Friendly reminder, Dec. 1 is this Friday. I don’t know where the time goes, but I certainly hope you’ve started your holiday shopping. If you’ve waited until the last minute to pick up an advent calendar or want a second one for yourself or your loved ones, here are a few tasty options available at local retailers and one that lets you shake up your own fun.
Hello Dolly Pastries – Cookie Calendar – 24 Days of Cookies
If you’re a fan of baked goods, this calendar, comprised of 24 different mini cookies, is a great option. You get to choose your cookie flavours and the design you’d like on the box. The packaging is half the fun as this Hintonburg bakeshop partnered with Ottawa artist Robert Lariviere, a.k.a Falldown, to design the black-and-white boxes that you can colour in. A great bonus activity for creative types.
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Taste and Tipple – Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar
If you’ll indulge me in a bit of shameless self-promotion, I’ve recently released a free e-book of my fifth annual Let’s Get Blitzen: Cocktail Advent Calendar through my blog Taste and Tipple. By signing up for my mailing list, you’ll get a collection of 24 original cocktail and mocktail recipes delivered to your inbox. This is a great source of inspiration for your holiday entertaining, and if you’re an ambitious home bartender, you can join me in making each of these drinks nightly from Dec. 1 to 24.
Stubbe Chocolates – Chocolate Advent Calendar
Supporting local has never tasted better. This chocolate advent calendar holds a selection of milk, dark, white, caramel and ruby chocolates handcrafted locally by sixth-generation chocolatier Anna Stubbe. Notably, ruby chocolate is a unique addition to this box. It’s a relatively new type of chocolate, first appearing on the market in 2017. Ruby chocolate has a beautiful pink colour and a sweet-and-sour flavour akin to raspberries. This gourmet calendar is a fine representation of Stubbe’s mastery of contemporary European chocolate. A limited supply remains through the Stubbe Chocolates website, but these are also carried at Jacobson’s in New Edinburgh.
2023 Craft Holiday Beer Calendar – Nita Beer Company
Nita Beer is back with its sixth annual Craft Holiday Beer Calendar. This box contains exclusive beers from an array of brewery partners, including Broadhead Brewery, Kichesippi Beer Company, Whiprsnapr Brewing, Nita Beer Company, and many more. The sheer variety of this offering makes for a truly unique flavour voyage, allowing you to sample some beers you may already love and discover new favourites.
Ilchester Cheese Co. – 12 Days of Cheesemas
Applewood Cheddar, Double Gloucester, and Red Leicester, oh my! The 12 Days of Cheesemas available at Farm Boy is undoubtedly the best option for cheese lovers. Unwrap a selection of delicious English cheeses from Ilchester Cheese Co. in a variety of different flavours.
Bar From Afar – Making Spirits Bright Holiday Cocktail Calendar 2023
Ottawa’s own Bar From Afar has released its third Holiday Cocktail Advent Calendar in partnership with Burnbrae Farms and North of 7 Distillery. This spirituous calendar contains everything you need to build 12 holiday-themed cocktails throughout December, with a range of base spirits from rum to mezcal and everything in between.
Strawberry Blonde Bakery – Advent Calendar
Folks with food preferences, sensitivities or allergies, rejoice! Strawberry Blonde Bakery has put together an indulgent selection of 24 treats that are vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, and peanut-free. Each calendar boasts an assortment of holiday shapes and includes four different types of chocolates: semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate, white chocolate peppermint, and semi-sweet chocolate toffee crunch.
Yvonne Langen is the food and drink content creator behind Taste & Tipple. She is also a regular fixture on TV and radio as a lifestyle expert. You may have previously read her work in Ottawa Magazine.
