by SARAH MUSGRAVE

If you’re still dusting off your collection of lladros, itching in a too-small sweater or stepping on pie pieces from the Star Wars edition of Trivial Pursuit, you’re probably all too familiar with the gift that wouldn’t leave. Food-related presents, on the other hand, usually fall into one of two categories: edible or useful. So get in on the holiday feeding frenzy with these conspicuously consumable items.

Palate pleasers from the past

Folk yolk: At first, they’ll think it’s a lump of coal, but in fact, it’s a 100-year-old egg! This traditional Chinese treat is actually a duck egg that’s been covered in soil, lime, tea and wood ash, then left to ferment for about a month (not a century). Over time, the insides turn black, green and creamy, with a pungent taste. A rare find at three for $1 at Super Marché Sun Hing (1050 St-Laurent), which has all manner of things preserved and peculiar for the adventurous eater you know and love.

Blender bender: The Hamilton Beach drink mixer is an exact replica - except smaller - of the 1911 model that graced the drink counter at many a New York pharmacy. Recently reissued, it has two speeds and an inclinable head, great for getting the soda jerk in your life to whip up fountain drinks, malteds and thick shakes. It sells for $54.99 at The Bay (585 Ste-Catherine W.; among others).

Cut the cheese: Some cheeses, like some wines, get better with age. Glenphilly cheddar from Ilchester ($7.99), in keeping with Britain’s 15th-century cheddar-making roots, blends mature cheese with eight-year-old malt whiskey. Look for it, along with pots of stinky Stilton, at Fine Gueule du Faubourg (1616 Ste-Catherine). For more aged gourmet cheeses, check out Fromages Pierre-Yves Chaput (1218 Bernard), Fromagerie Hamel (220 Jean-Talon E.) or Fromagerie du Marché Atwater (134 Atwater).

Treats of today

Basket case: The sister shop of high-end Mile-End grocery store Latina finally opened last month, offering a variety of artful culinary gift baskets in reusable containers. They range from an affordable $25 to $200-plus for extremely exclusive items, including a $700 truffle-shaving tray. Packages can be pre-ordered and personalized according to themes - chocolate or coffee, for example. Philippe Starck’s OAO organic goods ($149) come in a metal box, and include extra virgin olive oil, balsamic and cider vinegars, mustard and four kinds of gourmet tomato sauce. Visit 151 St-Viateur or www.chezlatina.com.

Frightful food: Anarcho-tot Emily the Strange, a 13-year-old ghoulish girl with caustic charm and a cat-loving attitude, has recently spawned a whole line of accessories. Her lunch box will fit an unhappy meal, with some room leftover for feline food. It’s $35 at Scarlett O’Hara (245 Mont-Royal E.), which also carries the Emily clothing line, all with the telltale black and red motif.

Semi sweet: Handmade hemp truffles are the latest creation of Thierry Schickes, the mastermind behind Un, Deux, Trois Chocolat. In addition to those perfumed with hemp oil (THC free, of course), delectable truffle flavours include lavender, saffron, bergamot, Japanese green tea and blue cheese ($8–$12 for seven). Even better, get a dozen in a whimsical frou-frou box made entirely of chocolate ($27) or opt for an edible commedia dell’arte mask, at 7010 Casgrain.

Future flavours

Buns in the oven: Look out for yourself this season by choosing a cookbook full of stuff you’ll eventually want to have made for you by that special someone. The hyperbolic Best of Better Baking.com is cowritten by Montrealers Marcy Goldman and cult anchorman of the ’80s Yvan Huneault, who manages the popular Web site of the same name. Recipes include bagels, biscotti, buttermilk muffins and bubble bread. $40 at local bookstores.

Eternal equipment: High-quality kitchen utensils are an investment that will last forever, something you can mention to your giftee by way of hinting that you shelled out the big bucks. The shelves of just-opened kitchenware store Les Touilleurs (152 Laurier W.) are full of gleaming items like state-of the art ice cream scoops ($15), stainless steel measuring cups and Italian-made cherry wood cutting boards and salad bowls. Other primo products include chestnut roasters and an ultra-gadgety garlic press/torture device.

Cold comfort: Ontario ice wines were all the buzz in the last few years, but Quebec-made ice cider is now making waves. The first of its kind, Neige, is put out by La Face Cachée de la Pomme in Hemmingford. Made in limited quantities, each 500 ml bottle ($24.76) of naturally sweetened nectar requires seven kilograms of apples and wonderful winter temperatures of minus 25 degrees. Starting to be internationally recognized, ice cider might just be the next maple syrup of the province. Pick it up Le Marché des saveurs, a showcase of regional products located at Jean-Talon Market. :