Despite uncertain economic conditions, the holiday gift exchange will undoubtedly proceed in full force as it has in previous years. Yet, with the added pressure of limited resources this year, the challenge of finding the right gift is that much more complex and potentially angst inducing.

The price value-quality paradigm also has been rattled. Spending dollars wisely, especially in this particular holiday season, carries renewed significance and not just only for supporting local business. Specifically, the gift of food – especially when it comes from independent producers and makers who are as passionate about nurturing the sustainability of their farms and suppliers as they are about providing wholesome nutritious goods exceptional in quality and surprisingly reasonable in price – becomes a memorable gesture. Today’s heroes of the food industry give consumers the capacity to add a meaningful touch of wholesome happiness and satisfaction to the holidays – if not to bring back a sense of humanity and sanity to the whole season.

The premiere stop in Salt Lake City for that precise experience is found in abundant examples at Tony Caputo’s Market and Deli. The following are just some of the suggestions from Matt Caputo, marketing director. For more information about any of these products, search The Selective Echo for a comprehensive series of articles showcasing these foods.

Chocolatier Blue – Utahns are indeed blessed to experience Christopher Blue’s hand-made chocolates in which every drop and every ingredient is naturally sourced, right down to the color of his confectionary masterpieces. Blue’s shop is now located in San Francisco but Caputo’s is among the highly exclusive benefactors to carry his chocolates. Elsewhere in this blog, I have cited the extraordinary dedication of this young man to the most exemplary principles of making truly great food products. And, he has accomplished this by making his chocolates quite affordable for customers.

Forget the pretenders (e.g. Godiva). Even a stocking stuffer of Blue’s chocolates adds the right accent to the holidays. Blue makes his chocolates according to what is available in fresh form for the season. In particular, this season’s offerings include apple cider, pumpkin, peppermint, egg nog, Amedei palet d’or, pistachio, chile, lime, grapefruit, and others. Boxed assortments are available in plenty of affordable sizes, ranging in quantities from five to 10 and from 16 to 24 and up to 50. At two dollars per piece, Blue’s chocolates are as affordable if not even more so than some of the best-known — and inferior — mass-produced name brands. And, to wit, all of his packaging follows the same rigorous set of environmentally-sustainable principles.

Creminelli Salami – Like Blue, Cristiano Creminelli is a leader in his sector of the food industry. His salamis and sausages are made completely by hand and they, too, have been recognized as paragons of today’s sustainable food movement. There, of course, is the Alba white truffle salami which is at the higher end of the price range. However, Matt says many customers have purchased the eight or nine-ounce salamis, and have added a festive ribbon to the simple craft paper wrap to make a remarkably affordable gift of between $10 and $12.

Cheese Pairing – Caputo’s has designed a series of food baskets in a fairly diverse price range that exemplify many of the most highly principled food producers from around the world. Of course, among the highlights are the some 200 cheeses, many of which are aged in the classic principles of affinage within the store’s cheese cave. For example, their cheese basket at just $50 features outstanding cheeses, crackers, chocolates, and cookies made traditionally according to Old World methods and that were imported the old-fashioned way (e.g. by boat).

Gift Bag of Olive Oil – Caputo’s commissioned an environmentally-friendly gift bag ideally sized for the many olive oils carried. Among the products that have just arrived from the 2008 harvest include Olio Verde ($28) and Laudemio, an estate-produced oil from the Chianti Ruffina hills, which sells for under $44 for a half-liter. Always rated exceptional, this Tuscan oil often is ranked atop the region by Wine Spectator editors.

Slide Ridge Utah Honey – This truly spectacular product – made at altitudes above 8,000 feet — from Mendon in Cache County is available in three varieties: mahogany, chamomile, and thistle. Priced between $9 and $16.50 per jar, Slide Ridge Honey also is available in cedar box gift sets. The thistle honey is a rare treat. Only a half barrel is made each year using the resources of European black bees working with a small thistle patch amid the ideal microclimate conditions at the unusually high altitude. The texture (maintaining its form on the spoon) and nuanced sweetness are unique.

Homemade Cookies – For about nine dollars and at a quantity that is considerably lower in unit price than what is found at some local bakeries, one can find at Caputo’s such homemade gems as Italian corn cookies as well as lemon and jelly cookies sourced directly from a five-person Laguna Beach bakery. In both cases, absolutely no preservatives or artificial inducers are used.

Amedei Chocolate – As mentioned before on this blog, Amedei is the queen of chocolate throughout the world. This Italian-based company sustains a comprehensive program incorporating the best chocolate science, sustainable agriculture, education, and environmental practices. The Chuao bars, hugely popular among the hundreds of students who have participated in Caputo’s chocolate classes, are just $12 – a perfect small gift to sustain one’s chocolate passion as well as one’s social conscience.