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Whether you start every day skimming Co-Star before you dare step out of bed or you couldn’t distinguish between an Aries and a Pisces, we are here to assist in your holiday shopping with a very astrological gift guide. While we are not trained astrologers, your co-authors, a quintessential Capricorn — efficient and highly disappointable — and a goofy yet driven Sagittarius, are more than capable of finding food-adjacent gifts based on speculative zodiac tropes. Pull out that shopping list and feast your eyes on our 2019 Food Lover’s Holiday Gift Guide, featuring all things Virginia local.
Aries: March 21-April 20
The Aries in your life can be a bit unpredictable, with a fiery side deserving of a Clark + Hopkins hot sauce sampler, with five sauces inspired by global flavors. Or snag them tickets to “A Dinner Affair With Sichuan Master Chef Peter Chang,” a hot and numbing, wine-paired dinner, part of the Virginia Wine Expo, that will undoubtedly sell out in advance. And because your Aries pal is one of a kind, get them a custom Brandywine Woodwork cutting board.
Clark + Hopkins world hot sauce gift box, $45 (five hot sauces)
Brandywine Woodwork butcher-block cutting board, from $100 to $350
A Dinner Affair With Sichuan Master Chef Peter Chang, $115 per person
Taurus: April 21-May 20
Reliable, hard working and attuned to the finest detail, your dearest Taurus buddy will surely appreciate a durable Handyma’am apron — designed specifically to fit women — and/or an intricate Timbered Wolf cutting board, with which to potentially craft their own chocolate treats after they’ve gone on a behind-the-scenes tour at Gearharts Fine Chocolates, complete with a truffle-making lesson.
Handyma’am apron, $55
Timbered Wolf cutting board, $150
Gearharts Fine Chocolates chocolatier-guided demo, $75
Gemini: May 21-June 20
A Gemini’s gentle soul will be fully wooed by a trail ride for two through the grounds of Upper Shirley Vineyards in Charles City, but they would equally appreciate an afternoon in the kitchen making adorable snowflake sugar cookies by your side. Either way, don’t leave them unattended, they hate that.
Snowflake Sugar Cookie Pastry Base Kit, $25
Made RVA ceramics, $30 and up
Upper Shirley Vineyards Trail Ride and Wine Tasting, $80 per person
Cancer: June 22-July 22
The Cancer is an emotional soul, giving of their time and attention without the slightest thought to themselves, a real martyr, that one. Embrace this generosity of spirit with a serving tray worthy of their sacrifice, an intricate Wild Wander crab print — an homage to their astrological symbol — and a monthly cheese share from Truckle Cheesemongers. They will likely cry upon opening any of these, so bring tissues.
The Wild Wander crab print, $20
Dana Gibson bamboo serving tray, $225
Truckle Cheesemongers cheese share, $37/month for six months
Leo: July 23-Aug. 22
When describing the Leos you love, you often find yourself using the phrase “not to be outdone.” Channel that alpha energy with a formidable Join or Die oyster knife with which to show off the, no doubt, exemplary shucking skills of your closest Leo. Or concede to Leo’s luxury-seeking tendencies with tickets to Brenner Pass’ Reveillon dinner on Dec. 22, which comes with wine, cocktails, food, flushed cheeks and bragging rights.
The Veil Brewing Co. super-heavyweight zip-up hoodie, $35
Join or Die oyster knife, $150
Reveillon dinner at Brenner Pass, $175 per person
Virgo: August 23-Sept. 22
Workaholic Virgos are content relaxing at home, so to ensure they have a place that smells good and invites unwinding, grab a Na Nin candle set and a Blue Henry Spirits gift box. If you think they’d be willing to journey out into the world, send them on a Brew Crew tour of Scott’s Addition, where they just might make a new friend or two.
