Wine Gift Baskets

30 Fancifull Years A Learning Experience

It has been quite a journey, this Fancifull road we’ve been on for 30 years. From young whippersnappers with a gleam in their eye and an idea in mind, we set out to elevate gift baskets. Now here we are, older, one might say even old, but we like to think we are experienced.

We’ve seen trends come and go – we know what is a passing fad and what is authentic. This doesn’t mean we’re set in our ways with a, “been there done that,” attitude. No, we believe in staying current: going to trade shows to meet and see all the new innovations, traveling to meet makers in all parts of the world, and talking to our clients so we are sure we are offering them new product to keep it interesting. Fancifull is always evolving, as are we.

Along the way we have kept our eyes open and observed certain truths that have stood the test of time.

Research is Important
It takes effort to sift through all the marketing slogans, hype and cute packaging to find what is authentic and frankly, delicious. It isn’t about symbols, instagram followers or cool packaging. It is about people who care where their ingredients come from, who give back, and who make something that tastes great. Samples come to our shop almost daily. We taste test with all our staff and friends. Some are packaged beautifully but the taste just isn’t there. With some producers, once we investigate their claims, they come up short.

Taste is Personal
Everyone has their taste and it isn’t for us to enforce our taste on them. Taste goes so far beyond just good or bad. There are sense memories wrapped in smells and flavors that you have and others don’t.
We will always offer to widen someone’s view: taste them on our latest discoveries. All we try to do at our tastings is to get you to pay attention to the food, question what you think you like and what you don’t. But it never ever pays to be pretentious. I’ve been told by many they don’t like white wine. So we ask, “what whites have your tried?” Often it is overly-oaked California Chardonnay. We pour them something else and they are surprised, “wow, this is good.” Even if they don’t love the wine we poured, they tried it. Mission Accomplished.

Good Food is Universal
Starting with good ingredients – those grown in a sustainable and organic manner and made with care – is a great starting point. Our motto has long been, If we won’t eat it we won’t sell it. We all live on this planet and it is our role to take care of it. The taste and craftsmanship have to be there as well. You don’t want to waste your money sending a gift basket full of tasteless product.

Gathering around a Table with Food and Wine can be Magic
Well, we knew that all along, which is one reason we love sending baskets full of great food and wine – it’s the start of a party.

Everyone Loves to be Appreciated
Part of what we love about our job is we get to send out caring messages to people every day. Messages of Thanks, Happy Birthday, I’m Sorry, Congratulations, Condolences – all these lines going out from our shop letting others know someone is thinking of them. We see their faces when the gift arrives. It isn’t about the gift being big or small. It truly is the thought, the recognition. Don’t we all want to know someone cares? It doesn’t even have to be a gift basket. You can just send a card. It is the communication.

Working with your husband/wife is both a blessing and a curse
We have been married 38 years so it must be more of a blessing and we will leave it at that.

A Beau Visite to Beaux Frères Winery

Beaux Frères Pinot Noir from the Northern Willamette Valley in Oregon has long been one of our favorite wines at our dinner table. We decided we had to track down the distributor so we could bring it into our shop and share it with our clients.

Beaux Freres means Brother in Law in French and that is exactly how this started.
One Brother in Law, Michael G. Etzel, bought an 88 acre pig farm in Oregon and got his brother in law, Robert Parker Jr, renowned wine critic and publisher of the Wine Advocate, to join him in his venture of planting pinot noir and making wine.

It is done right: sustainable agriculture, low yields, natural yeast, grapes are sorted by hand to toss out undesirables, caps are hand punched twice a day so they can be familiar with the cuvee, the wines are not fined or filtered, they work hard to maintain the terroir of their grapes.

We visited in mid May and were able to walk among the vines, play with the soil, taste a gamut of wines and play with the dogs and the pigs that are on property. Because of the cold wet winter the vines are about 6 weeks behind in growth.

