Brandeis Alumni, Family and Friends
Food and Drink
Featured Gift Ideas
Klado
This “house of brigadeiros,” which Jesse Klee ’05 founded with his wife, Jen, sells tasty, bold versions of the truffles often found on dessert tables when Jen was growing up in Brazil. The Klees’ brigadeiros do not include gluten or nuts, and, at fewer than 100 calories apiece, you’ll be able to indulge guilt-free. $29.95 for a dozen.
Kolkata Chai Co.
Enjoy a fresh cuppa from the cafe co-founded in New York City’s East Village by Ayan Sanyal ’14, who drew inspiration from his family’s South Asian roots. Each chai kit — including the signature masala blend, made from Assam black tea, green cardamom, cinnamon, black pepper and cloves — contains enough mix for up to 20 cups. From $18.
More Food and Drinks
Send a delicious gift this season while supporting sustainability and family farming. The delectable raw-milk cheeses from 5 Spoke Creamery, co-founded and owned by Barbara Glustoff ’76, are made by hand on a completely solar-powered dairy farm in New York’s Hudson Valley. Find their cheese at some of the best restaurants and specialty retailers in the country and now online, too. Offering two options: All-American, a take on classic cheddars, featuring Welsh, Tumbleweed and Forager, at least 3 lbs., for $35 plus shipping; Cave Craft, featuring signature cave-aged cheeses, Harvest Moon, Porter and Tumbleweed, at least 3 lbs., $50 plus shipping.
More than just a joy to your taste buds: When you buy a tin of delicious gourmet popcorn, available in many flavors, all profits go to the charities of SAY Detroit, which was founded by Mitch Albom ’79 and counts Mark Mendelsohn ’79 among its officers. SAY Detroit’s stated mission: to support Detroit’s neighborhoods, provide opportunities where there are none and lift the neediest when they stumble. $25-$40.
For the craft beer enthusiast in your life, pick up a high-quality, insulated and super durable beer caddy and pair it with a six-pack of your favorite brews from this Maryland-based craft brewery, founded by Julie Verratti ’04. Currently offering pickup from their Silver Spring and Riverdale Park locations, and delivery in the surrounding areas. $35 for beer caddy plus six-pack.
Oenophiles will delight in small production single-vineyard wine samplers from this independent winery in Northern California’s Russian River Valley, founded by winemaker Dan Goldfield ’79. The Varietal Sampler 4pk includes the 2019 Chileno Valley Riesling, 2017 Rued Vineyard Chardonnay, 2017 Deviate Pinot Noir, and 2015 Cherry Ridge Vineyard Syrah. Regular Price $207, Brandeis Alumni Price $185. Pinot Noir and White Wine samplers also available at special Brandeis pricing.
For the craft cocktail enthusiast on your list, grab a bottle of New England's most awarded rum brand. Smooth, Sweet, Memorable – Rumson's is Caribbean-distilled, barrel-aged, blended, finished and bottled in a craft distillery in Salem, Massachusetts, operated by Alyse Richman-Barbash ’87 and her partners. Available for purchase in most liquor stores in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, The Czech Republic, and Canada. $20-$45.
Make this Swedish holiday tradition part of yours as well. Glögg is a traditional Scandinavian winter beverage, combining delicious red Syrah wine with holiday spices like cloves, allspice, cinnamon, star-anise, and nutmeg. A bottle from the family owned and operated Sjoeblom Winery, where Stephanie Sjöblom ’17 is head of East Coast operations, makes a great gift to anyone who enjoys a warm comforting drink in the winter. $25.
Caffeine addicts: Take solace in knowing that your coffee fix will be delivered to your doorstep every month courtesy of co-founder Briana Campbell ’97, CER’98, and her Maine-based coffee company's subscription service. Subscriptions are available for signature blends, single-origin coffees from Guatemala and Colombia, and a Swiss Water® Process decaf. From $14 a month. (Use BRANDEISU for $5 off your first order before Dec. 31.)