My apologies for the tardiness of this post. 2019 has been a wild ride. I’m normally inundated with requests to be included in the gift guide, but it’s been a trickle this year. However, the items I do have to suggest are stellar!
Of course, I have wine recommendations, all from France this year. From I offer you Moulin de Duhart 2016 Pauillac. Ay $59.99, this wine is sure to wow the recipient. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, it comes from a distinguished lineage. After spending 10 months in two-year-old barrels, it’s designed to be consumed younger. I suggest serving it with beef or game.
From Chile, there’s the Los Vascos 2017 Grande Reserve Carménère. At $18.99, look for cherry, blackberry and ripe plum on the nose with flavors of roasted hazelnuts, black pepper, puréed black olives, and roasted eggplant. It has received rave reviews from critics.
The wines of Southwest France offer some spectacular selections, including the Domaine de Fages 2017 Cahors. Cahors is the birthplace of Malbec and this one is a beauty! From 35-year-old vines, this is a surprisingly tasty wine with raspberry and cherry blossoms on the nose. It’s unoaked, so expect a fresh and vibrant wine.
I also like the Madiran 2017 “petit Torus” from Alain Brumont. A blend of Tannat, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon, it’s fermented in concrete and stainless steel. It offers black fruit flavors and crisp acidity for under $13.
When it comes to culinary icons, they don’t come much more iconic than Emeril Lagasse. He released his Pressure Air Fryer in 2019, and along with it the companion book Emeril Everyday. The book contains 157 recipes to use with the Pressure Air Fryer, from snacks and appetizers, soups, stews and sandwiches, all sorts of meat, seafood and poultry, sides, breakfast and brunch and desserts, too.
You’ll find recipes for herb and cheese stuffed burgers black bean, chorizo, and sweet potato chili, parmesan crisp apples, Emeril’s baby back ribs and so much more. The recipes are easy to follow and most require no more than 30 minutes of prep time. At $26.99, it’s the perfect gift for someone you know who owns the Pressure Air Fryer. If they don’t, maybe this will provide them the incentive to get one!
The Mixology of Astrology is a great present for the cocktail-lover on your list who’s all like ‘what’s your sign?’ Aliza Kelly Faragher has written a clever book with amazing cocktail recipes paired to each sign of the zodiac, from Aries to Aquarius. Taurus might enjoy a pomegranate martini, for Libra there’s the Lycheetini, for Cancer the Boozy Strawberry Lemonade and for Scorpio the Corpse Reviver with Cognac, apple brandy and sweet vermouth. With 16 recipes for each sign, you should never run out of creative cocktail ideas. It lists for $15.99
I’m late in putting this out to you and if you’re reading this you may be scrambling for gift ideas. Just tell your recipient your gift will be worth the wait. See you in 2020. All the best for a very Happy New Year!
