Gift Guide 2015: Talbott & Arding

When Talbott & Arding opened (almost exactly a year ago), the food profile of the small town of Hudson, New York took a giant leap forward.  The owners of this little food shop - it sells everything from home-made jam and crackers to chicken pot pies and impeccable cheeses - have impressive pedigrees. Mona Talbott worked at Chez Panisse for five years. She impressed Alice Waters, who asked her to become the founding chef at the  Sustainable Food Project at the American Academy in Rome. The result: the organic garden and fabulous food at the Academy is now world famous. Mona's partner, Kate Arding, is a leading cheese expert who worked at Neal's Yard Dairy in London and was the head cheesemonger at Cowgirl Creamery before founding Culture Magazine. They moved to the Hudson Valley to be near family farmers, and they now have a network of local producers. One of the highlights of my week is stopping in to see what new cheese Kate has discovered, or what delicious new food Mona's been cooking.   

But you don't have to live nearby to take advantage of their talent. They’ve just launched the Talbott and Arding online store, which means you can send their house-made jams and crackers to your friends. I recommend the excellent crackers, the tomato relish improves every sandwich (it's also great on deviled eggs), and the sour cherry preserve is truly special. 

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