Right now Pardis, my wife and business partner, is putting together some gift boxes of a few of our favorite foods for friends and family. She usually makes a couple of extra just to have on hand when there's someone we remember at the last moment. We try to use our friends' products whenever we can and include some of our local artisan goodies, all of which go into wooden wine crates recycled from our cellars. And we produce an herb-infused olive oil at Bottega that everyone seems to enjoy receiving. Here is a sample Christmas gift box from chez Stitt:

1 bottle of Bottega infused olive oil

1 bottle of Bottega Southside Red Barbera bottled for us by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat

1 bottle of Pinot Noir bottled for us by Jim Clendenen of Au Bon Climat

1 jar of Alecia's Tomato Chutney

1 pound bag of Coosa Valley Mills organic stone-ground grits

1 log of Belle Chevre goat cheese

A few Petals from the Past satsumas

A slab of Benton's bacon

A pound of Royal Cup's special Highlands roast coffee

A mini Le Creuset casserole filled with Chez Fonfon pate or rillettes

A clear bag of Dolester's almond and chocolate biscotti

A pannetone from Corti Brothers

I kind of hope we make one for ourselves....

Merry Christmas!