To introduce you to these wines we have the 2014 Willamette on sale right now for only $10 off a bottle at $50. 2014 was an outstanding vintage so grab some for yourself and lay it down for a few years. Perfect for Fathers Day and any gifting occasion. Bump up any of our wine baskets with this thoughtful bottle of wine.

Tasting notes from the winery
A medium ruby color. On the nose, this wine has a lush fragrance of sweet dark cherries, baking spices and sandalwood. In the mouth, it is very savory, plush, medium acidity and irresistible. is may be the best Willamette Valley cuvée that we have made to date. is wines sees about 33% new French oak.

Spread The Love | Valentine’s Day and Beyond

There are those who roll their eyes when Valentine’s Day comes around. They think, “Another invented holiday to make me buy stuff. “ I look at it differently; to me it is a day to spread love. It doesn’t have to be about red roses and chocolates. It could be the day to tell your best friend how much you appreciate her or call your mom and say I love you. Volunteering at an organization that helps others is a great way to pour love into society.

We tend to rush through life with our attention on all we have to do.
A day like Valentine’s Day makes us stop and think about Love. Hal David wrote the lyrics, “What the World Needs Now is Love Sweet Love.” Isn’t that sentiment is as true today as it was in 1965 when Jackie Del Shannon sang that song for the first time? How much better would the world be with an abundance of love and joy? Luckily we can each contribute freely.

Think about spreading the love this February, spread it throughout the year. At Fancifull we will sell our share of flowers and chocolates, nothing wrong with that. But we want to pour love into this world of ours so we are having a Tasting on Friday February 10th with proceeds going to Project Angel Food, a local organization that delivers meals to those in need. All that love going out to so many people. Their funding is being cut dramatically under the current administration so they need all the help and love they can get. We will start pouring wine at 6pm, it is only $10 and for that you will get to sample all sorts of cheese, chocolates and artisanal food in our shop on Melrose – soon to be the Fancifull Tasting Bar. You can check it out on our website www.fancifull.com or call 323/466-7654.

Fancifull was created because we loved the concept of sending love and joy out on a daily basis. I wanted gifts filled with amazing food and quality items that people would use and enjoy. It had to be personal. What keeps us excited, even after 30 years, is we spend our days sending messages of joy, thanks, and comfort. We deliver flowers along with condolences, a vegan basket to wish someone a happy birthday, or a bit of chocolate decadence to cheer someone up. It is all about letting people know they are being thought of, they are important to someone.

When one feels obligated to do something it takes the fun out of it. Valentine’s Day can quickly dissolve into, “I gotta find some flowers or I’ll be in trouble” which is just stressful and so not what it should be about. Since we at Fancifull are the gifting experts here are a few suggestions for making it lovely:
Order early so it is done and you can just enjoy the day. Chances are you will get better prices and exactly what you want if you order a week before the holiday
Think beyond red roses: the wholesale cost of red roses triples around Valentine’s Day. It is not us florists gouging you, we actually make a lower profit. You can say I love you with just about any kind of flower or gift as long as your message is sincere and some thought went into it.
Consider a Fireside Picnic with Champagne, Fresh Cheese and Candlelight (hint: Fancifull can provide it all for you)
Remember all the people who support you by sending a card or baking some cookies – it isn’t about the money spent but the love that goes into it.
Make being kind part of your everyday pattern: say hello to people you see, let that person into your lane while driving, find something to admire in those who irritate you, invest your time into helping others. If you want to support a non profit consider what is dear to you: Feeding others? The Environment? Literacy? Below are a few organizations we have vetted and they would be happy to have the help:

Project Angel Food – you can volunteer when you have time to help in the kitchen or delivering. They provide thousands of meals each week to those who cannot provide for themselves. They are currently experiencing a big cut in funding, so helping in any way you can is appreciated.
www.projectangelfood.org

Natural Resources Defense Council – They are defenders of our planet: the NRDC creates solutions for lasting environmental change, protecting natural resources in the U.S and across the globe.
www.nrdc.org

