Edmonton shops with gourmet gifts for your fave foodie pal
Does your best buddy love food above all else? Do they know the difference between java made from beans ground by hand and lesser cups of coffee? Do they consider chocolate a food group? If so, these stores offer the tastiest and loveliest gifts for your favourite foodie pal.
Italian Centre Shop Ltd. - Southside Edmonton
5028 104a Street Northwest, Edmonton, AB T6H 6A2This Italian mecca of decadent foodstuffs is like heaven to serious foodies. Put together a basket filled with goodies, such as gourmet cheeses, meats, stuffed olives and fresh pasta. Or, if you’re in a hurry, order one of their premade gift baskets, with themes such as coffee, cheese lovers, signature Italian and Merry Christmas. Baskets need to be ordered 24 hours in advance and picked up at the southside Italian Centre. It’s a fantastic gift for family, especially if you’re going over to their home during the holidays.
Confetti Sweets Inc
41 Broadway Blvd, Sherwood Park, AB T8H 2C1This local cookie company, based out of Sherwood Park, bakes such amazing cookies that they were asked to be a part of the gift bags at the Oscars. They hand-make their cookies with quality ingredients, such as Callebaut and Lindt chocolate. A tin of their oatmeal raisin, gingersnap, double chocolate or peanut butter choco-chunk cookies is the perfect gift for the friend who can’t bake or doesn’t have the time to do holiday baking. They also sell chocolate coconut cookies made with coconut flour, for friends on a gluten-free diet.
The Violet Chocolate Co
17515 10 Ave SW, Edmonton, AB T6W 1Z8This local chocolate company is small but does amazing work. They create award-winning chocolate bars, in flavours such as salt and vinegar chip, carrot cake, caramel pecan, lemon dill and honey rosemary. While some of the flavour combinations may seem strange, they taste absolutely amazing. Most of the flavours are gluten-free and some are dairy-free or soy-free. The maple pecan and blueberry is a personal favourite of mine, but you can’t go wrong with salted caramel and pretzel or strawberry basil. Even people who aren’t huge chocolate fans will go nuts for these little treats.
Carol's Quality Sweets
12519 102 Ave, Edmonton, AB T5N 0M4If handmade chocolates and truffles are on your dad’s Christmas wish list, look no further. Carol’s makes gourmet chocolates by hand, right here in Edmonton. This sweet shop also carries every kind of candy and chocolate bar you ever dreamed of, including a ton of stock from the U.K., where chocolate is basically as magical as unicorn kisses. If you have a pal who wants to try every flavour of Jelly Belly imaginable, this is a great spot to get them a Christmas gift they’ll devour quickly but never forget.
Paddy's International Cheese Market Ltd
12509 102 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T5N 0M4This cute little cheese shop, located in High Street, sells a plethora of cow, sheep and goat’s milk cheeses. It’s the ideal spot to pick up a new cheddar your cheese-savvy friend has never tried, or an award-winning gouda. In addition to international cheeses, they also carry some Canadian goodies, including some really flavourful goat cheeses from Quebec. The knowledgeable staff can help you pick out a few cheeses to give as a gift (pair it with a charcuterie board for a really incredible holiday surprise).
The Silk Road Spice Merchant Ltd
10818 82 Ave NW, Edmonton, AB T6E 2B3Whether your bestie swoons over gourmet sea salts or goes nuts for exotic herbs and spices, there is an excellent gift waiting for them at Silk Road. For the beginner foodie, you can pick out a variety of curries, herbs and spices to fill their kitchen spice rack. For the advanced gourmand, grab a mortar and pestle, a grinder or a grater so they can concoct their own spice blends right at home. I suggest you avoid the ordinary, every day herbs and buy them something they wouldn’t normally have at home, like lavender sugar or fleur de sel.
Jacek Chocolate Couture
10140 104 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5J 1A7Your friend who is obsessed with chocolate? She hasn’t lived until she has tried Jacek’s decadent sipping chocolate or one of their fashion-named bars, like the Audrey (dark chocolate with pistachio and cherry) or the Frank (cocoa nib brittle). And, of course, anyone would adore the Marguerite, which consists of 70 per cent dark chocolate with edible gold. If you can’t pick just one, try the sample box or get a box of truffles, like the Marie Antoinette collection, for your favourite cocoa-loving pal. Her waistline will hate you but her taste buds will sing your praises.
Evoolution
11958 104 Ave Nw, Edmonton, AB T5K 0G6I’m always singing the praises of Evoolution, but it’s seriously the best spot to liven up your cooking routine. The flavoured extra virgin olive oils come in multiple sizes and a ton of flavours – they have everything from Persian lime and wild rosemary to chipotle and wild mushroom and sage. And, their balsamic vinegars are full of vivid fruity flavours, such as black cherry, cranberry pear, raspberry and blackberry ginger or other decadent tastes, including espresso, lavender and dark chocolate. The sea salts also make excellent gifts, as do the box sets of oils and vinegars.
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