Locally Made Food & Gift Ideas

Give a gift that definitely won't be returned. Our Food Editor recommends everything from spreads to spirits, all made right here in New Hampshire.

November 14, 2018

Susan Laughlin,

Dear Santa,

Please make it a local Christmas with gifts that are always the right size. So many good people are working in small kitchens, and creative minds are brewing, distilling and fermenting for our enjoyment. Let’s share the tasty news!

Spirits and wine and cider, oh my, make perfect libations.

Savory condiments and sauces will perk up any meal.

Something for my sweet tooth, please — honey, jams and even granola.

Hope your flight is going well tonight! Please enjoy the hot toddy we left for you.

Not to worry, Rudolph knows the way and he’s already lit!

Coffee & Tea

1. House Coffee Rub, $9
The Everyday Café & Pub
14 Maple St.
Contoocook
(603) 746-6041
Made with French roast coffee beans. Goes great with everything from burgers and eggs to popcorn. Available at the café.

2. Organic Genmaicha Green Tea, $8.60
White Heron
601 Islington St.
Portsmouth
(603) 294-0270
Here’s that toasty popcorn flavor you have been looking for.

3. North-Bound Whole Bean Coffee, $19.99
Union Coffee Co.
42 South St.
Milford
Pairs well with wood-smoke, granola and star-filled skies. Also available at Whole Foods

Something Sweet

1. Raw and Unprocessed Honey, $11.95
West End Apiaries
Portsmouth
It’s said that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down, but raw honey is full of healthful properties — so maybe just skip the medicine? Available at White Heron in Portsmouth

2. Pure Wildflower Honey, $8 and up
D.J.’s Natural Honey
Nashua
(603) 622-3526
This is summer in a bottle and can be found at the Nashua winter farmers market at the former Alec’s Shoes store location at 201 Main St.

Find many honeys at winter farmers markets — click here for a list of markets around the state.

3. Gourmet Peanut Butter Scotch Granola, $10
Happy Cat Company
Nashua
(603) 880-4436
Featuring oats, coconut, a variety of nuts and butterscotch chips. Find them on Facebook. Available at the Nashua winter farmers market

4. Rhubarb Jam, $7.95
White Mountains Canning Co.
69 Main St.
Littleton
Just a little bit tart to bring out the beauty of rhubarb.

5. Homemade Orange Marmalade, $6.95
Highland Lake Apple Farm
50 Maple St.
Andover
Like Mama used to make. Available at the farm and at Gourmet Garden, 428 Main St., New London

6. Bourbon Maple Cashews, $6
Sweet Cheeks Creations
Brookline
Cashews are the bomb! Available to order online at sweetcheeks-creations.com or for purchase at the Nashua winter farmers market.

* Ornaments are by members of the League of New Hampshire Craftsmen. Visit nhcrafts.org for a list of gallery stores.

Something Savory

1. Dill Pickles, $10
Debbie D’s Homemade
Epping
This is a low-salt version flavored with spices and dill. Available at the Nashua winter farmers market.

2. Cranberry Blood Orange Cognac Gourmet Chutney, $10
Wozz! Kitchen Creations
Bethlehem
Perfect with brie. Their Kiwi Lime Salsa Verde won a Sofi Award in 2015 and is perfect for tacos. Order some online at wozzkitchencreations.com.

3. The Everyday Café & Pub Mustard, $6.50
Blackwater Mustard Co.
120 Tyler Rd., Contocook
Bring on the ham sandwich! Available online, plus find a list of stores that carry Blackwater Mustard Co. products.

4. Chili Relish, $6.95
Mola Foods
Nashua
Ancient Cameroonian tribal recipes. Order online at molafoods.com.

5. Golden Gravy, $10
Valicenti Pasta Farm
11 Monument Sq., Hollis
No tomatoes, just butternut squash, onions, fennel and garlic grown on their own property. Purchase online at gimmiespaghetti.com.

Holiday Spirits

Henry Knox American Dry Distilled Gin
Djinn Spirits
2 Townsend West, Nashua
Triple distilled for smoothness and vapor-infused with juniper (of course), grapefruit and coriander. Available at the Nashua distillery or select NH Liquor & Wine Outlets.

Sparkling Premium Hard Cider
Contoocook Cider Company
656 Gould Hill Rd., Contoocook
Made from late-harvest apples from Gould Hill Farm and lightly carbonated. Available at the farm tasting room.

Houndstooth Pomona Hard Cider
Pup’s Cider Company
Greenfield
A blend made with Russets and slightly tannic English apples for a dry finish Available at select NH Liquor & Wine Outlets.

Naked Old Soul Apple Cranberry Raisin Wine
Loyal Dog Winery
New Boston
More than a dozen apples varieties are fermented, long and slow, with cranberries and raisins —
Prohibition-style. Available at select NH Liquor & Wine Outlets.

Petite Blue
Hermit Woods Winery
72 Main St., Meredith
A delicious Burgundy style dry blueberry wine – an entire pound of wild low-bush blueberries is used for every bottle.