Gifts with taste: Share your love with food and drink – Winston-Salem Journal

Here are “a few of our favorites” that are perfect wrapped under a tree, as stocking stuffers, or mailed to a loved one.

For many families, it just isn’t Christmas without Moravian sugar cookies or Moravian cookies fresh out of the oven. These historic Moravian treats are enjoyed year-round, but take center stage during the holiday season.

Steeped in a delicious history, Moravian cookies almost became the state’s official cookie in 2023.

Alas, although the NC House unanimously passed a bill that would make this happen, the Senate did not vote on it.

Winkler’s Bakery in Old Salem began with a Swiss-born baker named Christian Winkler in 1807, and Dewey Guy Wilkerson opened his bakery, credited with popularizing the flavored cookie, in 1930. Two bakeries bear his name, Dewey’s Bakery and the Wilkerson, each built on individual recipes from their namesake.

Here are some of the places you can get them. Several of the bakeries have multiple locations and even pop-ups.

Dewey’s Bakery: Dewey’s, founded by Dewey Guy Wilkerson, has multiple locations and added vacation spots. The bakery offers a Tase of North Carolina gift box with Triple Ginger Moravian Cookies, Classic Sugar Moravian Cookie Thins, Brownie Crisp Cookies and Cheese Straws. deweys.com

Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies: A rule of thumb is that no one refuses a gift of handmade cookies, and especially Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies. Started by a seventh-generation Moravian, Mrs. Hanes’ Moravian Cookies are fresh, thin cookies that are still rolled by hand (up to 100 pounds a day). hanescookies.com.

Wilkerson Bakery: Wilkerson is operated by descendants of Dewey Guy Wilkerson. Chelsea Wilkerson describes sugar cookies best: “A leavened dough with pure butter, honey, real potatoes and a wonderful mixture of melted brown sugar and cinnamon brings romance to your kitchen table.” The thinnest of all Moravian cookies are iconic products made of fresh ingredients, spices sourced from around the world and paper thin rolls in six flavors including the popular Spice. wilkersonbakery.com

Winkler Bakery: Winkler Bakery, part of the Old Salem Museums & Gardens, still makes its cookies in a wood-fired oven just as it did 200 years ago. The store sells cookies and sugar cookie mixes and love buns. oldsalem.org/winkler/

Ah fiwi sauce: In 2019, Vera Liles started making Ah Fiwi Sauce in response to requests for a sauce to go with her popular chicken. Liles, who is from Jamaica and used to work at Short Street Kitchen, opened a Jamaican-themed restaurant, Ah Fiwi, in July to feature her sauce. The sauce combines pineapple and Scottish chillies with a combination of sweet and spicy flavors and is available in mild, medium and hot. The sauce is good on stir-fries, chicken, fish and ribs – and can be used as a spicy addition to barbecue sauce. Ah Fiwi Sauce is sold at Ah Fiwi Restaurant, Buie’s Market, Celestial Wellness, Aixa Maria’s Gift Basket (Kernersville) and Deep Roots Market in Greensboro. ah-fiwi.com

Seasonings from the chef: Chef Charlie Smith says you can get spicy for the holidays. Smith, known as Chef Gunny from his time in the Marines, and his wife-business partner, Laurie Smith, have a food business called Chef Gunny Eats, Sweets, & Spice. To spice up their food offerings, the Smiths launched a seasoning line with four spice blends: Gulf Coast Cajun Seasoning, Backyard Smoke Barbecue Rub, Shoreline Select Seafood Seasoning and SPOG All-Purpose Seasoning Blend. Spices make the perfect gift for chefs who love to add flavor to the grill or in the kitchen. To order spices or other foods, go to chefgunny.com.

Mast shop: Most people know and love the Mast General Store, the old-fashioned store for everything from clothing to home decor. The shop dates back to 1883 and speaks to the child in everyone with its signature food gifts – jams, coffee, tea and vintage candies. Mast General Store is known for its giant barrels of bulk candy and chocolates, perfect for filling. Look for favorites like Bit of Honey, Pop Rocks, Red Hots, Jaw Busters and more than 500 old-fashioned candy varieties. Don’t forget to pick up the newest moon pie variety – the Over the Moon candy (think s’mores and moon pie) and the Cheerwine Milk Chocolate candy. To make a purchase, go to 516 Trade Street SW downtown or visit mastgeneralstore.com.

Uncle Chris Premium Pimento Cheese: Twin City Provisions chef/owner Kevin Heath says pimento cheese has saved the business during the COVID-19 shutdown. Heath says Uncle Chris’ Premium Pimento Cheese (founded in 2013) is different because of the use of real cheese instead of processed cheese and less mayo than some Pimento cheese brands. Uncle Chris’ isn’t just for sandwiches and works in any dish that uses cheese, making it the perfect holiday gift.

Uncle Chris’s Premium Pimento Cheese comes in three flavors (Premium, Fire Roasted Jalapeno and Smokin’ Habanero) and is available at North/South Carolina Lowes Foods, other retailers and on local restaurant menus. To find locations or to order, go to unclechrispimentocheese.com

Savage Roasters: Savage Roasters in Kernersville is a full-service coffee shop that sells brewed and bagged coffee. Founded by Army veteran Joshua Pratt, Savage Roasters focuses on ethically produced coffees from various countries including Ethiopia, Honduras and Nicaragua. Pratt makes his own espresso blend, along with light, medium and dark roasts.

Coffee is available in 12-ounce, 2-pound, and 5-pound bags, and beans are ground upon request. Savage Roasters also sells K-cups using its own machine. savageroasters.com

Ronnie’s Country Store: The popular store, which was once a stand-alone location, is located at ROAR in downtown Winston-Salem. When the store moved to its new location, loyal customers of the old-fashioned country store lined up for their favorite products and produce. At the top of the list for many is country ham, which is sold whole or cut to order. Customers can shop open containers of old fashioned candies, dried beans, nuts and lots of produce. But don’t forget country ham for the family table during the holidays. roarws.com

Lowes Foods: Lowes Foods is spreading holiday cheer with its Carolina Cheer Box. The NC Cheer Box consists of handpicked products from around the state that are perfect for local gifts or mailing: Elizabeth’s Exceptional Pecan Brittle, Dee Dee’s Gourmet Cheese Straws, Carolina Couch Mix, Kelly Kakes Green Chile & Cheese Cornbread Mix, Parkway Pick Me Premium Roast Coffee and Sugar Cured Ham Center Cut Biscuits.

Cheer Boxes are available at Lowes Foods stores and at lowesfoods.com/carolina-cheer-box.