Foodie Gift Idea

Andy and I received the most fabulous BBQ spice set as a housewarming gift from our friend, VP.

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The Barbecue Gift Box, from The Spice House in Chicago, contained four BBQ seasonings, one local and three from other regions.

• Bronzeville "Galena Street" Rib Rub
• Cajun Seasonings, Regular Spicy, Extra Hot, and Salt Free
• Jamaican Jerk Seasoning
• Trinidad Style Lemon Garlic Marinade Seasoning

It was packaged in the most delectable-smelling spices that could be reused for cooking: Korintje Indonesian cinnamon sticks, whole nutmeg from Grenada, and Turkish select bay leaves. Just opening the box made my mouth water. You should smell the inside our cabinet.
 
I think that any of the Spice House gift boxes would make excellent gifts for newlyweds, wedding party members, and parents. Their individual bags and items would be great hostess gifts. The two below are, obviously, my favorite - REPRESENT! - but their stock is quite diverse. They even have salad and veggie spices for your vegan homies.

• Ultimate Chicago Gift Box: I love anything that promotes the city's rep as "a heartland stronghold of meat, potatoes, and ethnic favorites to one of the country's (if not the world's) culinary centers."

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• Ethnic Chicago Deluxe Box: "This jumbo assortment of Chicago neighborhood blends is our best selling jumbo box, the perfect souvenir or introduction to the diversity of Chicago and its food." (I just read Andy the list of the spices in this box and we both want it!)
  

 

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The prices are affordable at $20-$45 per box, so you can package it with some cool cooks' tools and cookbooks or as an add-on for a registry gift.

As a totally random aside, I've noticed that I tend to use bullets more than most bloggers. I actually do business writing for a living, so this makes me giggle. Corporate America has forced me to organize my stream-of-consciousness style.