Fisher House – Helps military families with housing near their hospitalized loved ones.
www.fisherhouse.org

Root Down L.A. – A phenomenal local organization that is bringing better food and nutrition education to the neighborhoods of South L.A.
They plant gardens, teach kids and their families about good food and how to prepare it, and help ensure better health to all.
Rootdownla.org

WriteGirl – WriteGirl is a creative writing and mentoring organization that promotes creativity, critical thinking and leadership skills to empower teen girls. They can use help from writers to mentor girls as well as donations.
www.writegirl.org

Whatever you do for Valentine’s Day, even if it is a day to love yourself by curling up on the couch and indulging in a little Netflix binge, do it with love in your heart and look for ways to keep that love flowing all year long. To quote one of my favorite authors Kurt Vonnegut: A purpose of human life, no matter who is controlling it, is to love whoever is around to be loved. It will be good for you and good for all of us.

Fancifull Fine Food and Baskets
5617 Melrose Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90038
323/466-7654

A Visit To Frog’s Leap

Sophistication and Insouciance. Responsible, yet Carefree. These pairs seem to be opposites, but they work together when there is a certain ease that comes from knowing what you are doing, of being so certain of what one is producing that you don’t have to worry. It seems simple yet it isn’t. Which lends itself to another dichotomy. Frog’s Leap Winery is full of them. After a relaxing afternoon tasting wines while lounging on their porch overlooking gardens, fruit trees, chickens, a pond, and of course grape vines, we felt a little in awe of all they manage while making it seem effortless. In addition to the chickens there are 5 acres of organic vegetable and fruit gardens. They do make their own preserves but this environment has been created because wine maker John Williams feels the grapevines feel the chickens, that the different crops bring birds and other life to his grapes and that make his wines more interesting. This is part of the bio diversity that Frog’s Leap embraces along with their organic and dry farming methods. It feels familial because it is; he keeps his grape pickers employed year round, with full benefits, because they know his vines, his grapes and he wants them to have security. Seems there are certain values that run deep at Frog’s Leap – through all the ranks. It is refreshing to visit a place that cares so much about what they produce and how they do it, yet they do it with such fun it can be deceptive.

It is easy to be a fan of Frog’s Leap Wines. Their Zinfandel is bright and pairs well with food, not the high alcohol Zin we are used to in California. The expression of Cabernet he gets from his Rutherford grapes make it a very sophisticated wine. Frog’s Leap chardonnay has echoes of burgundy while keeping the terroir of California. The opposites mentioned above abounds in their Merlot – assertive yet tender, full of the ripe flavors you expect, able to be drunk now but could be laid down for 10 years easily. If we are lucky this year we will get some of the La Grenouille Rouganté – the blushing frog – their Rosé which is made in very limited quantities. Refreshing, clean, full of flavor, everything you want in a great rose.

We would love them just for their wines and the fact that they contribute to the beauty of Napa and the health of our planet. They took a desolate farm filled with old tractors and turned it into a fertile garden with an abundance of flora and fauna. There is a definition of integrity that says, “Wisdom is knowing the right path to take, integrity is taking it.” That pretty much sums up what we know of John Williams and his team. Here is how he works: They’ve been producing a Rutherford Cabernet for some years now. John farmed on part of the Rossi Estate just north of Yountville ( he leased his share of the 52 acre vineyard). The story goes that when Louise Rossi, the owner of the vineyard, died at 99 she had a long list of people she wouldn’t allow to buy it and only one person who could. Yep, John Williams of Frog’s Leap. That land had been in her family for over 100 years. When her husband died Louise ran into trouble with some of the local winemakers who were taking advantage of her and not treating her with due respect. John stepped in and helped her out and kept an eye on her throughout her life. A friendship grew and because of the sale, the Rossi estate was able to donate 12.5 million to the U.C. Davis Wine program. John owns the land he felt was always perfect for his Cabernet, only now it is all his. Deservedly so.

