cartel roasting co. coffee
We love a good cup of joe, and we love it even more when it’s roasted locally. So for our friends and family this holiday, we will be purchasing a few bags of Cartel Roasting Co. coffee. Specifically, we will be purchasing their delicious Give Back Blend. This mild coffee is neither highly-exotic, nor expensive, but it is delicious. And if you guessed by the name, a portion of the proceeds go to charity. If the coffee lover in your life is a bit lazy (guilty), then opt for a few cans of their Arizona inspired cold brew. You can find either at the several Cartel Coffee locations around Phoenix and Tucson.
shrubwell set
Whether whipping up a quick cocktail, or indulging in a non-alc mocktail, Shrubwell offers unique flavors for those mixing an exotic drink! Enjoy a wide variety of these concentrated fruit mixers ranging from a plum-date-rosemary combo, to a pear-ginger-allspice trifecta. The pros at Shrubwell know how to mix interesting but always delicious drink mixers, including one of our favorites, the pineapple-tamarind-ancho offering. If you go that direction you can pair it with beer, rum, mezcal, and more!
iconic arizona apparel
Everyone gets clothes for Christmas. But not everyone gets awesome apparel featuring Arizona’s iconic scenery! Get a hat for your favorite desert dog, or a sweet shirt for the high-country explorer in your life! Iconic Arizona’s website has page after page of merchandise to explore, and they also have fun stickers for small gifts and stocking stuffers! Everything they sell is “designed in the desert,” so you can support local while checking off another box on your holiday to-do list.
phoenix cooks cookbook
Our writer Christina Barrueta is an award winning author and one of the most respected journalists in Arizona food and beverage media (no wonder we keep her around!). She’s published multiple books, most recently Phoenix Cooks. This stunning coffee table style cookbook features some of the top restaurants and chefs in the Phoenix metro area, and has nearly 100 recipes.
a taste of az magazine subscription
Shameless plug, but we think a subscription to this magazine is a pretty cool gift. And right now you can name your price for a year long subscription on our website. Head over to atasteofaz.com and choose a number you’re comfortable with, and wow the food lover in your life. They’ll receive a quarterly copy throughout 2024 (4 total) shipped directly to their door! Just enter their name and shipping info when checking out!
sip sedona wine tour
Wine lovers all aboard! This is the ultimate gift for Arizona vinofiles. Mosey through the beautiful Verde Valley hopping from vineyard to vineyard as you taste the terroir of one of Arizona’s few designated viticultural regions. Sip on samples of award winning wine, grab lunch, and relax as these local guides handle all the details with tours available year round!
big marble organics
Want to make drinks like the pros? Then use Big Marble for your mixers. For a delicious drink, we recommend a tequila mule made with their ginger beer and fresh lime juice. This simple, yet amazing cocktail will wow anyone you serve it to. And you can show off when you share how this soda is made with vegan, organic, fair trade ingredients, right here in AZ. Produced in small batches by the crew that brought you the beloved restaurant The Breadfruit, these drinks are truly one-of-a-kind
canyon coolers
Looking for the perfect gift for your golf buddy, outdoorsy friend, or yourself? Check out Canyon Coolers based in Flagstaff. While they are a premium cooler, these iceboxes will keep your local craft beers as cool as Mt. Humphrey’s in the dead of December. Similar to their abominable arch enemies (Yeti), Canyon Coolers makes a variety of cooler sizes as well as drinkware. That means you can go big on a 125qt cooler, or get a killer gift for the price of your average tumbler. What’s special though, is you’re supporting a small business right here in AZ!
cutino hot sauce
This is the perfect gift for those who like to keep things a bit spicy. If you know someone who puts hot sauce on everything (e.g. me), get them a mix pack of this Arizona made product. Classic sauces include a verde, chipotle, and habanero, but more adventurous palates will love the blueberry, strawberry, and miso offerings. If you need a cosign on this gift, the legendary YouTube series Hot Ones collaborated with Cutino to produce a signature sauce for the show! So your friends and family will be dipping into sauces fit for a celebrity!
copper state forge cookware
If you’re trying to make an incredible impression on your cooking compadres, look no further than Copper State Forge’s lineup of top quality pans and utensils. These pans are made to “meet the rigors of a commercial kitchen” and “last several generations,” a hard task for most modern day gifts. Treat your loved ones to a tool that will last a lifetime, and will be a part of family dinners, dates nights, and memories for years to come. These pans are made with the highest quality materials and are produced right here in Goodyear, AZ.
tickets to a taste of az food & drink festival
Keep the holiday spirits high and gift your friends and family with an Arizona food and beverage experience like no other: tickets to our inaugural a taste of az food and drink festival! On January 27th of 2024 we are taking over the east lawn of Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, where you can sample food like tacos, pizza, burgers, and more. You’ll be thirsty of course, so sip on local beer, wine, cocktails, and more, all included in your ticket! Pro move: shoot for VIP and buy a ticket for yourself too!
written by: luke irvin | photographed by: luke irvin