2014 Gift Guide, Day Eight

Pure Fun!

Angelo Garro is bigger than life.  Cook, hunter, raconteur, blacksmith, a day in his company is one you'll never forget.  You may have read about him in The Omnivore's Dilemma; he was the one who took Michael Pollan off to hunt boar. Or you may have seen him in my own (long-ago) Food Network special, Eating Out Loud, where we picked olives, brined them, then cooked a meal in his forge. It was one of the most fun days of my life.

If you've got a friend in Northern California, and you're inclined to spend a pile of money, you could buy them this salami-making class with Angelo.  It take place on Saturday, February 21th at Renaissance Forge in San Francisco. The day-long event includes making salami, a tasting of Angelo's own wine and a meal made by Angelo.  They also get Angelo's salame to take home. But what they mostly get is Angelo - and that is guaranteed to be spectacularly unpredictable and a very good time. The food, of course, will be wonderful.

And if your friend isn't in the Bay Area - or you don't feel like spending $400 - you could buy them some of Angelo's own salt blend instead.  That's only $10 - and it's great stuff.