Michele StuevenKicking off the December gift guide, celebrity Chef Curtis Stone, in partnership with Gathar, is launching a new culinary experience called Restaurant at Home. The Saturday, Dec. 9, and Saturday, Dec. 16 events will tease the upcoming series that begins in February 2024.
Stone and his team of five-star chefs will create curated menus in Los Angeles for groups of six or more. The in-home culinary experience includes a fully catered three-course dinner, along with a dedicated chef/waitperson who will serve and clean up for around $98 per person, plus tax and tip.
RAH is offering a complimentary bottle of wine to the first 20 people who book the December dates through a partnership with The Hidden Sea, an eco-conscious wine company that removes plastic from the ocean. Guests within 25 miles of Stone’s restaurant Gwen in Hollywood must select a date at least two days in advance of the December events to reserve.
The December menu begins with a charcuterie platter selected from the butchery at Stone’s Michelin Star-rated Gwen, followed by slow-roasted heritage chicken breast with vermouth jus, along with Josper roasted carrots with carrot Leaf chimichurri, braised collard greens and truffled mashed potato. Caramel pastry cream topped with salted caramel whipped crème fraiche, crispy rice pearls and espresso powder created by Gwen executive pastry chef Tamber Weiersheuser is for dessert. The plant-based and gluten-free menu features sweet potato and radicchio salad with roasted shallot dressing and candied pumpkin seeds and a glazed vegan loaf with a pumpkin coconut panna cotta for dessert. Ongoing new menus will kick off with the February series.
Chocolate wonderland (Courtesy Levain Bakery)
It’s time to unleash your inner Elf. In celebration of Elf’s 20th anniversary, HelloFresh is bringing back the fan-favorite Buddy the Elf spaghetti meal kits. Staying true to the over-the-top dish made famous in the film starring Will Ferrell, the HelloFresh kit features Colavita spaghetti along with sweet toppings like maple syrup, marshmallows, and more.
After selling out in minutes last year, HelloFresh is re-releasing the limited-edition kits with the addition of special collectible items, including two festive Buddy the Elf green suit aprons, two plates designating the four main elf food groups and one plastic storage bag to pack your spaghetti for lunch. The kits will be available starting on Monday, Dec. 4 at www.HelloFreshElfSpaghetti.com, no subscription is required. HelloFresh is also helping home cooks solidify their spot on the nice list with the debut of the new “Buddy the Elf’s Jolly Eats” recipe series, inspired by scenes from the holiday movie.
Levain Bakery Is bringing back its signature holiday flavor, dark chocolate peppermint, made with extra dark French cocoa, semisweet chocolate chunks and melty peppermint chips, crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside with a cool minty tingle. They’ve also launched a new limited-edition holiday tin for their decadent cookies as well as custom-made felt ornaments, featuring a hand-made felt Levain cookie inside its blue bag. The hand-embroidered ornament is made in partnership with Craftspring. Other Levain’s signature cookies included chocolate chip walnut, dark chocolate chocolate chip, dark chocolate peanut butter chip, coconut caramel chocolate chip, plus vegan and gluten-free versions.
Looking for a gift for a whiskey lover? Tam O’Shanter is offering decanter gift boxes that come with a branded 100th-anniversary Tam O’Shanter whiskey decanter, coasters and a limited-edition 100-year bottle of Benromach. They also have a Robbie Burns cocktail shaker kit with whiskey cocktail instructions, plus solo bottles of whiskey from their expansive collection. All gift sets and bottles are available for purchase at the restaurant.
Tam O’Shanter whiskey gift box
If you want to give a satisfying and sustainable gift, The Chef’s Garden Holiday Box is a delightful mix of regeneratively farmed vegetables and treats designed for the holiday season. Famous and revered by chefs across the country, Farmer Jones Farm is part of The Chef’s Garden, which was started by the Jones family in northern Ohio along the shores of Lake Erie.
Today, under the guidance of farmers Lee Jones and brother Bob Jones, Jr., they continue their father’s legacy of growing vegetables, herbs, microgreens, and edible flowers. They use regenerative farming techniques for healthy soil, healthy crops, healthy people, and a healthy planet. The holiday box includes seasonal vegetables like carrots, radishes, beets, mixed greens, kale, parsnips, and sunchokes and bonus treats like Dario’s focaccia bread mix and carrot marmalade.
There’s also a Plant-Based Charcuterie Box that includes:
- Petite Crudité Sampler
- Cuke with Bloom
- Petite Potatoes
- Edible Mixed Flowers
- Beets (for Beet Hummus Recipe)
- Root Vegetable Slices
- Dario’s Bread Mix
- Marmalade
And a Honey Bee Experience Box that has cut honeycomb, creamed honey, flowerhouse tea and fresh edible flowers.
Candified in Long Beach is the one-stop shop for all that is sweet in life and goes above and beyond just personalized gift boxes. They also offer seasonal crafty activities like holiday ornament making, holiday cookie decorating, DIY holiday totes and hats, candy sushi bentos, festive cookie candy pizzas and all the slime you can imagine. Gingerbread house building is $39 per creator with unlimited icings, toppings, candy and edible glitters. Bookings for 2024 creation station parties make a sweet stocking stuffer.
Farmer Lee Jones (Courtesy The Chef’s Garden)
Holiday Box (Courtesy The Chef’s Garden)
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