Support Local Businesses With Our Maine Gift Guide
Whether you were born and bred in Maine or simply love the state so much that you want to share it with others, supporting local businesses in the community has never been easier. We’ve put together a Maine gift guide of top-notch items from local artisans and makers that will delight all the foodies on your holiday shopping list.
1. Organic Maine Wild Blueberries
It wouldn’t be a proper Maine gift guide if we didn’t include organic wild Maine blueberries. Five pounds may sound like a lot, but once your loved ones taste these hand-harvested, traditionally farmed and certified organic berries, you can practically guarantee they’ll want to devour them plain, bake them into pies and cobblers, or turn them into rich and succulent jams.
2. Maine Made Salsa
Salsa may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about wrapping and stashing presents under the tree. But we think this Maine-made salsa will quickly alleviate any doubts you may have. This award-winning salsa got its start as a hobby in a small kitchen in Bangor, but it quickly grew in popularity until a full-blown business was born.
See more: What’s Growing? Maine Produce Calendar
3. Bumblebee Beans
In addition to being downright fun to say, Baer’s Best Beans grows, grades and sells top-notch dry beans. But we’re not talking about your average, run-of-the-mill kidney or black bean. These heirloom varieties include the small but mighty Marfax, the plump Soldier bean and the speckled Yellow Eye. But our pick, if you wanted to whittle down your choices, would be the Bumblebee. Richer than a traditional white bean and large in size, these rich and creamy beans are great in soups and casseroles.
4. Bixby Chocolate
Chocolate is always a crowd pleaser. But where do you even begin to narrow down the hunt for some of the finest Maine chocolate? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Bixby Chocolate crafts delicious bon bons, bars, toffee and baking chocolates. They even have hot chocolate mixes, caramel gift sets and beer brittle. It might be tough to narrow down the list of possibilities, but you could always order a little something extra to keep for yourself.
5. Fresh Maine Oysters
Yes, you can have fresh oysters delivered right to your door. Or, you know, the door of whoever you decide to surprise with these fresh-caught Maine oysters. No one will judge you for buying a box for yourself, too, though! These are “Farm to Slurp Certified” from Maine Oyster Company, a business that genuinely believes in supporting individual farmers. So there you have it – a delicious gift that tastes good and does a wonderful job elevating the community.
6. Wine from Savage Oakes Winery
Wine makes for an excellent Christmas gift, but it’s even better when it comes with a story like Savage Oakes Winery. Their family has been farming for over 200 years, and today they make wine from a number of grapes grown right on their vineyard, as well as blueberry wine from other nearby fields. That’s a much better gift than picking up the first bottle you see at the store. If you want a little help deciding which wine is the right choice, consider the Blushing Moose. Made with 100% Maine-grown grapes, this semi-sweet varietal has flavor notes of mango, papaya and pineapple.
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7. Gift Basket from Rosemont Market
We all know someone who appears to have everything they need and insists that you skip right over them when it comes time to pass out the presents. But who can resist one of these gift baskets from Rosemont Market? The team will hand-curate a delicious and delightful selection of Maine gifts to present to your loved ones. Small baskets include baked goods, local coffee and maple syrup while large baskets include additional items like a locally-made tea towel, a bottle of wine and locally-made chocolate.
8. Wild Caught Maine Lobster
You didn’t think we forgot about wild-caught lobster, did you? Of course not. This present checks every box you hope it would: They’re antibiotic free, guaranteed to arrive alive, wild-caught and sustainably sourced. There are few better ways to shake up someone’s routine and humdrum meal plan than to present them with lobster from the Gulf of Maine shipped to their door. If the recipient has never cooked lobster before, though, it may be good to point them to the directions available at Maine Lobster Now.