December has officially arrived. Soon the landscape will be a Winter wonderland, the staying in and being cozy will begin, we will prepare to celebrate the reason for the season, we'll start making our traditional family recipes and trying out new ones, all the wonders of the season will come to life and of course we'll begin to go on the hunt for that perfect gift for each person on our gifting list.

I thought I would put together a "SHOP LOCAL holiday gift-giving guide" for the food and drink loving person in your life. Maybe you know without a shadow of a doubt that you have a foodie on your Christmas list or maybe you just aren't quite sure. Well you're in luck because I have come up with a few questions to ask yourself so you can be absolutely certain.

Here they are: Do they take pictures of their food EVERYTIME you dine out? Are they always telling you about the most A-mazing dish that they had at *fill in the blank* restaurant? Are the majority of their Pinterest boards for recipes? Do they plan their travel destinations around where the places are for good food? Do they talk about food, while eating food while planning where they want to go eat food next?

If you answered an enthusiastic YES to most or all of these questions then you've come to the right place and the the list below will serve as a great guide to find that perfect "foodie gift" all while shopping and supporting local. I call that a WIN-WIN. You've likely heard the adage that "the way to a man's heart is through his stomach", well the same can be said about the foodies in your life.

Whether you want to pop by any of the listed places in person or visit their websites I am certain you will find something just right for your food loving friend or family member. I have included a direct link to the website of each of the 25 mentioned businesses.

Mandala Chai Company makes hand-crafted, artisan chai with only organic, local and fair trade ingredients. Mandala Chai is always consciously crafted in small batches and made with love. Available in Original Chai or Spicy Chai. This drink is chai perfection enjoyed hot or cold and the chai concentrate makes a lovely addition to a variety of recipes. Mandala Chai Company logo T-shirts, mugs, and canvas totes are also available on the website.

Indaba Coffee Roasters is a family run business that "believes radical hospitality can change the world". With 2 locations in Spokane, Indaba can be found downtown Spokane on Howard Street and in the West Central neighborhood on Broadway Avenue. They are passionate about loving people through serving them finely crafted coffee. Visit either location for Indaba merchandise and coffee products and tools. Gift cards also available.

Image courtesy of Winterwoods Tea Company

Winterwoods Tea Company offers organic loose leaf tea blends that are "inspired by community and nature's bounty". With 20 different blends to choose from you are sure to find the tea that best suits any personal tea preference. You will find additional gifts for the tea loving person in your life including the perfect tea measuring spoon, tea infusers, tea samplers, and mugs.

Image courtesy of Ladder Coffee and Toast

Ladder Coffee and Toast is new to the Spokane coffee scene and already making waves. They have a heart to love and support people no matter their background. Gift cards of $20 or more are available. To complement your coffee they also serve three kinds of toasts:
1. Yogurt & Honey
2. Nutella & Banana
3. Avocado Toast

Image courtesy of Vessel Coffee Roasters

Vessel Coffee Roasters has a modern, hip vibe and is quite Instagram picture worthy. Even though this coffee shop is known for is photogenic aesthetic, they are first known for their amazing coffee that includes epic latte art. Gift cards and Vessel Coffee merchandise available. Be sure to give yourself a little extra time when you pop by to buy something for your coffee loving friend because you're going to want to hang out awhile.

Townshend Cellar is a family owned and operated Washington winery located on Greenbluff. Their wine "combines the notably expressive qualities of Washington State grapes with the depth and elegance of wines made in the Old World style." Be sure to check out their website for tasting room and wine club information.

Dry Fly Distilling For the spirits connoisseur Dry Fly Distilling has a wide variety of vodka, gin, and whiskies, all made here in the inland Northwest from local ingredients sourced from 100+ year old farms. Cocktail classes available, check website for details and prices. Dry Fly is also open to hosting private classes for groups.

Barrister Winery was started in 2002 by 2 attorneys and has become one of Washington's finest wineries. Known mainly for their full bodied reds, their 2 most well known wines are their Cabernet Franc and their Rough Justice both winners of multiple awards throughout the years. The winery is open from noon to 5 for tastings daily. Check website for downtown location hours. Gift certificates are available at both locations.

Damnbucha is a kombucha brewery right here in Spokane! You can find their kombucha at the following Spokane locations. Growler Guys on the South hill (flavors: spiced pear and blueberry mint), The Blackbird (Flavors: Cranberry blood orange) Iron Goat (Flavors: Blueberry mint blast and Cranberry blood orange) and Black label brewing (Flavors: hibiscus orange). Growlers are available at all locations listed above.