Blue Henry spirits gift box, $50
RVA Brew Crew Scott's Addition Tour, $35
Libra: Sept. 23-Oct. 22
Let your Libra get downright nerdy with Richmond author Lee Graves' "Virginia Beer," a knowledge-packed reference book on the brewing history of the commonwealth. They can pour their knowledge from one of Lifeware’s beautiful and functional clay pitchers or see if they can wrap their minds around the cerebral plates on the Longoven tasting menu — you know those Libras live for intellectual adventure.
"Virginia Beer: A Guide From Colonial Days to Craft’s Golden Age," $24.95
Lifeware pitcher, $60
Longoven tasting menu, $110 per person
Scorpio: Oct. 23-Nov. 21
A Scorpio frenemy can be determined, stubborn and downright steely. Embrace the metaphor with a carbon steel skillet from Blanc Creatives. Or, because your resident Scorpio is notoriously resourceful, send them on a mushroom foray, where they can learn how to locate and identify wild mushrooms from local grower and forager Steve Haas. And there’s always a Morris + Norris Richmond neon tea towel with which to say, “I don’t know where I stand with you, but you still deserve nice things.”
Blanc Creatives 11-inch carbon steel skillet, $240
Morris + Norris Richmond neon tea towel, $28
Steve Haas Wild Mushroom Foray, $50
Sagittarius: Nov. 22-Dec. 21
Let the Sagittarius in your world be as playful as they wanna be with a gift certificate to Hotel Greene, where they can putt their way to victory. Or, since you know your Sagittarius bros fear commitment, how about a Blue Bee Cider Club membership where they can play the field (of cider) without settling down with any one juice. And speaking of juice, with a little instruction from Original Gravity in Lakeside, a Sagittarius could be looking at a long future of making their own mead, kombucha, wine or beer with a gift certificate redeemable for a future class.
Original Gravity gift certificate, $25 and up
Blue Bee Cider Club membership, $43 quarterly
Hotel Greene minigolf, $20 per person
Capricorn: Dec. 22-Jan. 20
A Capricorn reaches for the same mug every morning in a well-worn ritual of caffeine consumption. Make that mug a good one from Jars of Dust, and they’ll think of you every day at roughly the same time. And because your Capricorn already has one of everything she really needs, get them something they’d never think of — flavored sugar cubes — for that cup of joe. They’ll be impressed at the novelty, and you know that’s no easy feat. And since they think they know everything already, send them back to school with a cooking class at Mise en Place to hone those skills.
Storied Goods flavored sugar cubes, $22 for sampler pack
Mise en Place cooking class, $65
Aquarius: Jan. 20-Feb. 18
Remember the time when you and your Aquarius confidant tucked in for a two-hour lunch at Edo’s, splitting the better part of the menu and swapping your juiciest gossip? Remember it forever with an adorable print from Sunday Table Co. or splurge on a Veggie Box subscription from Little House Green Grocery because you know an Aquarius likes to keep it fresh. And the gift of a barista fundamentals class from the pros at Lamplighter Coffee Roasters ensures she’ll make the best coffee whenever you come over to spill the tea.
Sunday Table Co. Edo’s print, $18
Little House Green Grocery Four-Week Veggie Box subscription, $108
Barista Fundamentals Class at Lamplighter Coffee Roasters, $160 per person
Pisces: Feb. 19-March 20
Your Pisces deserves the best: a huge, framed Molly Reeder White Stone Oyster print that screams, “I love bivalves!” even though no one was asking. Perhaps set them up for a party that you will probably be invited to with a Rappahannock River Oysters gift box — oysters, sorghum hot sauce, a shucking knife and gloves. But if you’re really trying to get on their good side, send them on a tour of the Lynnhaven River with Pleasure House Oysters, followed by a just-harvested-from-the-water feast right there on the water.
Molly Reeder White Stone Oyster print, $195
Rappahannock River Oysters gift box, $60
Pleasure House Oyster Chef’s Table Tour, $137.50 per person, two-person minimum
