Gifts for Cooks and Foodies

Gifts for Cooks and Foodies

By EMILY FITZGERALD News staff writer

For your loved ones who love food, this is arguably the best time of year, as it’s filled with holiday meals, freshly-baked cookies and treats given away as gifts. It may be time to look for a gift that fits with what they do best — whether that’s getting their hands dirty in the kitchen, or just appreciating delicious food.

The Gorge has no shortage of wonderful ingredients and Apple Valley Country Store takes full advantage: This holiday season, they’re selling a $20 BBQ Gift Pack; Oregon Cherry and Apple Cinnamon pancake, scone and muffin mixes; as well as a wide variety of jams and jellies, syrups, pie fillings, mustards and more

— they’ll even gift wrap it for $10. Shop online at https://applevalleystore.com/ or visit the store during business hours: Wednesday through Saturday from 10-5 p.m. 2363 Tucker Road, Hood River.

Packer Orchards is the place to get delicious gift boxes. For the holiday season, they’re selling 4-pack Jam Gift Boxes ($29.95), a Best of Packers Gift Box ($54.99), and more. Shop online at http://packerorchards.com, or visit the bakery during business hours: 10-2 p.m. weekends through November, closed December through April. 3900 Hwy 30, Hood River.

Treat the foodie in your life to some authentic honeycomb from Boda’s Kitchen: A jar costs $15 and a box is $35. Open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily on 404 Oak Street, Hood River

— and make sure to enjoy a sandwich or some of their lemon herb rotisserie chicken while you’re there. Open 11-7 p.m. daily. 404 Oak Street, Hood River.

Arome will be your Le Creuset store in the Gorge starting Dec. 1, so give the gift of beautiful cookware for the holidays. While you’re there, pick up some Beeworks Honey Balsamic Reduction, sold at Arome for $23.50 per bottle. This Washington made honey-balsamic reduction is handmade with a touch of sea salt and is the perfect addition to any holiday cheese plate. Open 10-6 p.m. Mondays-Saturday, closes 5 p.m. on Sunday. 105 Oak Street, Hood River.

Waucoma Bookstore is the home-cook’s paradise, carrying a wide variety of cookbooks,

including “Savor: Entertaining with Charcuterie, Cheese Spreads, & More” ($24.95) by Kimberly Stevens; and a wide variety of specialty kitchen items such as the Mini Supoon ($9.50) a bamboo board and spreader knife set ($9), and more. Open 10-6p.m. Monday-Friday, opens weekends at 9:30 a.m. 212 Oak St, Hood River.

Treat the foodie in your life with Cannon Packer Gift Shop’s “Foodie Basket,” which includes Columbia River Corn Chowder mix ($8.50), Christmas Pepper Jelly ($9.75) and Molly & You Beer Bread ($10); and complete the set with a Chop to Pot (mini $11, original $18). Open 11-5 p.m. Monday-Friday, closes Saturday at 4 p.m. 1006 E 2nd Street, The Dalles.