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December 13, 2007

A tasteful holiday: Natalie Haughton's top food gifts for 2007

By Natalie Haughton
Daily News Food Editor

A food gift is always welcome during the holiday season … to share with family and friends, use as party fare or even indulge in alone. The best part for the gift-giver is that food items are fast and easy to pick up at the last minute .

You get more bang for your buck as no shipping fees are involved and you can see what you're getting. There are plenty of options at varying price points and many come prewrapped (or ask the store to wrap your selections to save time).

MINI ICED GINGERBREAD COOKIES
These darling miniature gingerbread Christmas cookies from Isobel & Co., are made in Canada with molasses, butter, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves. They come in shapes of Christmas trees, stars, mittens, gingerbread men and snowmen and are colorfully decorated with royal icing in red, green, white, yellow, orange and black. They taste delicious and would be a good hostess gift, a fun addition to cookie platters, great to leave for Santa or a terrific stuffing stuffer. A 7.6-ounce cellophane bag tied with a red satin ribbon is $19.50 at Williams-Sonoma stores.

FRESH ROSEMARY TREE
For a stylish, small table-top holiday tree (about 14 to 16 inches in height), pick up this tender rosemary shrub topped off with a mini gold bow. It's aromatic and can be used as a table decoration, in holiday cooking (lamb, roast meats, fish, poultry, breads, potatoes) and beyond. After Christmas, plant in your garden and it will keep on giving throughout the year. $8.49 at Trader Joe's stores in the flower section.

COFFEE AND COOKIES
For coffee lovers on your list, consider a festive colorful gift package with Holiday Blend Coffee (8 ounces), two chocolate-covered candy cane graham crackers and two peppermint biscotti. They are all wrapped up and tied with a red ribbon. $16.95 at Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf stores. A similar package is available for tea lovers.

CHOCOLATE SNOWMAN
A cute 7-inch-tall milk chocolate snowman, trimmed with a red chocolate collar, bow, button nose and hat brim, is an ideal stocking stuffer or table decoration. In a clear bag from Godiva Chocolatier, it's $15 for 8 ounces. At Godiva Boutiques at The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, Westfield Topanga, Canoga Park, Westfield Century City, Beverly Center, Glendale Galleria or other locations.

A WHOLE LOT OF LOLLIPOPS
For those See's Candies pop fans on your gift list, pick up the attractive Christmas tree-shaped box filled with a big bunch of butterscotch, chocolate, cafe latte and vanilla flavor lollipops. Great for any occasion, there are about 30 pops to a 1-pound 5-ounce box for $18.75. At local See's Candies shops.

DIPPING OILS
Dipping fresh, crusty rustic bread slices in a variety of oils is an interesting way to add flavor. Package up a duo … a bottle of Olivier Napa Valley Parmesan Dipping and Drizzling Extra Virgin Olive Oil (with toasted Parmesan cheese, garlic and herbs) and Olivier Napa Valley Pesto Dipping and Drizzling Extra Virgin Olive Oil (with basil, garlic and lemon) for a welcome gift. The oils can also be brushed or sprinkled on pan-grilled chicken, fish, meats or grilled vegetables or tossed with pasta for a change of pace. Made with California extra-virgin olive oil, the products come in 7.6-fluid-ounce glass bottles for $14.50 each. Other flavors are also available, including Blue Cheese, Greek or Fall Harvest. At Williams-Sonoma stores.

FRANGO MINT CHOCOLATES
For Chicago transplants or those who are partial to Frango Mints, the candies made famous by the former Marshall Field's are now available at Macy's stores in all kinds of configurations and various size boxes. A small Christmas tree box of 3 ounces of Frango Mint Chocolates is $12. A plush, soft brown moose with a green Santa cap and holding a 1.4-ounce mini box of Frango Mints is $15. Both available at Macy's stores throughout Southern California.

COCKTAIL MIX SAMPLER
A fanciful gift for guys, an entertainer or a party hostess is a carton of four different fruit-infused liquid mixes that are simply blended with vodka (sold separately) for flavorful cocktails. Included are apple martini mix (with Granny Smith apple juice), cosmopolitan mix (with cranberry juice), tangerine mix (with tangerine juice) and lemon drop mix (with Meyer lemon juice). Each 12-fluid-ounce bottle of mix makes six drinks when combined with liquor. (Directions instruct to shake a cocktail shaker filled two-thirds with ice cubes with one part mix and one part vodka; strain off ice and serve in a martini glass.) You might also try the mixes with champagne and other liquors, if desired. $36 per four-pack at Williams-Sonoma stores.

SHORTBREAD IN GIFT TIN
This partridge in a pear tree metal box is filled with wonderfully tender and tasty triangular, rectangular and round pieces of old-fashioned buttery shortbread. A 17.6-ounce container is $25 at Crabtree & Evelyn stores.

A SLEIGH FULL OF GOODIES
This metal sleigh is filled with a variety of treats including a .52-ounce box of Pirouline Chocolate Flavor Lined Wafer Rolls; a 5-ounce box of Caramel Whirls World's Finest Chocolate (smooth caramel center surrounded by creamy milk chocolate); a 2.6-ounce box of Walkers Chocolate Covered Toffee; a 1.25-ounce envelope of Luxe Cafe Dark Chocolate Orange Hot Cocoa; a 9-ounce package of Starbright Candy (chocolate mint-flavored hard candies); and an .85-ounce box of Lindt Lindor Truffles (milk and dark chocolate). Recycle the sleigh as a table centerpiece or decoration once the goodies are gone. Net weight is 1 pound, 3.22 ounces. $50 at Macy's.

CHOCOLATE-COVERED SEA SALT CARAMELS
Chocolate coated salted caramels continue in popularity and are as trendy as ever these days. Trader Joe's is offering salt caramels made in Ireland and enrobed in dark Belgian chocolate. Unlike some of their counterparts (with harder caramels), these buttery caramels are soft and tend to ooze out of the thick chocolate coating on the first bite. We like them best right out of the fridge as the caramel has set up a bit and is not as runny. Rich and indulgent. $4.99 per 6.3-ounce box (of 12) at Trader Joe's.

GLASS BEAR FILLED WITH MAPLE SYRUP
This 6-inch-tall clear glass bear, sporting a red knit hat, is filled with pure maple syrup U.S. grade A medium amber from Highland Sugar Works in Vermont. Refrigerate after opening. A 16.9-fluid-ounce jar is $19.95 at Williams-Sonoma stores.

LIMITED EDITION CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES
An indulgent box of Limited Edition Godiva Truffles is packed with two each of Gingerbread in Milk Chocolate, Eggnog in Dark Chocolate and Maple Walnut in White Chocolate truffles. The 6-piece 3.75-ounce box is $13.50. At Godiva Boutiques.

CHRISTMAS JOLLY JELLY BEANS
Jolly Jelly Beans come in assorted Christmas colors and flavors. Green and red are apple flavored; white jelly beans are coconut flavored. A 10-ounce package is $9.50 at Williams-Sonoma stores.

Note: All items, except those from Trader Joe's, were from stores in the The Oaks, Thousand Oaks, but are available at the chains' other locations.

natalie.haughton@dailynews.com