With the calendar flipping to November and the shorter days, the festive holiday season marathon has begun on the North Shore. While turkey day menus, scrumptious pies, and cornucopia table settings are first on the list, the pine garlands, twinkling lights, and wrapped presents are right behind. Our holiday to-do lists are crowded with sourcing—the perfect charcuterie board for an annual cocktail soiree, a one-of-a-kind host gift, and seasonal thank you gifts for those who support us throughout the year. As my holiday gift to you, I went in search of three local gourmet shops on the North Shore where you can check off every item on your list with ease and even grab a salad and pizza for dinner.
Vin Fromage, Wenham
Vin Fromage in Wenham transported me to a quaint European shop with its charming décor and the personalized service from managing partner and cheese and charcuterie manager Dan McElligott and beverage director Howie Rubin. “Our cheeses and charcuterie are cut to order so we can put together the perfect spread for any budget or appetite. We pride ourselves on offering wines at all price points without sacrificing quality for price,” says McElligott.
I explored the vast shelves of pantry products with items in every category. I found strawberry and rosewater jam from England, banana jam with whole bean vanilla, dried herbs from Greece, and a wall of tinned fish, to name a few. McElligott explained that pantry products such as a bottle of olive oil or flavored vinegar, are the “unsung heroes” of holiday host gifts. Pair it with one of the curated bottles of wine or spirits and you are giving a gift that will last well beyond your stay.
“Throughout the holiday season we will have a small selection of curated gift baskets, but we also offer customers the opportunity to customize their own baskets and are always happy to provide suggestions to tailor it to the recipient’s taste. We offer cheesemonger-curated platters year round and will have an ongoing preorder for Thanksgiving and Christmas boards,” explains McElligott. Vin Fromage partners with Bonny Breads of Beverly to make its gourmet sandwiches— a fantastic option for a quick lunch or dinner during the holiday rush. Whole loaves, such as Amber Sourdough or a plain focaccia, are also available.
Pamplemousse, Salem
While Pamplemousse in the heart of Downtown Salem is a stop on the Salem Food Tours, it is also a perfect destination for your holiday shopping. There is much to explore in this small shop. “Over the past five or so years, Pamplemousse has expanded its selection of wine, beer, and liquor products as well as a greater focus on grocery items. With a sizeable amount of the latter being food products from Ireland and the UK, I hope we can offer a sort of one-stop shopping experience,” explains Pamplemousse manager Nathan Townsden.
When asked about a unique host gift, Townsden steered me to his wine section and suggested either a bottle of Apple Pie dessert wine from Oliver Winery or sparkling wine. If your hosts love cooking, Pamplemousse is stocked with a wide range of items for the home chef. Their international offerings are plentiful and stretch all the way to Australia with a shelf containing both Vegemite and Marmite.
While he showed me around the shop, Townsden detailed that they offer the service of making customized gift baskets (starting at $75) with the bonus of a delivery service. Just call the shop to order and give as much notice as possible. Townsden also has a piece of advice for tired holiday hosts, “Great dark chocolate and coffee. For when your guests are full, and in danger of becoming an immovable, sleeping object. You know, just when you can finally get your feet up after a day of being the best host ever.”
Leary’s Fine Wines & Spirits, Newburyport
Downtown Newburyport has the trifecta in Leary’s Fine Wines & Spirits. In addition to the Bay State’s oldest purveyor of wine and spirits, you’ll find The Cheese Market and an OTTO Pizza location. If you are looking to include some wine tasting and education in your holiday schedule, owner Todd Baltich showed me Leary’s Wine Education Room while explaining that they offer a Grand Wine Tasting with dozens of wines to try in November, ongoing wine classes, and weekly tastings of beer and spirits on Fridays and wine on Saturdays.
“We continue to expand our Cheese Market and gourmet food and gifts section. We have added a NOBL iced coffee/iced tea station. We recently introduced a section featuring steaks, marinated tips, chicken, pork chops, etc., from Dom’s Sausage of Malden,” says Baltich. His pick for a unique host gift is an oversized can of light and crispy Bonilla Potato Chips from Spain, noting that they were on the New York Times and Oprah’s favorite gifts lists.
With 24 hours’ notice, the Cheese Market can prepare cheese and charcuterie boards from its oversized case of gourmet cheeses and meats. Baltich showed me the wooden cheese wheel boxes that are filled with a customized selection of items to make the perfect gift basket. Perhaps one of the best perks for a busy holiday season is Leary’s delivery option. “Yes, we deliver everything in the shop. If you’d like wine or beer delivered with your pizza, or just libations or cheese, we will deliver it. You can call the shop to place an order, or order online,” says Baltich.