9 Utah food gifts for last-minute shoppers

Everyone knows the feeling when suddenly you realize that the holiday season is fully upon us and all the gifts are not yet checked off the shopping list.

Fear not; we’ve compiled a handy list of nine gift ideas for neighbors, coworkers, friends and family that are sure to satiate even the pickiest of palates.

Most suggestions are sourced from small local businesses founded in Utah and many are women-owned companies, meaning your purchase helps support business owners and families in our own community.

Several even have charitable components, so your thoughtful gift goes even further.

Here’s to the tastiest gifts in Utah.

Slurp six ($26) or 12 ($47) fresh mollusks with the oyster kit that includes a shucker, Togarashi cocktail sauce, rosè-Szechuan peppercorn mignonette and compound butter — for those who prefer baked oysters instead of raw. The recipient can order and pick up fresh oysters using the gift card that is included in the kit.

Made in small batches with fresh butter and cream, their six-flavor sampler box ($57.50) makes gifting so easy. Use the individual boxes as stocking stuffers or neighbor gifts, or give the entire 1-pound collection to family and friends. The English-style toffee features local artisan Solstice Chocolate and includes Traditional, Traditional Dark, Tartan Turtle, Summit, Blondie and Tango flavors. Each batch is handmade using the recipe handed down to founder Lori Darr from her mother.

Have coffee and dog lovers on your holiday list? Hugo Coffee Roasters’ new single-serve brew bags make a festive gift for both. The bags come in packs of 10 ($17.99) in two flavors — medium roast Roll Over Breakfast Blend and dark roast Bonafido. Steep the biodegradable coffee bag in a mug of hot water for an easy cup of gourmet brew, and save dogs with every sip.

Hugo Coffee Roasters founder Claudia McMullin was previously the executive director of Nuzzles & Co., so her dedication to charitable pet organizations runs as deep as her love for her furry rescue pup Hugo. That’s why Hugo Coffee donates 10% of proceeds to animal rescue organizations.

“Honey Teahive aims to make memorable moments and it’s important for me to create experiences with food, especially to enhance a celebration,” owner Mika Lee explains. While the British tea experience is most popular, Lee is willing to explore other cultures and teas upon request through her themed tea party boxes. Tea lessons and catering services also are available.

Imperfect Foods recently began delivering its grocery subscription boxes — filled with slightly misshapen produce — to the Salt Lake City area. This winter, the company introduced its “gift of sustainability” by saving more than 8 pounds of food from going to waste with the Imperfect Foods holiday gift box ($24.99). Just because some food doesn’t look perfect doesn’t mean it doesn’t taste delicious.

The holiday box includes blemished almonds, sunburnt dried mango, peppermint and dark chocolate-covered pretzel pieces, almond butter toffee pieces, Snacky Snack Mixy Mix (honey mustard pretzel pieces, honey roasted peanuts, seasoned sesame sticks, corn chips and corn sticks) and a savory, salty seasoning.

For food lovers and home chefs, We Olive offers olive oil and balsamic vinegar gift sets to meet various needs. The “neighbor gift set” features two bottles of olive oil or balsamic vinegar with a coordinating recipe card in two sizes, either a 2-ounce bottle set ($9.95) or 5-ounce bottle set ($19.95).

Larger, pick-your-own flavor two-bottle sets are ready to give with a gift box and bow. Choose from certified and cold-pressed olive oil and balsamic vinegars in two sizes: 8-ounce bottles ($32) and 12-ounce bottles ($46).

A five-bottle sampler comes with a 2-ounce bottle of each Arbequina Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Fresh Garlic Olive Oil, Organic Meyer Lemon Olive Oil, Aged Balsamic Vinegar and Blackberry Balsamic Vinegar for $25.

Purchase at the Trolley Square store at 602 E. 500 South, Salt Lake City.

A jar of Blue Cattle Truck’s Mexican vanilla bean honey ($19.95) makes the perfect work or host gift or stocking stuffer for the chefs in the family. Spread it on toast and croissants or dip a spoonful in hot coffee or tea. Raw Utah honey is blended with Mexican vanilla beans for a creamy treat. Blue Cattle Truck has been importing Mexican vanilla exclusively from the Canosa family in Veracruz, Mexico, and bottling and packaging a variety of vanilla products in Utah County for more than two decades.

Everyone’s got a cheese lover on their list, and Rockhill Creamery handcrafts its products in small batches on its historic farm in Richmond using raw milk. Each wheel of cheese is aged in an underground aging room.

The Mac & Cheese Special gift box ($34) is inspired by the Mountain Macaroni served at Deer Valley Resort and comes with a recipe. The box includes 2 pounds of raw milk cheese — approximately 21 to 23 ounces of nutty and buttery Wasatch Mountain and 9 to 11 ounces of Snow Canyon Edam, for deep flavor.

The Cheese Care Basket ($70) includes a selection of five cheeses in 7- to 10-ounce packages. Selections include young cheeses ideal for melting and reserve cheeses ideal for grating, and all are delicious for inclusion on a cheese plate.

Every purchase also helps those recovering from substance abuse as they learn professional baking through the yearlong training program.

Correction: This story now includes correct information about Rockhill Cheese availability.