Got a foodie in the family? Santa Fe’s La Montañita Co-op (913 W Alameda St., 984-2852) stocks enough local meat and produce to build a holiday feast, plus transportable gifts for your out-of-town relatives and New Mexico expatriates. Salsas by Santa Fe Olé (santafeolefoodco.com) come in flavors like ancho and chipotle ($4.99); Albuquerque-made Pedro’s Salsa (“From The Heart Of The Southwest”!) features a tres-New Mexico photo of Pedro Ruiz himself ($4.69). You can buy all the fixin’s to make your own red or green chile, but for red, we recommend a jar from the Portales-based El Rancho de Los Garcia’s ($4.99)—along with a 2-ounce bag of Santa Fe’s own Casa Blanca green chile beef jerky ($5.39). On the weekend, hit up the Santa Fe Farmers Market (1607 Paseo de Peralta, santafefarmersmarket.com) for other locally sourced specialties, including Old Pecos Foods’ unique mustards, which come in red and green chile flavors ($6). Stock up on kitchen supplies at Las Cosas Kitchen Shoppe (181 Paseo de Peralta, 988-3394).
If your beloved prefers sweet things, Santa Fe has tons to offer. Several local chocolatiers feature house-made truffles, with stellar specialties at CoCopelli Chocolatiers (3482 Zafarano Drive, Ste. A, 438-2626) and creative concoctions from Todos Santos (125 E Palace Ave., Ste. 31, 982-3855). In addition to its exquisite drinking chocolate, Kakawa (1050 Paseo de Peralta, 982-0388) has tons of unique truffle flavors—rose caramel, tiramisu, even bacon-green chile; at CG Higgins Confections (847 Ninita St., 820-1315), enjoy a chocolate-covered banana while picking up some homemade fudge. The ChocolateSmith (851 Cerrillos Road, 473-2111) also has a snacky bonus next door in its sister shop, Whoo’s Donuts—the perfect place to score a diverse dozen that could make even Scrooge happy. The self-impressed and coffee-obsessed (looking at you, Portland) may tell you Santa Fe’s no coffee destination, but Ohori’s (505 Cerrillos Road, Ste. B-103, 982-9692; 1098 ½ S St. Francis Drive) roasts its own beans. Pick up a bag of fair-trade, organic coffee from East Timor ($15.50/lb)—and while you’re there, check out the shop’s massive collection of coffee paraphernalia.
Gentlemen! If there’s a special lady in your life, there is absolutely no reason not to get her one fancy-ass cupcake, just to show you care. DreamCakes (66 E San Francisco St., Ste. 19A, 930-2027) makes a killer red velvet. Both Dulce (1100 Don Diego Ave., Ste. A, 989-9966) and The Little Cupcake Shop (2801 Rodeo Road, Ste. B10, 424-6181) also offer gorgeous full-size cakes if you want to go all-out. At Chocolate Maven (821 W San Mateo Road, 984-1980), you can make dinner reservations (hint, hint!) while picking up a bag of traditional biscochitos ($4.50). Gluten-free sweet-tooths rejoice: There are plenty of treats for you, too! Momo & Co. (229 Johnson St., Ste. A, 983-8000) makes a delicious, gluten-free mint chocolate chip cupcake; find cakes, pies and other GF and vegan treats at Revolution Bakery (1291 San Felipe Ave., 988-2100) and Tree House Pastry Shop & Café (De Vargas Center, 163 Paseo de Peralta, 474-5543).
Should you need serving supplies, saucy little accessories by Anne Taintor—with slogans like “You say I’m a bitch like it’s a bad thing,”—add panache; find her kitchen towels ($10.95) and cocktail napkins ($5.50) at Marcy Street Card Shop (75 W Marcy St., 982-5160). For male-friendly stocking stuffers, the shop also sells Santa Fe-themed coasters ($5), shotgun-shell Christmas lights ($23.95) and the Super Dooper Reindeer Pooper ($5.99), a plastic reindeer that poops jelly beans.