Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Food & Drink

The Manual’s Southern Food Gift Guide

Marla Milling
By

the manuals southern food gift guide grounds and hounds
Stumped for a great holiday gift? Food is a great alternative for those who already have most everything they want. Okay, we’ll admit, maybe the stereotyped fruit cake won’t win smiles when the gifts are opened, but we’ve found some items that your family and friends will rave about. Even better—you’ll be toasted as the best gift giver of the bunch.

Mimi’s Mountain Mixes

beer bread mixesIf you are headed to a party and need to take a dish, believe it or not there’s a way to create a coffee cake or pan of cornbread by using a clever mix that requires only one additional ingredient—a bottle of your favorite beer.

Recommended Videos

mimi's mountain mixesMimi’s Mountain Mixes, based in Hendersonville, N.C. produces a delightful variety of mixes. Dump the contents in a bowl and add 12 ounces of your favorite beer, whisk together, and then bake. If you don’t care for beer, you can put in just about any type of carbonated beverage.

There are several varieties: Red Pepper Chili Beer Bread, Old Tavern Original Beer Bread, Italian Herb Beer Bread, and Corn Beer Bread. They also sell a mix for Cinnamon Spice Coffee Cake, Mountain Cocoa Cookies, and Beer Batter, which you can use to fry up chicken, fish, and vegetables (think okra!). Each bag of mix retails for $6.95; a 5-pack sampler sells for $32.

Lord Nut Levington

Lord nutOther peanuts are going to taste a bit bland after you experience the savory flavor combinations produced by Lord Nut Levington. You won’t be able to get enough of these flavors: Spicy Bloody Mary, Hot Buffalo, Zesty Chili Lime, White Cheddar & Jalapeno, and Thai Curry & Lemongrass.

Each 8-ounce tin sells for $4.99, but we recommend stocking up with The Nut Case. Select an assortment of six flavors (any configuration) for $26.99. Shipping on a case order is free.

Barkley’s Mill Stoned Happy Grits

A family-run farm in the mountains of Western North Carolina takes grits to a whole new level. Barkley’s Mill, located on a farm 20 miles north of Asheville, grows gourmet Barkley's Mill_hr_grits 1_heirloom corn, harvests by hand, dries it naturally, and then stone grinds it in small batches to create Stoned Happy Grits. The girts are Gluten-Free Certified and Non-GMO Project Verified.

Three generations of the Barkley clan work side-by-side to produce their product. The grits are packaged on-site and shipped direct to customers. The cost is $21 for a two-pound bag, plus shipping.

The family backs its grits with a 30-day/100% money back guarantee. Try them. We bet you’ll be back for more.

Mad Hectic Oatmeal

Mad Hectic Oatmeal Chocolate RasperryPack some of this oatmeal in a gift basket or delight your overnight holiday guests with a bowl for breakfast. Mad Hectic Oatmeal, based in Houston, Texas, has perfected a really great tasting oatmeal that cooks in just one minute. You won’t see mystery flakes or artificial colorings in these packs. You’ll see real ingredients like whole raspberries, chocolate chips, and almonds.

You can definitely see a difference when you heat up this oatmeal. It seems to puff up much bigger than the ordinary varieties. That’s because the organic oatmeal is combined with protein powder (all-natural, ultrafiltered whey protein that contains NO pesticides, herbicides, rBST growth hormones or antibiotics), and other ingredients like organic flaxseed meal, organic sesame seeds, freeze-dried fruit and tree nuts. Delicious!

Seven varieties to choose from: Just Plain Good, Raspberry Almond, Almond Pecan, Chocolate Raspberry, French Chocolate, Red Raspberry, Strawberry Pecan. The plain retails for $8. Other flavors are $8.50. A custom box of 12 is currently $97.

Steeplechase Toffee

steeplechase toffee

After graduating from the University of Alabama and starting his career in Chicago, Zack Joyce ultimately returned home to Waynesville, N.C., where he’s taken over the 20-year-old Steeplechase Toffee company originally created by his mother, Barbara Joyce.

Decadent is an understatement when it comes to the mouth-watering toffee the Joyces have perfected over the years. Each small batch is hand crafted using the finest ingredients and copper kettles. The toffee is free of additional fillers or any type of preservatives.

The traditional Old English toffee remains the fan favorite, but there are also five other flavors: plain (nut-free with graham cracker crumbs), tropical (cashew and coconut toffee), Butter Mint (white chocolate infused with peppermint extract), Spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, apple cider and white chocolate), and Peanut Butter and Chocolate.

There are several different price points for the toffee ranging from $18.75 for a 16-ounce gift box to $52 for a 48-ounce tin.

Grounds & Hounds

If your definition of happy includes starting your day with a great cup of coffee and being greeted by a wagging dog’s tail, then here’s a company you definitely need to know about: Grounds & Hounds.

GH_GiftPack-2014-450x450px_1024x1024You’ll fall in love with the bold flavors of their fair trade, organic, whole bean coffee, but you’ll also be helping your four legged pals. The company donates 20% of its proceeds to no-kill animal rescue organizations.

