The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Delmarva Gift Guide
There's never been a better time to grab a tote bag and make your mantra ‘shop local.’ Luckily, in Delmarva, holiday shopping is as simple as a mouse-click without a Wi-Fi password, thanks to a growing number of culinary craftsmen offering their goods across the peninsula. Find something for everyone on your gift list with some of our local picks, ranging from cutting boards and cast irons to kombucha, coffee, and rum. The most wonderful time of year (without the cost of shipping!), indeed.
Dog Bark!
Milton, Delaware Give your furry four-legged friends more than just table scraps this holiday season with a bag of these all-natural, peanut-butter- flavored dog treats, made in collaboration between the beloved Dogfish Head Brewery and Waggies by Maggie & Friends, a non-profit dog treat company that employs people with disabilities in Wilmington. You might even treat yourself to some good karma, too.
Blue Crab Bay Co. Barnacles
Melfa, Virginia Chesapeake residents go nuts for this Eastern Shore Virginia snack company, with yours truly having to sit on her mitts to find self-control near a popped-top can of Barnacles. Think Chex Mix on steroids, with a salty, spicy medley of seasoned peanuts, cheddar crackers, pretzels, and the oft-fought-over rye chips.
Butterpat Industries Skillets
Easton, Maryland With glowing reviews (see Bon Appétit and Tasting Table) and star-chef devotees (such as Husk’s Sean Brock and Woodberry Kitchen’s Spike Gjerde), the hottest thing in cookware happens to hail from Maryland. These pristine cast-iron pans are forged in Pennsylvania before being finished on the Eastern Shore. Reserve them for those on your Nice List.
Faulkner Branch Cidery
Federalsburg, Maryland Move over, grapes—apples are all the rage these days, with hard cider moving in on wine as the new “it” fruit juice. While it can sometimes be sweet, Blades Orchard does small-batch cider just right with gluten-free varieties that are subtle, nuanced, and full of fresh fruit flavor. Serve it as a welcome addition to wintery meals or take friends and family to a weekend tasting tour on the farm.
Lyon Distilling Co. Rock & Rum
St. Michaels, Maryland Let’s face it: we all need a little bit of liquid courage to get through the holiday hoopla, and the local hooch distilled by the fun-loving crew at Lyon in St. Michaels is here to help. The 100-proof rye whiskey is worth a dabble, but don’t sleep on the Rock & Rum, with a fresh take on the classic bottled cocktail, featuring festive notes of citrus and caramel to warm your belly with tidings of joy.
Night Kitchen Coffee
Denton, Maryland With this Maryland micro-roaster, you can travel the world without ever leaving your French press. Treat your caffeine fiends to a monthly coffee subscription that features a rotating selection of the bean pusher’s best offerings, from single-origins to blends and decafs, from small farms across the globe. Also keep an eye out for their line of specialty spices, such as curry and za’atar.
Salter’s Chesapeake Gourmet Eastern Shore Pub Sauce
Royal Oak, Maryland Mark Salter is something of a celebrity chef on the Chesapeake Bay, from his days at the lauded Inn at Perry Cabin to his leadership at the Robert Morris Inn. The British expat keeps the crab-cake connoisseurs coming by combining Maryland’s classic cuisine with his homeland’s expert bar fare. Exhibit A? This spicy-sweet pub sauce, fit for every steak, shellfish, and stocking.
Real Raw Organics Kombucha
Ocean City, Maryland In addition to packing a flavorful punch, these healthy fermentations are said to have medicinal benefits such as better digestion (which is especially helpful during the season of eating). Keep these teetotaling brews, such as grapefruit rosemary and peach ginger, on your party bar to enjoy on their own or mix into spritzers. Also wrap them as “mocktail” ingredients for your mamas-to-be.
Waxing Kara
Kent Island, Maryland Let us count the ways we love Waxing Kara. The honeys, for starters, with every new batch bearing the distinct floral flavors of its harvest. The lollipops, for seconds, as the natural stirrers are worth adding to any cup of tea. The soaps, the candles, and, now, the artisanal teas, imported from around the world and the perfect vessel for the sticky sweetness of bees.
Sea Fire Ceramics Oyster Platter
Parksley, Virginia Winter in Delmarva means lots of local oysters, and this year, you can up the ante by bringing your best shucker one of these handcrafted platters by artist David Crane of Virginia’s Eastern Shore. Bivalves might be having an on-trend moment, but these aquamarine oyster plates are a timeless homage to the elegant tableware of yesteryear.
Shippen Creek Fine Wood Works
Chestertown, Maryland Along the edge of his wood shop’s namesake waterway, Kent County craftsman Roy A. Mears hand-carves an exquisite collection of cutting boards, serving trays, and butcher’s blocks, along the way maintaining all the natural curves and burls of their cherry, hickory, and walnut trees. Stow away these labors-of-love for a mistletoe-y moment with your special someone.
The Ugly Pie
Salisbury, Maryland Don’t let the name fool you, as these scratch-made pies are anything but unappetizing. In fact, you’ll find yourself drooling over buttery crusts filled with icing-drizzled apples, sugar-sprinkled cherries, and crumbletopped blueberries. Consider them a go-to for hard-working hostesses, or selfishly save them for “Santa” on Christmas Eve.
