Business Fri Nov 30 2007

The Gift that Keeps on Giving, Indulging

One of the worst decisions I have ever made was to carry Carson's ribs with me on a plane. My older sister, a former Chicagoan who lived in the Boston suburbs, asked for them one Thanksgiving, and while I was happy to make the journey with meat in my suitcase, the badly packed ribs endured a cold, dry trip that erased their flavor and texture within hours. Tonight, as I went through the 12 catalogs that find their way to my mailbox each day, I came across something that made me rethink my next holiday gift to my sister. Tastes of Chicago, the brainchild of Lou Malnati's, is a nifty catalog that features Chicago-centric food, such as Malnati's pizza, Eli's cheesecake, and Garrett's popcorn, for mailing. It's not cheap, but the food will get there safely and properly. The pickings are very Chicago--not a vegetable in the lot--but it has a lot of neat gift ideas. If you want to give the motherload of all gifts, fork over (hee hee) $900.00 for a year's pass to the Taste of the Month Club, where you can get anything from a load of Vienna Beef, my beloved Carol's Cookies, or filet mignon from Wildfire for your monthly dining pleasure. Or guilt.

— Robyn Nisi / Comments (1)