Bags of whole beans are, on average, nine bucks each. Flavors include Morning Walk Breakfast Blend, Paper & Slippers Blend, Sit & Stay Blend, and Alpha Blend, among others. The Sunrise Rescue Gift Pack is a great way to sample three flavors plus receive a mug and tote—all for $43. 

Editors' Recommendations

Marla Milling
Marla Milling
Marla Hardee Milling is a full-time freelance writer living in a place often called the Paris of the South, Sante Fe of the…
The ultimate guide to disposing of cooking oil the right way
If you've been wondering how to responsibly handle your used cooking oil, read on
Olive oil being poured into a bowl.

If you’ve ever spent a significant amount of time in the kitchen, you’ve probably encountered the nagging dilemma of what to do with your used cooking oil. Before you pour it down the drain, think again! Improper disposal can have dire consequences. By disposing of your oil the wrong way, you risk unleashing an environmental disaster or public health crisis. It’s crucial to take a moment to understand the dangers of improper cooking oil disposal. That way, you can take steps to adopt safe, responsible practices that protect humanity and preserve the planet, and encourage oil manufacturers to do the same. Read on to learn more about common mistakes, how to recycle, and best practices. 

Common mistakes in cooking oil disposal
Cooking oil is a staple in almost every kitchen. From frying to sauteing, it’s an essential ingredient that adds flavor and texture to your favorite dishes. However, most people don’t put much thought into how they dispose of it, and that can lead to devastating environmental harm. Here are the top three mistakes:
Don't pour your cooking oil down the drain
One of the most common mistakes people make when disposing of cooking oil is pouring it down the drain. This can cause major problems for your plumbing and the environment. When poured down the drain, the oil can solidify and cause clogs in your pipes. Additionally, it can contaminate water sources and harm aquatic life. 
Don’t trash your cooking oil 
Disposing of cooking oil in the trash may appear to be a convenient solution, but it is a common mistake that can have harmful environmental repercussions. When mixed with other waste in a landfill, cooking oil can generate dangerous greenhouse gasses such as methane, which can harm both the climate and public health.
Don’t burn your cooking oil
When trying to get rid of cooking oil, one of the most dangerous things people do is to burn it. Burning cooking oil produces harmful chemicals which are then released into the atmosphere or breathed in by you and your loved ones. This method is not safe nor effective, and yet many people still do it. Don’t be one of them.

Read more
13 foods for hair growth: Eat your way to more enviable locks
Eat your way to better hair with the 13 best foods for hair growth in 2023
man looking at hair loss

Hair loss may seem somewhat inevitable as we age, but many young men also struggle with premature hair thinning and loss. While we can’t stop time or biological aging, and we can’t change other significant factors such as our genetics, we can improve the health of our hair and prevent hair loss by ensuring we are eating a well-rounded, balanced, nutrient-dense diet full of foods for hair growth.
Related Guides

Best Hair Loss Products
Best Foods for Healthy Skin
What to Eat After a Workout

Read more
Need an energy boost? Try these 11 foods high in vitamin B12
Try incorporating these foods to meet your daily vitamin B12 needs
Seafood that is high in vitamin B12.

Fatigue, depression, and anemia are often blamed on an inadequate intake of iron, but a vitamin B12 deficiency may actually be to blame. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is required for energy production in cells, brain function, and the production of DNA and proteins. Because a long-term deficiency can lead to permanent damage to the central nervous system, making sure you eat plenty of foods high in vitamin B12 on a regular basis is important.
Vitamin B12 is produced by gut bacteria as a metabolic byproduct of fermenting certain foods; however, this production is insufficient to meet your needs, so B12 must also be consumed in the diet. Because vitamin B12 can only be found naturally in animal products, vegans and vegetarians are particularly prone to deficiencies. That said, there are foods that are usually fortified with vitamin B12, such as breakfast cereals, milk, yogurt, nutritional yeast, and milk alternatives like soy milk.
The daily value for vitamin B12 is 2.4 μg per day, and excess vitamin B12 is stored in the liver, which means you can build up a reserve to tap into on days when you don’t meet your needs. To ensure you’re firing on all cylinders and have the energy you need, be sure to stock up and make room on your plate for some of the following foods with B12.

Clams
Shellfish are rich in nutrients like protein and zinc, which are critical for immune health. They are also among the best sources of vitamin B12. For example, a 3-ounce serving of clams packs a whopping 84.1 μg or 3,502% of the daily value (DV) of vitamin B12. Oysters, mussels, and scallops are also great sources of vitamin B12, with a 3-ounce serving of each providing 24.5 μg (1,020% DV), 20.4 μg (850% DV), and 1.8 μg (76% DV), respectively.
When trying to visualize shellfish servings, three ounces is roughly equivalent to a mere three oysters, five mussels, or ten small scallops, which gives you a sense of how potent the vitamin B12 content is in shellfish.

Read more