It started quite simply like all Hallmark movies (that i love) where a jilted lover was given a symbol of hostility and a breakup gift just before the holiday. The gift, as you might have deduced, was a simple fruitcake.

What she (the giver) did not realize was that a Trappist Abbey Fruitcake is a very special cake. With a long history (especially in the 18th century) when fruitcakes were considered sinful.

And so with a heavy heart and a one pound cake, the recipient, who we will call William, left dejected and in pain. Donning his Panoply, he trudged to the nearest cafe for a cup of joe.

As he sat at the little round table made of wood, he sipped his cappuccino thru his Armet, with great difficulty I might add. As he removed his gauntlets, and tried desperately to take a bite of the "parting" gift, he failed miserably, like his now defunct relationship.

The story should end here, all sad and stuff, but instead, a strong but gentle voice, a dame they say named Joan, spoke, "I can help with that if you are willing to share." Will turned quickly to see who had spoken and found a shining light blasting around Joan's head, (she sat with her back to the picture window) and an arming sword at the ready. He flinched, knowing this was the end to a long day....

Instead of him, Joan sliced a paper thin piece. "This fruitcake is a perfect match to go with a holiday fire. And when paired with a cup of hot chocolate or a nice green tea, you have the formula for a calm life." she said.

And so the story goes that the secret to a happy life is with a fruitcake experience that is not chunked into a mass that is so big that it can't fit through the slit in your helmet, but instead, when thinly sliced (frozen or chilled makes it easier) the fruitcake becomes easy to eat allowing you to create a very special and long lasting relationship.

This unseemly and often made fun of cake is actually really, really, rather good! Cheers!

Click Here To Check out Trappist Abbey Fruitcake!

When we first took a squeeze and ripped a piece out of this panettone we were excited and a little fearful. Olive oil, when added to a food you don't expect, is often less than enjoyable or a nothing burger.

In this case, the combo of Blood Orange and olive oil makes this Panettone a fun one! It is delicious, it is fun, it is different and it is special!

We have always sold out and this year we are offering it early before it arrives, so if it piques your taste buds pre-order now!

Created with Bona Furtuna's organic Sicilian olive oil and candied Sicilian blood oranges, this soft and aromatic panettone captures the bright, sun-warmed flavors of Sicily. The airy, buttery crumb is made luscious with olive oil, which adds a silky richness and delicate fruitiness. Studded with tender bits of citrus, every slice feels both indulgent and refreshing—a perfect harmony of sweetness and light.

A modern take on a beloved Italian holiday cake, this panettone is bouncier than traditional butter-rich versions, while still maintaining the satisfying depth and warmth of handmade panettone. It's wonderful with espresso or dessert wine, or toasted for breakfast with mascarpone and a drizzle of olive oil.

Shop now for Bona Furtuna Blood Orange and Olive Oil Panettone here!

Guerande Salt Butter Caramels Tendres Squares are soft, tender butter caramels made with fleur de sel from the Guerande salt marshes in Brittany, France.

Produced by La Maison d'Armorine, these candies are crafted in small batches using traditional methods. The squares are individually wrapped and made from glucose syrup, sugar, condensed milk, fresh butter, milk powder, and about 3% Guerande fleur de sel.

The use of Guerande fleur de sel is why these are special. This special sea salt adds a delicate mineral note and gentle brininess that balances the caramel's sweetness.

Shop now for Guerande Salt Butter Caramels Tendres - Squares!

In France, everyone associates the southern town of Montelimar with nougat, that delicious confection of honey, sugar, egg whites, and roasted almonds.

Nougat has long been produced in Montelimar, but fame arrived in the 19th century when both train travel and vacation time for workers became de rigueur in France. When trains en route to Mediterranean beaches stopped at Montelimar, the travel-weary passengers bought French nougat for a pick-me-up snack.

Since 1837, the artisanal Arnaud Soubeyran company has produced authentic Montelimar nougat there, using straightforward, pure ingredients and old-fashioned techniques. Today, the small factory still uses copper caldrons to cook the nougat. When it's ready, it's laid out and cut on marble slabs into the nougat candy bar we all know and love.

