Brownie Tray at Dorothy Lane Market

— KILLER BROWNIE TRAYS FROM DOROTHY LANE MARKET:  They cut the brownies into fourths for tiny bites of the most rich, delicious brownie on earth.  And you can ship this sinful treat nationwide. Have a family member that doesnt like chocolate?  Ship them some Blonde Killer Brownies.  Hungry Jax ships her mom some of these every year.  Dorothy Lane can be the mecca of local gift food ideas.. like our next item for example.

— LAURA’S COOKIES at DOROTHY LANE MARKET:  Yes, there is a Laura and she has been baking her recipe cookies at Dorothy Lane Market since 2000.  Eat them local, or ship them nationwide.  Discover why DLM sells 40,000 of these cookies each December.  Laura’s Cookies are sugar cookies with almond flavoring, and topped with icing.  Icing designs can be Christmas and holiday trademarks, or even animals and sports themed.  While you are at it, get something for the party.  Just go a few yards across the store and get some DLM Spinach Dip for the crowd pleaser in you.

—PIG OF THE MONTH BBQ:  Local entrepreneur Lea Richards cooks up  perfectly smoked barbecue ribs, award winning pulled pork, specialty sausages, gourmet bacon, BBQ sides, and lip-smacking Award Winning BBQ sauces— and they’ll ship them right to your loved ones .  Their Pig  Starter kit includes a rack of ribs, Pig of the Month Jerky, a pound of bacon and a pound of pulled pork- what meat lover wouldn’t want to open up that package?  For real decadence, their chocolate covered bacon is a must!  And speaking of holiday giving- check out the DaytonDining facebook page as we kick off our 12 Days of Giving for a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Pig of the Month!

— GROWLERS FROM ARROW WINE: Arrow Wine has a great little growler station where you can fill up a bottled gift for your local friends or family.  It typically features local beers, Ohio beers and other regional ‘hard to get’ favorites on taps.  As you may know, many of the local breweries and restaurants also offer growlers to go.  Chef House says Toxic Brewery and Boston’s Bistro in North Dayton are on top of her list for growler choices.   Opening today, Germantown’s Mudlick Tap House is just one of the 35 places in the region to fill a growler.  

You can ship Cassano’s Pizza’s nationwide for Christmas gifts

— CASSANO’S HOME EDITION PIZZAS:  Yes, the frozen version of Cassano’s Pizza makes a  great gift for that thin crust lover.  They have 3 pizza types available: Cheese, Pepperoni and Deluxe.  Call ahead a day or 2 and they will have your order ready at the Stroop Rd Headquarters Location.   These pizzas are 80% cooked and you just need to warm them in the oven for that great Cassano’s taste.  You can give this gift to any local foodie, or have these pizza’s shipped nationwide in dry ice.  Get your order in by Dec 15th ton ensure delivery by Christmas.  For more info go to Cassanos.com

— GLAZED CROISSANTS FROM ASHLEY’S PASTRY SHOP IN  OAKWOOD:  Want heaven in a pastry?  These croissants are amazing and the perfect treat for Christmas Morning.  Wrap them up for a present, or keep them for yourself.  Go ahead and be selfish, we won’t tell Santa.

 — DAVE’S DAWG SAUCE: The mustard sauce that is made in Centerville is sweeping the area.  The stadium mustard style sauce comes in “Spicy Hot” or “Mild Medium”.  It is fantastic on, of course, hot dogs. It is tangy and delicious.  But why limit it there?  Try it on Reubens, or hot ham and cheese sandwiches during the winter months. There are so many applications for this.  Heat up someone’s winter with a squirt of Dave’s Dawg Sauce.  Give the gift of Dayton in a bottle !  There is a reason the domain name is theworldsgreatestsauce.com

Dave’s Dawg Sauce – Made in Centerville, Ohio

— DISALVO’S DELI & ITALIAN STORE: An incredible array of Italian wines, meats and cheeses.  This is a perfect place for that gourmet gift you are looking for.  They will custom make Christmas Baskets for you, or you can buy one of their pre-assembled ones.  Uniqueness points here, for sure.

