Kasey Wilson: Last-minute gifts for the foodie or wine geek

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It’s crunch time for finding the perfect gift. No need to stress.

Here are some ideas for the palate-driven folk on your list.

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For your cooking friend: Caren McSherry’s Gourmet Warehouse has the perfect gift for your foodie friend, or it simply doesn’t exist. Visit gourmetwarehouse.ca or drop by the store at 1340 East Hastings St. in Vancouver and prepare to be awed. So many wonderful things — cookware, knives, cooking classes, aprons, coffee-table books, variety of bitters, hot sauces, spices, vinegars, salt, and more.

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For your not-cooking-tonight friend: Scamper over to one of Vancouver’s best cheese shops, Les Amis du Fromage (1752 West 2nd and 843 East Hastings) and pick up a homemade frozen casserole, made with love and often organic. I can vouch for the Bacon & Leek Mac & Cheese ($26.50, serves two), and the Beef Shepherd’s Pie ($24, serves two), among other options. And of course, an excellent cheese selection. Hours: Dec. 24, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

No one ever went wrong giving sparkling wine or a liqueur: B.C. Liquor Stores are your friend for last-minute adult drinkables. My recommendations include South Africa’s Amarula Cream Liqueur, $24.49 to Dec. 31 (or plant-based version at $29.99). From the Treviso area of Italy, Bottega Rosé Gold Prosecco brut, $32.99, to Dec. 31.

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For the world’s biggest and best selection of B.C.-grown wines (1000+ from 175 wineries), head to Save-On-Foods at Pemberton Plaza in North Vancouver and pick up a bottle of Red Rooster Sparkling Rosé $28.99: www.saveonfoods.com. Many other B.C. Save-On stores carry wine too. Go to their website for a list of 22 Save-On-Food stores with B.C. VQA wines.

For non-imbibers: Pick up cans of Lady Boba Classic or Brown Sugar Bubble Teas at 7-Eleven for $2.79 each.

Restaurant gift cards: Treat your friend to lunch, happy hour or dinner. The leader in casual fine dining, Cactus Club Café, offers a $75 e-gift card until Jan. 2, 2023, with a $15 bonus for you. Good at any Cactus Club location. Glowbal Restaurant Group’s gift cards ($50, $75, $100) can be redeemed at any of their exceptional restaurants including Glowbal, Coast and Italian Kitchen. For a special treat, give a gift card to Five Sails at the Pan Pacific Hotel. In denominations that range from $25 to $1,000, your friend can enjoy the fab West Coast menu and stunning views of Burrard Inlet and the North Shore.

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Tuck 740 wines under the tree: The 44th Vancouver International Wine Festival returns full swing in 2023, from April 22 to 30, featuring theme region South America and an international focus on sparkling wines. Limited tickets to events in the International Festival Tasting Room (740 wines from 152 wineries) for your 19+ pals. Depending on the session chosen, advance sale prices range from $109 to $129, and the super pass is $460.

Inspired cooking magazines: One-year subscriptions to Southern Cooking Magazine includes Better Homes & Gardens. Or a one-year digital subscription to Garden & Gun — the gun refers to shuttlecock or birdie in badminton — which has fabulous recipes.

Local Vancouver Magazine knows a thing or two about restaurants and points you in tasty directions, especially with its outstanding annual Restaurant Awards issue.

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Vancouver International Film Festival gift card: $15-$100, redeemable at all VIFF Centre events year-round including at the annual festival. The VIFF Centre is considered “the best of the best — the city’s top-rated cinema.” Until Jan. 5, revel in up to 10 quirky films by Wes Anderson including The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Royal Tenenbaums, The Darjeeling Limited, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. For a schedule of all upcoming films playing at the centre, go to viff.org.

Twilight Dripless Candles: $1.49 each in all the colours you could want, at IGA stores. Or white Jubla Dripless Candles, $9.99 for 20, at Ikea.

Used books: Great bargains (many rare and unique in mint condition) at Book’Mark, The Library Store, Vancouver Public (Central) Library or other used book shops around town.

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Give Lucky Tickets from 7-Eleven: Buy instant-win Ugly Sweater B.C. lottery tickets for the risk-taker on your list. Although comedian Annie Leibovitz said, “You have the same chance of winning whether you buy a ticket or not.”

Kitchen Hack: Wrap them up

To give cookies as gifts, fill containers you have around the house. Empty oatmeal boxes, coffee or tea tins, even ice cream containers, can be lined with waxed paper and covered with Christmas wrap. Small baskets, strawberry baskets and decorated paper bags are all good choices.

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