To earn the designation "nougat de Montelimar," French nougat must follow certain specifications regarding proportions of ingredients, including a certain amount of "miel toutes fleurs" - mixed-flower honey. At Arnaud Soubeyran, this "toutes fleurs" honey comes locally from Provence, as does the lavender honey that is also used.

If you ever find yourself in Montelimar, stop by for a visit! Arnaud Soubeyran offers a terrific little museum where you can watch nougat-making in progress, as well as learn about the process - starting with entering a walk-in model of a beehive to learn about honey - and check out all sorts of antique nougat-making gadgets.

Shop now for Nougat de Montelimar!

Open the can and inhale the vapors from the top! Wow! The sweet smell of Agen rises into the tip of your olfactory organs. Even though they exist all year long, this time of year seems so special, and these prunes (and the other ones, too) are some of the great treats of the season!

If you have never had prunes from Agen, prepare to be blown away! One of nature's most amazing candies is here in time for the holidays!

The Agen prune, also known as the Prune d'Ente, is a variety of plum cultivated in the region around Agen, in southwestern France. The history of Agen prunes is intertwined with the cultivation of plums in the region and the development of the drying process that gives them their unique, incredible bite and joy they impart upon your buds.

The cultivation of plums in the region dates back to ancient times, even before the Roman era. The Gauls, who inhabited the region before the Roman conquest, are told to have been big plum eaters and planted many trees. The Romans, with their diet of fried food, processed meats, commercially baked goods, and other high-fat items, also loved prunes out of necessity.

Known for their agricultural expertise, the Romans further developed and refined plum cultivation techniques in the area of Agen.

The process of drying plums into prunes has also been around for a long time. Drying fruits was a common method of preservation in many ancient cultures, including the Romans. The Romans are believed to have spread the cultivation of plums across Europe.

As for Agen prunes specifically, the story becomes much clearer in the medieval period. In the 13th century, during the reign of Henry III, the monks of the Abbey of Clairac near Agen are credited with developing the method of sun-drying plums to create prunes. This method involved laying the plums out in the sun to dry, and it is similar to the traditional method still used today.

Over the centuries, the cultivation of plums and the production of prunes became increasingly associated with the region around Agen. The climate and soil conditions in this area are perfect for growing plums that could be dried into high-quality prunes. The Agen prune gained a reputation for its sweet flavor and dark color.

Today, Agen prunes are still produced using traditional methods, and the region around Agen remains a major center for prune cultivation. The name "Prune d'Ente" is protected by an Appellation d'Origine Controlee (AOC),which designates that only prunes produced in the designated region and according to specific methods can bear the Agen prune name.

Shop now for Pruneaux d'Agen Fourres - Prunes from Agen stuffed with Prune Mousse here!

This cake is shaped like a bread. It looks like it is cut from a larger cake, made in loaves. Topped with sugar pieces that look like nuts and on the sides you can see the open cells.

This French spice bread is made with rye flour soaked in honey and spices. It has a long history in France with many variations and stories.

Pain d' Epice's origins appear to have its roots from a Chinese honey cake with aromatic plants that was brought to Europe by the Crusaders. And the Pain d'Epice is the origin of gingerbread.

If you think of gingerbread houses, made with gingerbread (and not graham crackers) you can start to understand the inherent build of this bread. It has structure!

The combination of the rye flour soaked in honey makes for a dense and chewy bite. Toast it and slather it in butter and you have a meal fit for the King of France.

I like to cut my slice from the toaster into four pieces for easier eating. This is when you realize that it's not like other bread. The honey and the rye mix creates a bond that is hard to cut through.

When warm with butter it's a pure treat. It's like a cookie without the crumbly interior. It's like honey without the gooey sticky mess. It's like a cracker. It's soft and gentle.

It is one of my all-time favorite treats in the winter holidays. We have just a few left and usually don't get more than a few in the first place. It's a pretty eclectic kind of treat here in this country, but I love it.

Classic celebration cake from Apidis in Dijon, France. Only available during the holidays, don't miss out on this classic cake. Made with the classic rye flour, and ladened with honey! Slice and toast, and cover with butter - the perfect seasonal breakfast treat.

Shop now for Pain d' Epice - French Celebration Honey Cake here!

Who wouldn't like pearls as a gift? Show you care with a jar of pearls! Skip the string and give a spoonful!