CBS Best Gift Baskets In Los Angeles

During the holidays, gift baskets are a great way to treat special loved ones as well as business associates. Finding that they are easy to send out and most appreciated by the recipients, gift baskets are available in a multiple of themes for shoppers including delicious gourmet foods, cheese and wines, cakes and cookies and children’s books, too.

Here you’ll find a short list of the best gift baskets in Los Angeles:

#1. Fancifull Gift Baskets helps to send holiday cheer to friends, family and business associates with fancy cheeses, imported chocolates and premium wines and champagnes. In keeping with the holiday spirit, baskets range from as little as $15 up to $650.

 

Champagnes for any Season

Sparkling wines are usually reserved for special occasions, but why wait? We crack it open when we’re looking for something that can easily transition between different food flavors and textures. And while yes, bubbles add a festive touch; they also act as a perfect palate cleanser between bites. The natural acidity of these wines helps brighten food flavors instead of overwhelming them.

When thinking about pairing wines, we go with two rules: “like with like” and “opposites attract.”

Light, fresh dishes call for a light wine, and sparkling wine fit the bill. Think of classic pairings such as oysters, caviar or cheese.

But bubbly is also wonderful with salty, fatty or fried foods -the exact type of foods we usually find on the Thanksgiving table which is why we recommend it especially at Thanksgiving – because the brightness of the wine balances out the richness of the dish. The wine leaves you with a refreshed mouth and prepares your taste buds for another rich spoonful.

Sparkling wines and Champagnes are food-pairing champions and provide both complimentary (like with like) and contrasting (opposites attract) notes.

Canella Prosecco, $20
This is a flavorful, fun and festive Prosecco from Italy’s Treviso D.O.C in Veneto.
It is characterized by its lively aromas and fruit and the ideal balance of acidity and sugar, which renders it both mellow and fresh. A lengthy sojourn on the lees endows it with concentration and intensity of flavors. Dry and persistent on the palate, it is a marvelous aperitif as well as an all around fish & fowl wine to accompany the entire meal or for pairing with fresh cheeses.

Champalou Vouvray Sparkling Chenin Blanc, $25
Another sparkling wine made from Chenin Blanc, this one hails from France and is made by the Champalou family. It’s aged two years in the bottle before release, giving it a pale, straw color with floral and aromatic notes.

J. Lassalle Brut Champagne Cachet D’Or, $44.95
A family-owned winery in the heart of Champagne, France, J. Lassalle is one of the only wines from the area that is allowed to complete malolactic fermentation. What results is a complex and diverse wine that totally delivers at this price point. Much more sophisticated than other mass marketed champagnes, this is true artisan champagne that will be appreciated and enjoyed with a variety of food.

Veuve Fourny & Fils Rose Champagne, $60
Founded in 1896, this winery produces grower champagnes that are characterized by super-fine bubbles, rich and deep aromatics and complex minerality that refreshes the mouth after each sip.

J. Lasalle Angeline Cuvee Champagne, $70
Coming from a small, family-owned winery run by a mother-daughter team, this wine is given great attention to detail at every level. It is a true grower Champagne. This wine is light yellow-gold in color, has smoky notes filled with citrus and pears and a long, lasting finish. This is truly bottled magic.

We have a large selection of Champagne Gift Baskets which can include any of these delicious champagnes.

The Golden State

“Eureka! There’s gold in them thar hills.” That was the cry of the 49ers who came to California in the 1800s looking to score a fortune in the gold rush. Now up in the hills of Marin and scattered throughout the state, is gold of a different kind. It still of the land, but in the form of milk and dairy products.

Northern California has long been considered a food epicenter focusing on family owned farms producing organic product. The establishment of the Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) helped assure that the area of Marin would continue to support farmers and green space rather than being overrun by condos. You can learn more about MALT here: http://www.malt.org/

The call of gold lured me and Wally to load up our wagon and head up north to those very same hills in March to attend and help with the California Artisan Cheese Festival which was held in Petaluma from March 22nd-24th.

