CONTENTS The Gift of Thrift Entertainment Gadgets Gear Garden Style Interiors Practical Kids Books Kitchen Body

BY ROBIN ROSENBERG Seasonal Salts Morton's still has the coolest salt label, but it only contains plain old table salt. Peruse the sea salts at any specialty food store, and you'll find that looks aren't everything. The rough texture of sea salt is the first thing people notice, but these crystals also pack an exotic punch. For the casual chef, an array of Mediterranean or North Sea salts offers a whole new world of esoteric delights. Try the Fleur de Sel from the French isle of Noirmoutier ($8.69, Pastaworks, 3731 SE Hawthorne Blvd., 232-1010). These are the delicate, slightly crunchy "flowers" skimmed from the still waters of harvest pools. Sprinkle some on roasted vegetables right before serving and indulge more than one of your senses. Extra Fancy Food fetishes often stretch the bounds of decency. A craving for elegant dried fruit, for example, is much more acceptable than the need to eat cupcakes with ranch dressing. For almost a decade, one Portlander has sent her mother in Texas a Christmas package of glazed Australian apricots ($21, Norm Thompson, 1805 NW Thurman St., 221-0764). These apricots are shiny, plump and pregnant with the flavor of sun-drenched orchards. Never underestimate the gesture of giving small delicacies. This wooden box of lovely fruit may even help someone kick bad eating habits. It's Time to Buy Better Beer No one in town has a larger beer selection than the Burlingame Grocery (8502 SW Terwilliger Blvd., 246-0711), and the inventory just keeps growing. Choose a few holiday brews to please party hosts. The mix-and-match possibilities are endless. Look for Full Sail's Wassail, Samuel Smith's classic Winter Welcome, or any number of potent brews from those crazy Trappist monks. Word to the wise: Holiday ales usually pack a few extra alcohol percentage points. Adjust confessions, espousals of love, introspective meanderings and your ride home accordingly. Toast and Jam What perks up a dreary winter morning? A thick slab of toasted bread primed with sweet butter and slathered with local marionberry preserves. There are few whose hearts don't swell with joy at the thought of perfectly prepared toast with jam. Give Oregon preserves and a good loaf of bread to the men, women, boys and girls who think they already have everything. Made in Oregon stores (various locations) carry an astounding selection of preserves ($3-$8). Pick up a loaf of Black Bear Bakery's country brown or white ($2.30, Grand Central Bakery and Cafe, 1444 NE Weidler St., 288-1614) and make someone very, very happy. Bequeath in Bulk Don't overlook the bulk food bins when looking for stocking stuffers. Consider items that never seem to last long in the presence of your loved one. Sunflower seeds? Chocolate chips? Party mix? Pistachios? Dry pasta? Make a list and head down to the place that has it all, the Sheridan Fruit Company (408 SE 3rd Ave., 236-2113). The bulk nuts selection at Sheridan is particularly enticing. Present your gifts in tins, ceramics or durable plastic. Save that yogurt container for leftovers; this gift deserves special packaging. Beans That Benefit Babes It's down to the wire and you've forgotten to buy a present for that do-gooder office mate who brings in home-baked goodies on a regular basis. Don't panic, just trot down to your nearby Starbucks. Lots of options await: a book of gift certificates; a holiday CD with festive tunes from Dean Martin, Leonard Cohen and El Vez; boxes of Starbucks mints so potent they make Altoids taste like Tums. The best gift choice has to be Eight to Celebrate ($15.95), a sampler of 21Ž2-ounce bags of different coffee blends. Starbucks will donate a percentage of the proceeds from sales of this gift to local literacy programs. (Mark Zusman) Corn's Cool Again Everybody knows one. The popcorn freak who wants extra butter at the movies, who cases popcorn stores for new flavors and eats the Christmas tree garland. Accept her problem and admit that you love the popped treat, too. December is a big month at The Uncommon Kernel (30 NE 28th Ave., 239-7212), and everyone is going nuts for the holiday popcorn. The Holiday Delight medley contains cinnamon-apple, pistachio and vanilla flavors. Celebrate Hanukkah is a mixture of blueberry and vanilla candied corn. A large bag is just $4.50, and with decorative tins and custom orders the possibilities are endless and affordable. Pill Popping The gift of health is priceless, and for $12-$30 you can invest in your loved one's well-being. Vitamins are supposed to do oodles of good, but it's hard to spend $24.95 of your own money on something that doesn't produce immediate results. Scope out the vitamin and wellness aisles, do a little research, and select a thoughtful and practical gift that will help friends make it through the hectic winter. Nature's and Fred Meyer nutrition centers (various locations) have knowledgeable folks on staff who can help you decide between daily multivitamins, echinacea tinctures or the most potent of vitamin Cs. Make sure to consider possible allergies, and avoid anything that boasts "magical powers." Saucy Samples Who doesn't love sample-sized products? What responsible drinker would not be delighted to own a personal cache of 1.7-ounce minis ($1.50-$3.75 at most liquor stores)? The tiny vessels run the liquor gamut, from Malibu to Maker's Mark. A gift like this encourages the spinning of some tall tales: "Yeah, well, I was flying back from L.A., and when the flight attendant wasn't looking..." or "Well, after all, I wasn't the one paying for the hotel suite." The recipient's friends never have to know the drinks were bought legally and in good faith. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Willamette Week | originally published December 9, 1998