Grape Debate: Gourmet Gifts on German Street

by Christian Asam and David Asam

Christian: Each year David and I have to start our holiday shopping early. In early December, before the Christmas rush hits, our wine group has its grandest tasting of the year, the “Annual Christmas Tasting.” Not only do we toast the year with some real serious juice, we also take the time to exchange gifts with these people who started as wine group members and, over the years, have become our closest friends.

David: We thought we would stroll German Street to see what goodies we could find this year for our “Wine Lovers and Gourmets.” As we wandered we were reminded that Shepherdstown is just the place to find gifts for this crew. We found lots of great things, but we also found that the shops of Shepherdstown carry unique items, things you would not find in a big mall or the outlets. That, I think, makes these gifts seem a little more thoughtful and personal. Here is our Shepherdstown shopping list for the gourmet.

C: I have to start with one of the biggest holiday dessert traditions, Christmas stollen. Not to be confused with the other traditional, not so popular sweet, fruit cake, this gift will actually be eaten and enjoyed. The Sweet Shop has been making stollen for years, and it has become so popular that they ship stolen orders all across the country. Not only is it coated with a dusting of delicious sugar it even comes packed in a decorative red tin with an image of Shepherdstown on front. Enjoy your stolen with a nice glass of Sauternes by the fire on Christmas night!

D: I thought this was a wine column. I want my juice! Remember you don’t have to go to a big liquor store by the mall to find it. There are three wine shops in town. German Street Coffee and Candlery, Shepherdstown Sweet Shop, and Grapes and Grains Gourmet. All three sell wine. They all have a really nice selection. However, I chose to browse among the 400 bottles of wine at Grapes and Grains looking for inspiration. I found Perrier Jouet Champagne, always a great gift and fairly priced at $57.99. Not only is it delicious bubbles, it’s also the prettiest packaging in the wine world. Grapes and Grains also has a complete selection of Kirkwood West Virginia Wines. These wines won’t end up getting glory from Wine Spectator magazine, but they do make a fun, West Virginia pride gift. Choose from a light cabernet sauvignon, a fruity peach, or a bright red elderberry wine.

C: My walk down German Street found a few more surprises. At Herb Lady there were cool wine corks decorated with dragonfly, turtle and frog motifs. A quick walk across the street brought me to Dickinson and Wait Gallery, where Meredith pointed out a “waiter friend” wine key, a carving set, and salad servers, all designed and created by Santa Fe Stone Works with beautiful hand-crafted layered stone.

D: The perfect stop for a gourmet gift has to be the German Street Coffee and Candlery. From candle chandeliers for a dining room, to fresh ground coffee for a stocking stuffer, or just a bottle of wine, it’s all here. It may not be the season for picnics and outdoor dining, but I loved the Picnic Time picnic bag for $28.95. And the beautiful leather wine case for winos on the go, for $58. Also inside I found wine bottles that were melted flat and magically transformed into cheese boards, and locally made “Artsmart” decorative winecork soaps. How about a Wine Snob apron? Tons of options in this shop!

C: A short stroll back up German Street is Four Seasons Books. I found several titles that would make great gifts. How about Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day, or my wife’s favorite Barefoot Contessa Back to Basics, or 1001 Foods You Must Taste Before You Die. Sounds like there is lots of eating to be done before we kick the bucket.

After browsing for books I thought this might be too serious for our wild wine group. So I slid next door to One Two Kangaroo, where owner Laura showed me some mid age-appropriate toys for 30-somethings. There is Super Scrabble Deluxe, the original Monopoly, some cool retro toys, and the perfect gift for the slightly inebriated: a Pogo Stick!

D: Please, please, please do not bring a pogo stick to the Christmas wine tasting. Remember, everyone likes to eat out, so let’s not forget the easiest gift to buy for a gourmet, a gift certificate. Just about every restaurant in town offers them.

C: We hope you will find our list of treasures available in our back yard helpful. David and I really had a great time walking German street, chatting with folks along the way. We were thrilled and somewhat surprised to find so many unique, inspiring, affordable, and fun gift ideas here in our great little town. We hope that in this challenging economic time, you can make an effort to shop for the holidays in your community. I know that the shop and restaurant owners appreciate your support.

Happy shopping and happy holidays!