— WARPED WING BREWERY’S CANNED BEERS: Any local grocer has these 4 pack cans of beer in three flavors: Ermal’s Belgian Style Cream Ale, Flyin’ Rye IPA, and 10 Ton Oatmeal Stout.  This gives you a variety of choice for the gift recipient.  Does the person like hoppy beer? Go for Flyin’ Rye.  Do they like lighter beers, hit them up with Ermal’s.  Dark beer lover? That calls for a 10 Ton Stout.  All of these beers are brewed and canned in Dayton.  That is something that hasnt happened in the Gem City for many decades.  In fact, this is the first Christmas since 1950, that canned Dayton beer is available for Christmas.

Custom, Hand Made Boxes of Candy from Esther Price lets you Customize Your Gift

 — CUSTOM MADE BOXES OF CANDY FROM ESTHER PRICE: Ok, we know Esther Price anything is a big Christmas hit, but did you know you can create your own custom made box for $18.  The candy box is the typical size you see in grocery stores, not the small one, but not the big one either.  Hate coconut creams, or always wanted to throw out certain candies form the assorted pre-made boxes?  Where here is your chance to make a box of candy tailored to your loved one or a friend.  Maybe they love milk chocolate covered cherries and turtles, or the dark creams and peanut butters best.  Whatever the combination, you will be their new hero when they see that familiar red bow, and realize it is a custom made pack tailored to their tastes!

Hot Honey Sauce from Housemade Sriracha – Perfect gift for your foodies friends

— HOUSEMADE HOT HONEY SAUCE and HOUSEMADE SRIRACHA SAUCE: These sauces are the hottest thing in Dayton, and we mean popularity wise.  Stores can hardly keep these sauces in stock, so you better grab some where you can. THIS LINK will help you find the sauces.  The Sriracha won a hot sauce contest in Louisiana, and the honey sauce won 1st place at Jungle Jim’s Weekend of Fire, so the reputation is there.  Let us be honest, we loved this sauce before Chef House was a part of the Food Adventures crew.  Now, we just are more on top of new products and sauces!  Are the Housemade sauces hot?  Yes, but not crazy, so you can control the heat in any circumstance.  What will steal your heart is the taste. Flavor is everything, so give the gift of Dayton’s hot sauce, this cold winter.

— DAYTON GIFT BASKETS FROM DOROTHY LANE MARKET:  The baskets are typically made up of Montgomery Inn Sauce (yeah we know it is Cincinnati), Jump’s Peanuts, an Esther Price box of candy, Pine Club House Dressing and some Dorothy Lane Market Potato Chips.  These run about $40 or you can make a custom basket, and prices would vary.  The good news is it is already wrapped and you can ship them anywhere.  Check with a DLM staff member for details.

 

Now for Honorable Mention, we have a couple of ideas just outside of Dayton, that still make great gifts…

 

— THE SPICY OLIVE in WEST CHESTER:  This is a quaint olive oil and vinegar shop in a northern suburb of Cincinnati, and it is worth the trip.  It is a perfect place to find gifts, and our friends and family treasure these gifts as some of their favorites.  Click here for their website and address.

 

Dayton Gift Basket – customizable or pre-made at Dorothy Lane Market

—BROTHERS DRAKE  APPLE PIE MEAD:  Take a trek to Columbus to visit this Meadery.  They make their products using local honey, and the result is a one of a kind spin on wine making.  It is a Food Adventure in a glass.  They never use sulfites and pride themselves on premium ingredients.   Check out their website here for address and more info.  While in Columbus, you might want to stop by….

 

— MIDWEST SPIRITS‘ OYO WHISKEY:  Here is a little known secret to Daytonians that is an hour away.  Love Whiskey?  Why drive south to a distillery, when you can get the good stuff in Ohio?  Looking for a perfect gift for that boozehound on your list?  Look no further.  Your Christmas shopping just got a whole lot easier.  So smooth you will crave it, so good you will obsess over it.

One last suggestion, and this one comes from “The King.”  Don’t get your loved ones a fruitcake under any circumstances .. at least not until we find a good local one that will set your world “a glow.”

There are many more places to find great food gifts in Dayton.  From the 2nd street market, to gift certificates to many locally owned, incredible restaurants.  This article could go on for days.  But these are a few of the holiday suggestions we have at a glance.

Do you have any suggestions for great Dayton Food Xmas Presents?  Please comment below!

NOW, GIVE US A CHRISTMAS GIFT – “Like” us on Facebook by clicking HERE.  You can also follow us on Instagram at #dayton_foodies

Browse the photo gallery below for more Food Adventure fun.  As always, these are our original photos.

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