Stumped for what to buy those special someones on your list? Let Chow Bella do the shopping -- or at least the browsing -- with our 2014 gift guides. Today: gifts for the vegetarian.
Whether or not you agree with their dietary decisions, the vegetarian in your life probably deserves more than coal in his or her stocking. Here are some ideas for what to get the vegetable lover in your life.
A CSA Membership
The Farm at Agritopia offers a fantastic Community Supported Agriculture program. Each week, members can pick up a share of about 7 different types of locally grown, fresh produce. Agritopia estimates that this weekly allotment should comfortably feed an omnivorous family of 3-4, or 2 hungry vegetarians. The cost for this program is $25 per week, or $200 for all of next season (which starts January 10th, 2015 and lasts through March 4th).
Members have the option of picking up on Wednesday evenings at the Agritopia Farmers Market, or on Saturdays at either the Gilbert or Agritopia Farmers Markets. The best part? You can email in your membership form and pay for the CSA Subscription online, so a great gift for your veggie loving friends is just a click or two away.
A Really Great Cookbook
Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone, by Deborah Madison, has been one of our favorite cookbooks for years. Her book teaches great vegetable preparation technique, includes tips for building a classy vegetarian meal, offers wine pairings for various plant-based dishes, and features about a bajillion incredible recipes - not a single one of them has ever let us down. That's why we were so excited when earlier this year a new edition of Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone came out, with the oh-so-creative title The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone. This edition features updated ingredients, more vegan options, less tofu, and a gorgeous new cover. Your favorite herbivore will love it.
A Grow Your Own Mushrooms Kit
Not that kind of mushrooms, but the concept is still kind of magical: it's an ordinary looking log, riddled with little fungal spores, that you dip in water. Magically, a few weeks later, you have a nearly endless supply of edible mushrooms. Williams-Sonoma retails Oyster and Shiitake varieties. The log, when adequately moist, will produce a fresh crop of shrooms every two to three months for a few years. Perfect for your friend who's a real fungi, anyone who's looking to add a little umami to their meals, or that jerk you know who is always looking for an excuse to use that terrible word, "Moist." Moist. Moist. Moist.
Cooking Classes at the Dhaba
Did you know that the Indian Cuisine wizards at the Dhaba offer a whole lot more than just tasty tikka masala? They also teach monthly vegetarian-friendly cooking classes designed to acquaint students with the flavors and spices of Punjab. This experiential gift would be great for the non-meat-eater on your list, or for anyone looking to build complex and flavorful dishes in the comfort of their own kitchen.
A Seriously Beautiful Cutting Board
...for chopping all the vegetables, of course. The Kueffner Company, based out of Scottsdale, produce absolutely gorgeous stylized cutting boards from Maple, Birch, Cherry, and Walnut. If your vegetarian friend likes to cook, consider gifting one of these beauties - because nothing says love like hardwood. To see for yourself, visit the Kueffner Company's website.
