It’s hard to believe this year is almost over. Late November and the first of many holidays always frame the year’s passing to the new one… slowly but definitively. And while I am still digesting a magnificent Thanksgiving day meal at my Momma’s (nice to have Joyce Goldstein in charge of your turkey and the like!) washed down with 1988 Vosne Romanée from Jean Gros and a delightful 1988 Clos de la Roche from Domaine Dujuac (Yum), I realized I need to get out my tryptophan induced laziness and get off a blog before heading to Argentina and Uruguay on Friday. I will do my next couple of blogs efforts from South America of course (and if I remember my camera… there will be accompanying photos).

The easy post Thanksgiving blog would be something about the best thing to do with leftover turkey, fun pairings for turkey hash, open faced turkey sandwiches and the like. But then that’s what everyone will be writing about on the days that follow. So, with giving on the mind (Hanukah, Christmas, Kwanza and the like) I thought I would share a few cool gift ideas, especially those that can be ordered online, without fighting the department store crowds. So… if you’ve not been naughty this year (or know someone who’s been good) – here are a few cool ideas to think about:

For the foodies- Cool eats from Zingermans, and Formaggio Kitchen. For the pastries, sweets, and all things baked, try Baked. The carnivores will love Gourmet Butcher Block and the apropos Ham I Am!

Wine gadget folks should look into- Deep Chill (I did this for getting my slightly warm reds to the right tem quickly without having to jam the wine in the freezer or drop ice cubes in it!) Or the Wax Whacker, a great way to get that frustrating wax off the seal without trashing your corkscrew and my personal fave at the end of the year… unbreakable glassware such as the Fusion line from Wine Enthusiast. And if you’re feeling flush and have the urge – you can take home winemaking seriously by getting yes, a Wine Pod.

Happy shopping! Until I blog from Argentina - hasta pronto.