Urbanist Holiday Gift Guide: Food + Drink Edition

by Dayna Crozier | 12.11.2011

One of the hardest things about shopping for holiday gifts is suddenly wanting a whole bunch of stuff you didn't even know existed last week. You walk out of the shops, your thoughts lingering on that pair of sneakers in uniquely contrasting colors, that scarf that will make everything you wear look cooler, the Silvano wood watch that wouldn't even fit your tiny wrist anyway (see: Apparel Edition), and the glass piggy bank (see: Home Edition) whose belly would perfectly showcase the few pennies you'll have left in your bank account once your shopping excursion is over.

This could become infinitely more excruciating once you turn your mission to gifts of food and drink, because it's impossible to walk into Venissimo or Bottlecraft and resist the lure of Patacabra and some malty, hoppy carbonation. But, at least in this case, you can get yourself a little sumpin' sumpin' and keep it under $10 as you buy your special friends gift baskets, because after a long day of shopping, you deserve to cure your craving for some nice cheese or a desperately needed Lagunitas.

Which brings us to our third and final installment of the 2011 Urbanist Holiday Gift Guide: Food + Drink Edition, in which we try to not get goat cheese and raspberry balsamic chocolate on the keyboard while typing. FYI: More housewares inevitably fall into the mix, because what good is the gift of tea without a shiny, mid-century modern style teapot to serve it in?

Halcyon Tea (3009 Beech Street, South Park)

• Gift sets including a selction teas and accessories such as teapots, mugs, timers, infusers and books, $39.50–$87

• Tea gift bags including three 2-ounce packages, ~ $20–$30

• Hakusan Sabi Tea Set, $90
• Bee House Brew-In Mug (w/infuser) in various colors, $22
• Bee House teapots in various colors (shown: Classic 4 Cup in Sencha), Round 2 Cup $26, Classic 4 Cup $31