Shop local: Iowa gift ideas

 

So are you getting back into a routine after the first round of holidays?  This is the time of year when things get crazy where I work, so I don't have as much time to spend on my hobbies.  For a change of pace, I thought I'd share a few of my favorite Iowa discoveries over the past year.  These would make great gifts and stocking stuffers for those hard-to-shop-for friends, co-workers and family members.

Farmers Best Gourmet Popcorn, grown in Rockwell City, Iowa:  I was fortunate to meet the family that grows Farmers Best Gourmet Popcorn, and they generously gave me a free sample so I can discover what makes their popcorn a "premium" product.  Farmers Best popcorn is tender, white popcorn that doesn't have the tough hulls that the brand-name popcorns have.  You can find Farmers Best popcorn in 1-pound bags, or in microwaveable bags, at several Hy-Vee and Fareway stores across Iowa.  Or order online at www.farmersbestpopcorn.com.

Spring Valley Honey Farms lip balm, from Perry Iowa:  I love these little honey-flavored lip balms so much!  I carry one in my purse and one in my make-up drawer so I'm never far from them.  They're a must for the dry winters, and I prefer these honey lip balms to the Burt's Bees products.  In the summer, you can buy these at the Iowa Honey Producers booth at the Iowa State Fair.  Or order online at www.springvalleyhoneyfarms.com. (Don't forget to buy some Iowa honey on the site, too.)

Beaverdale Confections gourmet marshmallows, from Des Moines, Iowa:  I discovered these marshmallows at the World Food Festival in Des Moines this fall, and it was love at first bite!  These soft marshmallows come in a variety of yummy flavors (the marshmallows pictured above are coconut and caramel flavored).  I'm planning to buy these for holiday gifts this year, and a few extra for myself!  They would be perfect with hot chocolate. Visit the candy store in Beaverdale, or order online at http://www.beaverdaleconfections.com/.

Do you plan to shop local for the holidays?  Do you have a favorite local product that would be perfect for gift-giving?  I would love to hear about it.

Perishable

I came home from work last week and found a box by our front door marked "Perishable." My husband, apparently, hadn't noticed the label and just left it unopened. I looked a little closer and noticed it was sent by the Maine Lobster Co. Turns out, my brother-in-law couldn't think of what to give us for Christmas this year. He knows we like to cook, so he sent us lobsters. Live lobsters!

We're both corn-fed Iowa farm kids. We rarely eat seafood, and we've never eaten lobster. Let me tell you, we were stressed out about cooking these guys. Thankfully, the lobsters were packaged in a metal bucket, so all we had to do was add 2 cups of water and then steam them in the bucket. We didn't have to touch the buggers, thankfully.

They were really quick to cook, just 20 minutes in the steamer. The lobsters looked scary coming out of the pot.

The lobster kit came with two bibs and utensils to crack open the shell.

My husband makes a terrible model; he's always making faces when I take his picture. He looks a little like Dr. Evil in this pic. He's actually more like a big teddy bear.

We ended up loving the lobsters. They were so much fun to eat. We quickly discovered why the bibs were necessary. The shells went flying everywhere. I don't think we've laughed that hard in a long time. And the claw meat was so good -- rich yet mild, with a nice salty taste.

I was full by the time I got to the tail meat. My hubby ended up finishing this lobster off and the other one lobster that came in the bucket. It was such a great gift! We enjoyed our date night at home, just me, my hubby and the two lobsters.