Local gifts for the foodie on your list

If you’ve got a foodie on your Christmas list, Morinville and Sturgeon County make it almost too easy to knock their socks off. Out here, we’ve got fruit wines , small-batch cheese, backyard-chef delights, craft beer with personality, and chocolates so pretty your giftee might hesitate to eat them … almost.

Read on for ideas that’ll make you look like the most thoughtful gift-giver ever.

For the Wine Sipper: Reveresque Fruit Wines

Give the wine lover on your list the chance to try locally made estate fruit wines by Reveresque, a small Sturgeon County farm and winery just east of Morinville. In the summer, you can wander their berry rows, sip a little, and pretend you live the quiet homestead life; in the winter, you’ll spot them at Christmas markets from Morinville to Athabasca handing out samples with seasonal cheer. But the easiest way to snag a bottle of Reveresque’s haskap, cherry, apple, or pear wine (while supplies last) is to pop over to Legendary Liquor right here in town. No planning required.

For the Cheese Lover: Lakeside Farmstead Christmas Bundles

And what goes with wine? Cheese — obviously. Sturgeon County’s own Lakeside Farmstead, just a few minutes north of Morinville, has Christmas cheese bundles ready to go: choose from three- or five-variety packs, all made on the farm. The bundles are only available at their on-farm store (open Wednesday to Saturday), but if you’re already running errands, Johnny’s Store in Namao keeps a selection of Lakeside cheeses — you might grab a loaf of their amazing fresh-baked bread too, who knows?

l-r: buying wine at Reveresque, Lakeside Farmstead cheeses at Johnny’s Store, beer tasting at Sturgeon Brewing

For the Backyard Chef: Smokehouse Barbecue & Power Tools

Shopping for the backyard chef of the family? Smokehouse Barbecue and Power Tools, over in Morinville’s south-end industrial park, is basically their version of a toy store. Shelves of local and imported rubs, spice mixes, marinades, and barbecue sauces — enough to keep the smoker going until the snow melts — sit alongside a sweet lineup of outdoor cooking tools and accessories. You can wrap up your shopping in one stop. Oh, and they also have an in-house candy store.

For the Beer Fan: Growlers from Sturgeon Brewing Company

And what pairs beautifully with barbecue? Beer — but not the boring kind. Sturgeon Brewing Company brews right here in Morinville and sells 64-ounce growlers of craft beer in flavours with personality: Combine Cream Ale, Farmhouse Smash, Raspberry Cream Ale, Voltron Session Sour… and they’re always tinkering with new creations. Go have a look, see what’s on tap … maybe settle in for a few minutes to do your due diligence and try a few potential flavours in a flight.

For the Chocolate Devotee: Au Chocolat’s Handmade Bonbons

And finally — what goes with everything? Chocolate. Morinville has its very own certified chocolate-maker and chocolatier, Au Chocolat, and if you’ve ever browsed their table at the Morinville Farmers’ Market, you know their bonbons and truffles are the kind you want to photograph before eating. Their website lets you mix and match flavours you won’t find anywhere else — pistachio marshmallow, Mexican lime chili caramel, blueberry coconut peppermint — and pick them up at The Flower Stop & Gift Shop. They’ve also got classic favourites and seasonal flavours like eggnog, candy cane, and gingerbread ready to go.

Wrapping it Up

So there you have it — a whole tree’s worth of locally made delicious gifts by creative local food entrepreneurs for your wine sipper, cheese snacker, grill master, beer experimenter, or chocolate lover.

And hey, every dollar spent close to home helps keep our burgeoning local food scene growing!

Happy gifting, and don’t forget to treat yourself while you’re at it.