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Buy Mami a burger, send her a Starbucks gift card (grande hot mocha with whip) or nail polish at the Dollar Tree:
Mami Maisonet
5960 S Land Park #222
Sacramento, CA 95822
Mami’s Christmas Polvorones Recipe!
We’ve partnered with Bi-Rite in San Francisco to make Mami’s annual Christmas cookies. It’s literally the one cookie she makes and it’s a tradition and they’re insanely delicious. They’re like a shortbread texture and they have fresh walnuts inside.
CLICK HERE: AND THE RECIPE IS FREE AND IN THE CAPTION OF THE REEL!
Go! Engage with the Reel.
Be one with the Reel.
GO MAKE A DAMN COMMENT SO BI-RITE WILL WORK WITH ME AGAIN AND I’LL WORK MY WAY UP TO WORKING WITH LARGER BRANDS LIKE WHOLE FOODS OR SOME SHIT! I need money, man!
It just occurred to me that I have done a gift guide for three consecutive years! Yay for me. And if you’ve seen my previous gift guides, you’ll know I’m not really a brand name pusher. I personally purchase all of my kitchenware secondhand. All of it is vintage, from the cooking utensils to the plates, except the one 12’’ Lodge cast iron I received as a wedding present.
I talked about my love of vintage and my best finds in 2020’s holiday gift guide, including the portfolio of Indian art I found at the Goodwill for $3.99 that went to auction at Christie’s Indian art portfolio that sold for $5,000 through Christie’s Auction House. This was a fun one.
However, I know a lot of y’all don’t roll like that. And my lists are mostly a combination of vintage and the things people won’t say “eww” to because they consider it old and dirty. And haunted.
From last year, “I suppose most of what I affiliate Christmas with has been consumerism (we’d shop endlessly) and family (which some of you know I have nearly none). “I feel depressed. I know I should be happy, but I’m not.”
I remember getting on the bus and going Downtown with my grandma and holiday shopping at the Woolworth on K Street. K Street Mall would be decorated in the red, green and gold combination. Woolworth had a “pet department” in the basement and I’d spend most of my time unaccompanied and staring at the birds, rabbits, hamsters and gerbils until my grandma got hungry. Sometimes we’d eat at the Woolworth counter, sitting on chrome and pleather stools that rotated 360 degrees. Watching the jerks shift between manning the grill and combining milk and ice cream in large stainless steel cups that would go under the mint green Hamilton Beach. It was the same with Mami and her annual holiday trips to Kress in Stockton.
Anyway, here’s a list of shit that I like. Some of it by women. Some of it by BIPOCs. Some of it from small and independent businesses. Some of it you can’t even get stateside. Some things you may need to bring to parties or Hanukkah gatherings. Some of it is from slightly larger companies, but that have probably been around for a very long time and I would hate to see them disappear.
CLICK ON THE IMAGES TO GET THE LINKS AND INFO!
BAKED GOODS AND CONFECTIONERY
FRENA BAKERY
Hanukkah is Sun, Dec 18, 2022 – Mon, Dec 26, 2022
Fresh sufganiyot are made everyday throughout the holiday, NO PRE-ORDERING NEEDED for orders less than 10 dozen. If you want anything less than 10 dozen, just show up at the shop and purchase.
Pick-up locations:
Frena Bakery
132 6th St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Sunday-Thursday open from 9:00 am - 7:00 pm.
Friday open from 9:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Saturday - closed.
Hummus Bodega
5549 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94121
Sunday-Thursday open from 11:00 am - 8:00 pm.
Friday open from 11:00 am - 3:00 pm.
Saturday - closed.
SEE’S CANDIES
I wrote about California’s favorite chocolate for my newsletter this past summer. If you read it, you’ll know why I (and many others) have such an attachment to this brand. Also - it’s just good shit.
Grab a pre-boxed pound of chocolate for that someone special and for that stray your sister brought home for the holidays…again.
COOKBOOKS
So many of my colleagues released cookbooks this year. Does it matter where you buy it? Yes and No. It’s always better to support a small business over a conglomerate. But, we all know you want that book delivered to your doorstep by tomorrow and not within a week. Honestly, just buy the books, y’all.
Here’s a list of places you can buy them that are not Amazon.
@omnivorebooks @kalnyc @nowservingla @dogearedvalencia and other copies @booklarder @oblongbooks @powellsbooks @bookshopsc @bnunionsqnyc @bembrooklyn @cafeconlibros_bk @libros787 @stockpvd @wordbookstores @strandbookstore
SPICES (OBVIOUSLY)
Never in my life did I think there would be so many options to buy spices other than what my mother and nana purchased all of their lives (McCormick). And it’s even wilder to think that their choices were considered to be “the best” when purchased to make their holiday specialities.
While the Burlap & Barrel cookbook + sazon and adobo bundle sold out in less than 12 hours (thank you!), we still have some bottles of sazon and adobo left. Remember what happened last time with the blends. You fucked around and found out and were waiting four months for us to restock.
And if you haven’t pulled the plug on the spices because you can’t justify spending the $11.99 on a 3 ounce jar. Loisa’s adobo and sazon come in 2.3 ounce jars for $9.50 each.
But, remember…the extra $2.49 you spend on the B&B adobo and sazon is because the proceeds are split with me. And we’re the only sazon in the game that uses wild achiote directly from Puerto Rico. A small farmer, single origin, source. I could literally tell you the name of the fucking man right now. How many places producing sazon can say that?
B&B has a lot of other specialty blends and everyday spices: cinnamon, peppercorns, red pepper chili flakes, garlic powder.
DIASPORA CO.
Diaspora Co. is a BIPOC, woman and queer owned company founded by Sana Javeri Kadri. It also has the most beautiful aesthetic I’ve ever seen in a spice company. Hell, foodstuff company in general! And they’re having a popup in New York City at various locations in the month of December.
Stock up on your favorite spices, masalas, and tools in store; custom stickers and limited-edition treats; and the dreamiest lineup of fun events.
December 3, 2022 - December 18, 2022
MY FABULOUS FOOD
My Fabulous Food is a small, woman and black-owned company that produces and sells spice blends.
HOUSEHOLD GOODS AND COOKWARE
I’m much more of a vintage aesthetic person. Also, I don’t often have the funds to purchase handmade goods directly from the makers, but that doesn’t mean that I don’t share their information. Here are some beautiful things for your home that I have saved in my personal vault.
I bought these beautiful San Miguel goblets that were made in Mexico from Casa Marcela. They were a splurge purchase for me, but they were totally worth it and I can’t wait for them to appear in my next cookbook. Casa Marcela has a lot items made in Mexico and in neutral tones, which seems to be the very “in” aesthetic. Brought to you by Sister duo Marcela and Carina Valladolid.
Some other things…
I want to be one with the Reels! @jlcohan
My grandma used to always send us all See's Candies for the holidays! I had my mom call my aunt and ask about any traditions, because my mom can't seem to remember anything. All my aunt could think about was fruitcake which apparently she loves. So no See's Candies this year :(
We rarely spent it with my Grandma or Aunt because they both lived in FL and we live in NY, and the candy came from CA lol.
I do make coquito for the holidays, and I have my Diasporican book open to that page next to all my ingredients so I am ready!!