Monday, December 16, 2013

Guest Post: Seed & Plate's Gift Guide

This holiday season, I gathered gift guides and wish lists from local businesses, creative-types, friends, bloggers, makers, and do-ers I admire. Gifts are by no means the important part of the holidays, but I wanted to give local makers a chance to toot their own horns, and it's fun to peek into friends' wish lists. 

Today's guest post comes from my The Seed & PlateThe Seed & Plate is an independent magazine in Athens, Ga. with a focus on food, farming and community in the Southeast. 



The holidays are the perfect time to show support for the local businesses and talented craftspeople in your community. It’s the personal touch that comes with these gifts that always rings true with loved ones. Plus it’s a great way to show pride in the bounty of your hometown. Through our wanderings with The Seed & Plate, we have encountered so many unique products that we’d be thrilled to find in our stockings this year. Here are just a few!



Craft Seasonings by 3 Porch Farms
Specialty spice blends by Steve and Mandy O’Shea showcase the creativity that is the foundation of their farming philosophy. We recommend their Smoked Shiitake Sea Salt and Gomasio, a blend of toasted black and white sesame seeds, seaweed and dried shiitakes.  
Available at the Athens Farmers Market, every Saturday through December 21 at Bishop Park, on their website, and at Heery’s Too in Downtown Athens

Housemade Small Batch Tonic Syrup
The National is changing the way you think of the Gin + Tonic. From the very color to the depth of flavor, their special brew of cinchona bark, bitter orange peel, local lemon leaves, star anise and hawthorne berries will brighten your cocktail hour this holiday season. The syrup is pre-sweetened, so you just add your favorite gin, a splash of soda and a squeeze of lemon or lime juice for a new take on the classic.
Available at The National in bottles, 6oz. for $8 and 16oz. for $20

The Gift of Food and Wine from Shiraz and Healthy Gourmet
Healthy Gourmet is an incredible specialty food market that often goes unnoticed in its modest location on Baxter Street. The locally-owned store specializes in wines from small producers, fair-trade coffee, estate olives oils and vinegars, as well as artisan cheeses, meats and seafood and more. From a gift certificate to a personalized gift basket, this is a great place to shop for the foodie in the family.

Shiraz Fine Wine and Gourmet is the only specialty wine shop in Athens, and it’s the best-kept secret on Pulaski Street. Owner and chief wine steward Emily Garrison has carefully curated an impressive selection of wines, specialty food items and cookware. Shiraz offers gift certificates as well as memberships to their Wine and Beer Clubs that make great gifts.

Homebrew Supplies from Blockader
Calling all fermentation enthusiasts! Blockader is the perfect shop to supply a first-time brewer or to help an experienced brewer advance his craft. Located on Chase Street, Blockader is the only homebrew supply store in Athens, and its knowledgeable staff will be thrilled to help you select the perfect gift, from yeast and grains, to tanks and recipe guides.

Kitchen Knives from Bloodroot Blades
Luke and David make beautiful knives. They forge their knives by hand using recycled and found steel for the blades. The double b that adorns their work stands for both a commitment to a quality product and a respect for the land and resources used. Plus, they offer unconditional, lifetime warranty and free maintenance on all of their fine tools. 

Available from their website

Beauty Everyday is a collaboration by Athens power-team Rinne Allen, Kristen Bach, and Rebecca Wood. These talented women have created an art book that is filled with 365 photographs of found beauty. This gorgeous book uses every page to highlight the quirky and soulful quality that makes the Southeast a truly special place to call home.


Every piece that leaves Rebecca Wood’s studio has been crafted by hand. Her work is rich with whimsy and lush with color. These one-of-a-kind plates, bowls, cups and serving ware are destined to be priceless collectables. Take a moment to stroll through the open studio, located in a reclaimed produce warehouse on Carrs Hill, and select the perfect piece for your loved one by hand.
Available online and at R.Wood Studios


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