The weekend was filled with tours of local cheese makers’ facilities and farms, seminars (beer and cheese at 9:30 am anyone?), tastings, meals, and a Marketplace on Sunday. We attended our first festival last year and immediately became members of the Guild which gave us the opportunity to help set up and run their booth at the Marketplace. Having to be there at 9 am was difficult, but talking about the work the Guild does and the classes they offer in conjunction with the College of Marin was gratifying.

Since we teach classes and hold tastings in our shop, we like to get as much insight as we can from the Cheesemaker perspective to share with our students. This lead us to the New Kids on the Block Seminar early Saturday where we got to listen to and ask questions of four Cheesemakers who were bringing new cheese to the market. They spoke frankly about their development process and the challenges in introducing a new cheese to the American public. Janet Fletcher of the San Francisco Chronicle lead the discussion with the cheesemakers and asked pointed questions to keep the info flowing. One of our favorite new cheeses is Point Reyes Bay Blue. Cuba, the cheesemaker for Point Reyes, talked about how he has refined this recipe for years before releasing it. While visiting Point Reyes two yeas ago we had the opportunity to try it in its first stages! Patience pays off. The new Bay Blue is astounding and already winning awards. But it took over two years to get it right! That is a lot of time and effort. We felt fortunate to be able to experience its evolution, it gave us terrific insight into the process of taking a pretty good cheese and turning it into a great one.

Luckily for our Fancifull Customers we have an in with the dairy, so they shipped us a wheel even though it wasn’t in wide distribution yet. Nice to have friends in high places.

Toward the end of the seminar, our moderator, Janet Fletcher, let us know that she had just released her latest book: Cheese and Beer . I bought one immediately (and had her sign it). It has lots of information that should contribute to some tasty classes at Fancifull.

At lunch, we shared our table with the folks from Cypress Grove, another of our favorite cheese companies. Wally would eat Humboldt Fog every morning if he could and I have to say the same about Midnight Moon.

The afternoon held a wine pairing seminar with old world and new world cheese and wine. Old World basically means Europe while new world speaks to the U.S. and Australia. The class was very similar to what we offer in our classes at Fancifull but it was fun to be a student rather than the teacher. There is always so much to learn and Laura Werlin, author of several books on cheese, was a terrific tour guide.

This cheesy weekend left us brimming with ideas and new product to bring into our shop. There is just so much great cheese out there, how do we sell it all? Answer: One wedge at a time. One gift basket at a time.

Old World/New World Wine and Cheese

American Made: On The Vermont Cheese Trail

There he stood, tough looking but with kind eyes a striking amber color. With the name Thunder along with his long black goatee he resembled a character out of the show Portlandia – northwest urban hip. He was just missing the required piercings and tattoos. Oh yeah, and he is a goat.

Thunder was one of the many acquaintances we made while touring Vermont and striking out on the Cheese Trail. He is the main stud at Fat Toad Farm, that magical place where they make the goat milk caramel our students swoon over at our cheese classes. This small family farm, (they have about 100 goats just next to their red cottage), also makes phenomenal fresh goat cheese. I love the one with Maple – but they only sell those locally, out of a shed they’ve turned into a tiny shop.

A goat named Jupiter, who was over with the other females, stole my heart. She nuzzled and cuddled and made me want to move from my modest Hollywood home so I could have a few goats of my own.

Over on the Western edge of Vermont on the banks of Lake Champlain we had the good fortune to get a private tour of Shelburne Farms, a farm and educational center set on an old Vanderbilt Estate. Set amid acres of farmland and trails butting up against the lake there is a glorious hotel with huge porches in what was once a summer home for the Vanderbilts. There are also animals, a petting zoo, a farm, classrooms, an old milking barn that hosts performances, a world-class cheese making facility and some of the cutest brown cows I’ve ever met. Cute to the point of being distracting.

