Robicelli's

Flavors: Wednesday, December 21st

Who’s done with their holiday shopping? NOT ME! I spent so much time concentrating on what to get my kids that I totally forgot there are other people in my life I need to shop for.  I’m sure there’s lots of you in the same boat, so I put together a little gift guide for you. 

1: Robicelli’s Brownie/Whoopie Pie Gift Boxes: This is what I give most of my family members every year.  Seriously, what the hell does my 56 year old aunt with 3 grown kids need from me? A vase? Wind chimes? Does anyone really need freaking wind chimes from a relative they see once a year?

Here’s what’s awesome about food gifts:

-You don’t need to dust them. You eat them, they’re gone, you have room for a new gift next year. Everyone already has enough crap in their houses- they don’t need more.

-They work for the whole family.  My aunt’s got 3 kids from 13 to 24.  Now I COULD buy separate gifts for the 3 boys, my aunt, and her husband.  OR I can give them a giant box with 3 dozen brownies that they can stick in their freezer and all go to town on for the next few months.  

-They’re a good gift for everyone.  Whether it’s a close relative, a relative you barely know, a neighbor, a doorman, a coworker, or your first cousin’s weirdo boyfriend you’ve never met who’s coming to Christmas for the first time- food’s a great blanket gift that makes anyone happy.

-Nobody has to “pretend” to like brownies.  You know when someone you barely know gets you another basket of assorted shower gels and you have to do that whole awkward “Oh thank you! I really needed this- I’m never, you know, smelling good, and I was really hoping someone would give me some apple shower gel to fix it- you’re so thoughtful!” moment.  No one wants to be told they’re smelly on Christmas.  Sweets? You don’t have to fake liking that. 

2. Robicelli’s Hot Cocoa Mix: Same as all that stuff I talked about above, but in liquid form.  And hot.

3. The First Annual Grand Prairie Rabbit Festival by Ken Wheaton: 

Mr. Wheaton is a fan of ours, and I’ve been promising myself that I would read his book for over a year now.  Finally last week, I was in need of a new book and remembered to buy it. And I feel so incredibly stupid it took me this long because it was without question one of the most amazing books I’ve ever read in my entire life.  Better than “The Babysitter’s Club”. 

If you saw me this morning at Union Square with my nose in a book, blowing off work and simultaneously laughing and crying, it’s all Mr. Wheaton’s fault.  I did not want to put it down, and I didn’t want to let the story go, but I had to finish it.  And it was so good that when I got on the train tonight, I turned back to page one and started reading it again.  

Plus, there’s recipes for gumbo and etouffee in the back, and who doesn’t like those? So if you know anyone who likes reading, who likes laughing, loves travel or food or just likes to smile, you should buy them this book.  Then buy a copy for yourself, read it, and then find me so we can talk about how great it was.  Maybe we can meet up for gumbo too- that stuff is delicious.

And if any of you have written a book I should read, let me know! I’m always looking for a good one.

4.  A Lion:

Who wouldn’t want a lion? Who doesn’t respect a dude riding a lion? 

5: Tauntaun Sleeping Bag:

If you don’t know what this is or agree that this is the coolest thing ever, I don’t know if we can be friends.

6. Cupcakes

What did you think I would say? Macarons?

Clockwise from front: Milk & Cookies, The Blatt, Port Poached Pear, The Hansel

The Blatt: Raspberry jam filled vanilla cake, cheesecake buttercream, raspberry jam, fried cookie dough

Milk & Cookies: Brown sugar chocolate chip cake, mascarpone buttercream, crushed chocolate chip cookies

Port Poached Pear: Pear cake, vanilla buttercream, port poached pear, port wine reduction

The Hansel: Gingerbread cake, white chocolate pudding, speculoos buttercream, white chocolate dipped gingerbread cookie

Available at:

Robicelli’s at the Union Square Holiday Market: Booth Number C34

Robicelli’s at DeKalb Market: 138 Willoughby Street, Downtown Brooklyn

Hom: 88th & 3rd, Bay Ridge

Cafe at Sam’s Bakery: 94th Street off 3rd Ave, Bay Ridge

Tazza: Clark Street off Henry AND Henry Street off Atlantic, Brooklyn Heights

Joe Columbia University: West 120th Street btwn Broadway & Amsterdam, Morningside Heights

Red Hook Lobster Pound (whoopie pies only)