Perfect for topping small bites of cream cheese and crackers. Or break in the new year with a great diet of deviled eggs topped with pearls of balsamic.

Filled with the passion and age of a great balsamico, these little round balls bring a contained taste. Not too much, just right. These popping little feats of modernity and tradition make for pure culinary joy!

Balsamic pearls from Leonardi 1871 in Modena, Italy. Molecular gastronomy let loose on amazing balsamic vinegar -- and the result is little spheres of balsamic whose flavor bursts in your mouth.

Perfect for a cheese platter, or atop a smoked salmon to add an exciting touch of sweetness and texture. Or just eat them out of the jar.

Shop now for Leonardi Perle di Balsamico Balsamic Pearls!

To the nose, the flavor of the smell is distinctly different than the shoyu's of Japan. This soy sauce is gentler, not as round or filling in the nostril, it feels thinner or perhaps the descriptor is lighter than shoyu.

To my nose and olfactory memory, when smelling the Japanese Tamari shoyu to this Soy Sauce from Taiwan, they are distinctly different!

The Amber River Soy is clear, complex, where the flavor rolls through the mouth and then rises in the back and then leaves a salty tongue. More pointy in its presentation. It lingers longer in a nice way. It, as well, when it leaves, it leaves with almost no trace. And that is nice.

Read more about the making of this soy sauce here.

Shop now for Amber River Taiwanese Gluten-Free Soy Sauce!

Biscotti like you have never tasted. Something about the perfect cantuccini that just can't be beat. And this one has chunks of luscious chocolate. How can you go wrong? Perfectly baked—so that they are hard and soft at the same time. If you like biscotti, you will love, love, love this product. It might just set a new bar.

Shop now for Antonio Mattei Chocolate Biscotti here!

While Biscottificio Antonio Mattei was founded in 1858 in Prato and is best known for its classic almond cantuccini (biscotti di Prato), the pistachio and almond version is a more modern addition to its lineup. According to Mattei's own history, over time the Pandolfini family (who took over the bakery in the early 20th century) introduced new flavors alongside the traditional ones—including pistachio, hazelnut, and others.

The pistachio-almond version maintains the same twice-baked process and artisanal, small-batch craftsmanship as Mattei's original almond biscotti, preserving their signature crisp and light texture.

Shop now for Antonio Mattei Biscotti with Pistachios here!

Biscotti with Almonds is perhaps the most classic, at least the one I think of first. These biscotti have the crunchy bite you want without the "too hard" teeth breaker that so many have!

Dip in your morning coffee, your afternoon tea, and your late night hot chocolate. Perfect!

Shop now for Antonio Mattei Biscotti di Prato with Almonds!

Equally easy with either turkey or chicken. Our favorite way to use some of those Thanksgiving leftovers.

This turkey or chicken pot pie recipe is adapted from Marian Burros' cookbook, Cooking for Comfort.

See the Turkey Pot Pie Recipe here

With chicken or turkey, this dish makes a wonderful entree. Without the chicken, it makes a wonderful side to roasted chicken or turkey.

See the Curried Chicken and Vegetables Pan Roasted Recipe here!

The thick, sweet taste with just the right amount of contrast in the acid makes this balsamic packaged in this wonderful bottle perfect for gifting and keeping one for yourself!

Experience over the centuries has shown that balsamic vinegar should be the last ingredient added to any dish; except when used to dress salads, of course, balsamic is excellent in vinaigrette. A delicious balsamic may be appreciated on the full on flakes of Parmesan cheese, on strawberries, on steak or ice cream. The 30th-anniversary balsamic is full-bodied and particularly good with venison, as well as duck and other game birds.

Shop now for La Vecchia Dispensa 30-Anniversary Balsamic here!

This is so easy to consume!

Delicious, perfect and healthy, too!

Candied fruit is wonderful and we can justify consumption of this candy because we know fruit is good for us.

When you surround candied fruit with chocolate, it just doubles up the goodness factor, as we all know that eating chocolate is an essential daily vitamin and candied orange peel is an essential fruit for our diet.

The soft bite of the candied orange enrobed in chocolate is just super wonderful!

Shop now for Dark Chocolate-Covered Candied Orange Peel by Feve Chocolates!