First Bites: The Holidays are Coming

AN HERBAL HOLIDAY
With winter fast approaching, many of us could use a little pick-me-up right now. Lucky for us, Jessica Gibson has all of us in mind when she grows and forages herbs and flowers for Handmade Herbology’s many products. Everything she produces is grown locally, either by Gibson or nature itself.

Practising herbology since 2015, Gibson painstakingly picks and dries all the herbs and flowers by hand with a no-heat method to better preserve each plant’s flavours, aromas and medicinal properties. Using her education in herbology and her instincts, she creates blends of herbs for teas, oils, salves, soaks and so much more.

Her cooking blend combines sage, rosemary, thyme, parsley, dandelion greens, stinging nettle, dulse and more, making an all-around seasoning that could be applied to any food. The blend boasts antioxidant properties, as well as being good for your respiratory system.

Teas such as chamomile, calendula and an anti-inflammatory blend are as beautiful as they are aromatic. A selection of salves and balms are all handmade using natural oils, beeswax and herbs. Sold in gorgeous little tins, they make great gifts that really say “I care.” Of special note are the evergreen salve, which promotes circulation and the “salvation” salve for minor wound care, perfect for a natural first-aid kit.

Handmade Herbology
handmadeherbology.love
@handmadeherbology

POPCORN TOO GOOD TO STRING UP
Many of us recall emptying our stockings Christmas morning and finding Cracker Jacks amongst the other treats. Well, Papa Jack means to do one better. Making a multitude of sweet and savoury popcorn flavours right here in Ottawa for the past 15 years, Papa Jack truly has something for everyone.

Although you can mix, match and make a custom basket of any flavours your heart desires, may we recommend the Holiday Popcorn Cones Basket for a sweet surprise? This basket comes with two cones of Belgian milk chocolate and caramel-coated popcorn, two cones of straight-up caramel popcorn, one of French Toast and one Christmas-coloured cone of strawberry and green apple flavoured popcorn. Give the basket as a fun host gift or separate the cones for stocking stuffers.

All of the popcorn is made in small batches, using top-quality ingredients. The factory is peanut, nut- and gluten-free and there’s a window in the shop where you can watch the popcorn being made. This family-owned business aims to please, so custom baskets and party platters are no problem. Pick-up and delivery options are available on the website, so what are you waiting for? Let’s get it poppin’!

Papa Jack Popcorn
2184 Thurston Dr., Ottawa, Ont.
papajackpopcorn.ca | 613.744.1049 | @papajackpopcorn

MIX IT UP
Many of us like to imbibe in a few adult bevies during the holiday season, but what if you have friends or relatives that don’t drink alcohol yet still crave a tasty cocktail? Well, Team Spirit has you covered. The brainchild of Camille Hopper-Naud, head bartender at Ottawa’s Supply & Demand, Team Spirit offers pre-made and measured cocktail concentrates. All you have to do is add a complementary carbonated drink and, optionally, spirit, to fool your guests into thinking you’ve got a mixologist chained to your home bar.

“A lot of people are leaning towards zero-proof or low-alcohol cocktails these days,” Hopper-Naud says. “I wanted them to have something special to drink instead of just being an afterthought.”

Drawing on her extensive past as a bartender, as well as everyday inspirations, Hopper-Naud has four flavours available so far: rhubarb-vanilla, peach-yellow pepper, strawberry-balsamic and white currant-pink peppercorn. Each bottle has enough concentrate for 8-16 cocktails, depending on how intense you want the flavour to be. In addition, there’s a QR code on the back of the bottle that takes you to Hopper-Naud’s Instagram, which has cocktail recipes for each flavour, both alcoholic and non.

When the holiday season rolls around, Team Spirit will be offering some holiday- themed blends, such as sweet and sour mulled wine. A line of purchasable cocktail garnishes is in the works, too, for budding home mixologists.

Team Spirit
@teamspiritcollection
Find it at: Burrow Shop