local.sustainable.handmade.creative: a gift guide for december 2009

here are my picks for lovely gifts in all price ranges. to qualify for this list, each item had to meet at least 2 of the following 3 requirements:

-be produced in the bay area and therefore its purchase will help sustain our local economy

-be handmade by a small producer

-be produced by sustainable methods with little to no carbon footprint

in addition, i felt that most of these gifts are either inspirational, creative, community-building, or just plain fun.

all of them are beautiful.

enjoy!

memberships & subscriptions

a gift membership to

soul food farm's chicken and egg csa

($100 deposit)

a gift membership to mav's card society (from $17)

a gift certificate to the january session of mondo beyondo ($99)

a gift membership to 18 reasons ($40)

stationery & calendars

seasonal fruit of california calendar by claire nereim ($45)

letterpress calendar by dutch door press ($30)

simply breakfast calendar

($35 and sadly sold out, but maybe she'll print more!)

nikki mcclure 2010 wall calendar ($16)

campbell raw press calendars ($29.50)

art & craft

"marlow" or any of the beautiful prints from the simply photo pop up shop ($20).

i'm a bit partial to this one, obvs, after my trip to brooklyn.

our greatest glory gocco print by lisa congdon ($8)

trust your instincts print by ashley goldberg ($20)

the fruit, herb and vegetable of italy by angela liguori

($180, and check out her beautiful guide to roma!)

plus, you can check out these craft fairs:

&

food, etc.

i can't admit how many of these i ate at the meatpaper party in brooklyn. ($4)

june taylor's christmas cake ($46)

Spooning With Lot's Wife, originally uploaded by Prestidigitizer.

maldon sea salt (available at any specialty grocer, $5)

katz organic december's new oil ($24)

(i tasted some last week and have never before been

so impressed with a californian olio nuovo.)

photos by eric wolfinger

from chad robertson at tartine bakery, a loaf of the best bread in this country. ($7)

holiday marmalade and jam exchange/persimmon soiree

hosted by forage oakland (free)

on december 20th in oakland

custom-made organic cookies and caramels from ebcb (east bay cookie baker)

caramels: bay, lavender, honey and fleur de sel caramels

10 oz. decorative bag $14

cookies: salty chocolate cookies, molasses-ginger chews,

or candied tangerine and almond biscott

$12.50 per dozen

email chelsea at ebcb.sweets {at} gmail dot com to place an order.

she is local and may be able to meet you. otherwise, she is happy

to send your treats wherever you'd like them to go!

ball 125th anniversary 1-gallon canning jars ($13)

spatula tote bag by small screen designs ($14)

handmade sausages (boudin blanc, sweet italian, or spicy fennel),

cassoulet toulousain & ravioli from chris lee and me

(pre-order for pickup on december 23rd and 24th at pizzaiolo:

oldfashionedbutcher {at} gmail dot com. more details coming soon!)

poco dolce burnt caramel tiles (from $18)

my favorite local chocolates.

scribe winery 2004 syrah ($48)

housewares

aletha soule ceramics (from $32)

heath ceramics two cup set ($58)

diana fayt's

smallest bowl in pale yellow and ice ($48)

for the garden

galisse lettuce seeds ($6.20)

variegata di chioggia radicchio seeds ($1.50)

violetta precoce artichoke ($2.50)

kabouli black garbanzo beans ($3.00)