By Nick Thomas
We’re mid-way through November, but there’s still plenty of time to beat the mad dash to the mall before people turn crazy or snag that perfect gift with the click of a mouse before it’s too late to ship anything. This week’s Holiday Gift Guide includes the last wine-tasting class you’ll ever need, a magic bartender bag that can fit a mind-blowing amount things and an array of flavored syrups for adding new and different flavors do your favorite cocktails.
Heath Glen’s Flavored Syrups: Take a basic drink recipe and kick it up a notch with Heath Glen’s flavored syrups. Their selection of unique flavors such as Orange Chipotle, Raspberry Tarragon and Smoked Tart Cherry are sure to widen the eyes of the mixologist in your life. Each flavor can be purchased through Heath Glen directly for less than $9 a bottle. || Order here.
The Bar Bag: For the bartender on the go or for the world’s greatest picnic host, The Bar Bag is an elegant and durable handcrafted cocktail travel bag. Available with or without every bar utensil necessary to make a delicious drink, the bag has enough room for up to eight alcohol bottles and enough pockets and straps to ensure everything is safe and secure. The bags normally cost $550 or $350 with or without tools respectively, but are $25 off until December 15. || Order here.
Corkcicle’s Decapitator and Vinnebago: Corkcicle has two great new products for this holiday season. Its travel mug, the Vinnebago, promises to keep hot beverages like coffee, cider or a hot toddy hot for up to 12 hours, and cold beverages like white wine, margaritas and other mixed cocktails cold for up to 25 hours. The Decapitator allows you to open any bottle cap about as easily punching a staple. Both can be purchased directly through Corkcicle—the Vinnebago is going for $30 while the Decapitator is going for $20. || Order here.
A San Francisco Wine School Class: The San Francisco Wine School is offering to take your wine tasting skills to the next level and in a more in-depth way than your local bottle shop. The school was founded by David Glancy, who is one of only about a dozen people with both a Master Sommelier certification and a Certified Wine Educator credential. Classes are available in three tiers (online programs, on-site workshops and three-day traveling intensives) that range in price from $125-1,800. || Order here.
A Boat, a Whale & a Walrus: Menus and Stories: Chef Renee Erickson is the owner of several acclaimed Seattle restaurants, such as The Whale Wins, The Walrus and the Carpenter, Boat Street Café and Barnacle. Her new book offers recipes inspired by French and Pacific Northwest cuisines and personal stories from Erickson herself. Amazon is selling hardcover copies for about $25. || Order here.
