The Word of Mouth Vegan Holiday Gift Guide
We often put together a sweet selection of local goods and nibbles you can offer as gifts to friends and family for the holidays. This year, just for fun, we’re adding an extra twist: as well as being produced with care and expertise in Mendocino County (and a few from a little further away), each of our recommendations is also vegan. So no matter who you are giving to, we’re pretty sure you can find a gift that fits.
Vegan Cheese from The Bewildered Pig
Chef Janelle Weaver dedicated the bulk of summer 2021 to researching and experimenting with how to make sublime vegan cheeses, and her effort has been well worth it. The Bewildered Pig now offers Faux-Mage, three unique vegan “cheeses.” The collection includes a flavor-packed “Powerhouse Spread,” a luscious Camembert-like cheese cultured with fermented locally grown grains, and a Faux-Mozz, a soft cheese made from a cashew base.
Available by pre-order only at TheBewilderedPig.com.
Gift Certificates for Vegan Restaurants
We are fortunate in this county to have some truly outstanding vegan restaurants. Fog Eater Cafe in Mendocino Village serves up “California Cuisine with a Southern Twang,” while Ravens Restaurant at The Stanford Inn offers an elegant menu of seasonally inspired dishes, often sourced right out of the inn’s garden. For casual Caribbean fare that’s both hearty and delicious, head to Taste Buds in Ukiah.
Chile Treats from Boonville Barn Collective
The folks at Boonville Barn Collective, makers of the culinarily beloved Piment d’Ville, have some new goodies! Favorites include their Citrus and Chile marmalade, a seasoning salt made with Daybreak Seaweed featuring wakame and sea salt, and even a floral and fruity kombucha vinegar by our friends over at Wilder Kombucha. (If an item you want is sold out on the website, stop by the Ukiah Natural Foods Coop.)
Gift Tote from Filigreen Farm
Filigreen Farm in Anderson Valley has gathered a selection of the season’s bounty into a gift tote for your friends and family. The tote includes a 500ml bottle of olive oil, dried fruit (peaches, prunes, and raisins), an everlasting bouquet, and quince apple butter. All items are Demeter certified Biodynamic, CCOF certified organic, and all grown and produced at Filigreen Farm.
Email farmstand@filigreenfarm.com to order and pick up at a designated time at Velma’s Farm Stand in Boonville.
The Terra Sávia Beauty Box
You can be just as conscientious about what goes on your body as what goes in it. With that in mind, natural beauty products are a great gift for the people you love. Created with their own lavender and olive oil, the Beauty Box from Terra Sávia—Hopland’s winery, vineyard, and olive mill—includes a gentle olive oil soap, a refreshing lavender spritzer, and a delicate olive oil moisturizing cream with a light lavender scent.
Hot Drinks to Warm the Vegan Soul
One of our favorite cold-weather drinks is the spicy and nourishing Tuber Tonic from Mendocino Tea Company. For coffee lovers, we are fortunate to have an abundance of high quality roasters in the county: Thanksgiving Coffee in Fort Bragg, Little Green Bean in Point Arena, and award-winning Black Oak Coffee in Ukiah.
MendocinoTea.com | ThanksgivingCoffee.com
LittleGreenBeanRoastery.com | BlackOakCoffee.com
A Bit Farther Afield
Our neighbors to the south have some excellent vegan gift options as well. The lavish dishes at Cozy Plum Bistro in Santa Rosa deliver scrumptious satisfaction one normally doesn’t associate with vegan food. To see the benefits of eating vegan, folks can visit Charlie’s Acres Farm Animal Sanctuary in Sonoma, offering both farm tours and animal sponsorships. Also from Sonoma, Renegade Foods is an online shop that sells 3-packs of plant-based charcuterie with Spanish flavors.