So cute that while talking to the herd manager I was oblivious to the fact that this little creature with the huge brown eyes had managed to consume the majority of my long gauze skirt. I looked down and there it was in her mouth! I slowly pulled it out, like a magician with the scarves coming out of his sleeve; it just kept coming and coming. A little slime here and there but no harm to the skirt. Alison, our tour guide, said a cow had once gotten most of her jacket. They’ll eat anything. Ah, the hazards of hanging with the animals.

The Vermont Cheese Trail had been on my to-do list for a long time. Yes, I am a nerd, as is my husband Wally. We spend many of our vacations talking to the producers of our products at Fancifull, meeting with winemakers, cheesemakers, chocolatiers and such. Traveling to the areas where our food is made gives us sense of place. We get to see the operation personally, talk to the people making the food, smell the air, pet the animals, and feel like we are part of a community.

We are very much a part of the community that celebrates American Craftsmen, while also supporting people around the world who grow food responsibly.
I feel very strongly that they are the stewards of the land. They are growing food that is healthy while also taking care of the health of the planet. They ask us almost as many questions as we ask them. What do our customers like? Is the organic label important? This is a big question because, as one farmer said, “to do that you have to let the government run part of your business.” It isn’t because these people don’t farm organically. But the cost and the rules, often inane, can make operating a small farm with limited resources difficult.

We were encouraged when a farmer in the Hudson Valley told us that more and more young people are coming back to the farm rather than going off to college and on to new careers elsewhere. And they are coming back armed with new knowledge and better practices that make farming viable again. So, whereas a decade or so ago many farms were abandoned, now you have some flourishing due to the renaissance of American food. Yes you may pay a little more for artisanal food, but when we meet these farmers and see all the work they put in, we are getting a bargain. For most of them it is a passion, not just a job. They deserve to live comfortable lives as do their animals. The food they are producing is also higher in nutrients, so this is of personal benefit to all of us.

I will try to stay off my soapbox, which I keep handy at all times, but I do think this celebration of American Food is vital to all of our survival. Organics and sustainability makes sense for our planet at large. I often get asked, “Is this fascination with food just a trend?” I hope not. I don’t think it is a trend at all. Fifty or sixty years ago this was not “artisan” food, it was just food. Big industry came in and took over and often went for the cheapest solution, not the best. I think producers will come and go and maybe our zeal will lessen as this becomes the new normal. With any new movement there is bound to be some overdoing. We all don’t necessarily need to know where every particle of food comes from and we certainly should never be pretentious or snobby about it. The people we meet aren’t. They are hard workers who want to create great food. My theory is that once you begin to eat real food it is hard to go back to industrialized food as your main diet. The stuff that is being created by Artisans the world over is just too darn good. And I intend to keep meeting them, one by one, so I can better understand the process and help bring their food to market. That is my passion.

Video: Terry Talks about The Paris Bistro

Fancifull Unwrapped

When I first set foot in Fancifull Fine Foods and Baskets in November 2010, I didn’t know what to expect. I only knew they made amazing wine gift baskets, fruit baskets and many other wonderful gifts that I’d feel privileged to receive. I had received a call from my Mom saying that her friends needed help in their production line for the Christmas season. So off I went…into the world of gift baskets!

The teamwork that goes into every facet of the business was astounding. Working in the production area proved to be a delightful mix of controlled chaos and constant motion. All the baskets/bows are handmade to order, artisan foods are carefully selected to create a delicate blend of flavors and the finishing touches are never overlooked with any order. From the small individual orders for holiday gift baskets to the large and extravagant custom baskets, everything looked like it was fit for royalty (and sometimes it was!). The amount of dedication that was poured into every design made me feel proud to be a part of it all. It was a wonderful way to start my career at Fancifull, as it let me see the end product of all the hard, time-consuming work that goes into designing every gift that leaves the building. I knew that I had to learn more about this business, about what it takes to run every aspect of it all. It was only 1 month after the Christmas season had ended when I returned to Fancifull, only this time, as a permanent employee… an Assistant Buyer.