Image courtesy of Chocolate Apothecary and Coffee

Chocolate Apothecary is located in the Flour Mill. Chocolate Apothecary offers delicious and decadent hand-crafted chocolates and a wide variety of unique and tasty sweets which are one of the oldest traditional gifts given around the world and are sure to be very well received. One of their top selling products is their gelato truffles. Yes you heard that right gelato truffles and while you're there don't forget to check out their world famous drinking chocolate.

Batch Bake Shop is a tiny bakery with a huge heart that will help in making all your savory, sweet or flaky baked-goods dreams come true. With everything from hand-crafted pies and rustic galettes to cakes and pastries, there's something for everyone. Batch also offers small group classes and workshops. Batch will be open on Fridays throughout December from Noon-5:30pm with pies, cake and holiday goodies available. For custom orders check out their website.

The Scoop is a family owned cream shop that is nestled in an adorable neighborhood on the South hill. They serve amazing made ice cream that is created in store using fresh ingredients and liquid nitrogen. Even though the Scoop is best known for their ice cream they also have liege waffles, savory sandwiches and an espresso bar that serves Roast House coffee. The Scoop is a wonderful community gathering place no matter the time of year. Because any day is a good day for ice cream, right?

Bean and Pie is located in Post Falls. They are passionate about using quality ingredients such as organic butter, flour, fruit and sugar. Sourcing their ingredients locally is a focal point of their mission. Who doesn't love pie?!? "All I'm saying is you rarely see a person crying and eating pie at the same time." Bean and Pie will be announcing their Christmas flavors pie selection very soon so be sure to stay tuned on their website. My personal favorite pie is their Chai apple pie!

Kitchen Engine is a specialty kitchen store located in the Flour Mill in downtown Spokane that recently celebrated 11 years in business. They continually strive for excellence in customer service and they carry a wide variety of merchandise from gourmet cookware to locally roasted coffee. They are Spokane's only Bosch small appliance dealer. Additionally they have a monthly schedule of cooking classes available to the public, for cooking class schedule and prices see their website. Kitchen Engine "invites you to come in, have a cup of coffee or tea on them and discover your inner chef. "

Sweet Annie's artisan ice cream is described as "life affirming and crazy delicious" and I would have to agree 110%! It is also locally sourced and made in small batches. Just listen to these flavors: Spiked egg nog, Sweet cream, Dark chocolate peppermint, Salted almond toffee, Sweetie potato pie and more. Now that your mouth is watering I think you'll really want to check out their "flights of fancy" while you're buying a gift card for the foodie in your life I think you'll want to buy one for yourself as well.

Simplholistic is offering a fantastic deal on their "Ultimate Health Bundle" This bundle will provide you with a 1 week meal plan that includes recipes, a grocery store guide as well as the Simplholistic favorites and and supplement discounts. Additionally you will also receive nutrition consultation from Ashlee, founder and owner of Simplholistic, and it's budget friendly coming in under $20 at $18 which is what I call a steal of a deal.

The Culinary Stone has a passion for living and eating well. "Gourmet living meets everyday prices." is part of their mission. The Culinary Stone is the perfect place to visit and discover specialty foods from all around the world as well as our local region. Whether you're looking for kitchen tools and gadgets, cooking classes to expand your skills in the kitchen or specialty foods I can guarantee you'll enjoy your experience at the store. When I visit this wondrous store I literally feel like a kid in a candy store, I just want to wander around for hours taking it all in. Be sure to pull up a seat in the cafe area of the store to re-fuel with a variety of delicious pastries and coffee available.

Bruttles is Spokane's original soft peanut brittle maker serving "goodness 64 years in the making". If you've never tried this, you're seriously in for a treat and possibly a lifetime addiction. Their unique recipe for peanut brittle has been handed down, improved and protected over the years. Additionally they offer cookies and cream bark, butter toffee, caramels, white chocolate bark, cashew brittle, etc. There are 2 locations available with one in Spokane Valley and the other in Downtown Spokane.

If you've scrolled through this list and you still aren't sure what to get for the foodie in your life then I'd suggest grabbing a gift card from one of the wonderful local restaurants and let your foodie friend or family member decide what sounds best.

Clover Sante Wild Sage Luna Downriver Grill Central Food Blackbird Ruins

Okay friends, I hope this list has been helpful and will serve as a guide for you as you get to shopping. Happy December, ALL!