Kermit's Key Lime Ginger Wasabi Mustard
(Kermit's Key Lime Shoppe, $7.95)
In those hopeful days before the election, even condiments had partisan opinions. Now, it is time to examine the complexities of this nation's taste rift while spending some gift capital. How can there be so many varieties of mustard, yet they all rally under the same name? How will you know if you can peacefully coexist with one at your table? A silent force of mustard makers has been adding all means of divination to the mash—from tart berries to garlic, Dijon hybrids to zesty jalapeños—over the last few years, and suddenly people you wouldn't even suspect are eating gourmet mustard. Use it as pretzel dip or a marinade, or embrace your inner red state and put some on a big steak. If you're feeling blue, escape from it all with something like Key Lime Ginger Wasabi Mustard—a queer-friendly, health-conscious, sushi-eater-soundin' morality bender of a condiment if I've ever had one. (www.keylimeshop.com) DAPHNE CARR
Details
Gift Guide 5:
At Wit's End
Personal — Having trouble finding suitable gifts? Let the professionals help. By George Howland Jr.
Balanchine — Celebrating a great choreographer's centenary. By Sandra Kurtz
Cheap — Shiitake logs, jelly baths, a world of spice - SW's guide to last-minute gifts for under $50. By Seattle Weekly staff
Old Music — Records and artists that have shown staying power beyond pop's normal cycle. By Michaelangelo Matos
Mall Hours — When the doors are open at the area's major malls and shopping centers.
Holiday Calendar — The most complete list of holiday events in Seattle.
Related Content
More About
100 Best Selling Albums of the 50s–90s
(Barnes & Noble Books, $6.95 each)
The publisher's name tells you where you can find 'em, the titles are truth in advertising, and these ready-made stocking stuffers for your chart- and/or music-besotted pals do their job with brisk authority. Sometimes too brisk—these books' selling point isn't their entry-level writing. It's the surprises; for example, the fact that 1976's Frampton Comes Alive!, in its time the biggest blockbuster in rock history, has slipped to 32nd on the decade list. Or that Pink Floyd's 1979 The Wall came out on top of the decade, rather than the Eagles' Their Greatest Hits 1971–1975 (compilations aren't tabulated, unfortunately) or Floyd's endlessly charting Dark Side of the Moon, from 1973 (eighth). Or that Garth Brooks' 1998 Double Live—for this observer, the moment he seemed to disappear from the landscape of pop at large—is actually his second-best-selling album (No. 6 for the '90s, right behind 1990's No Fences, which placed fifth). Which figures—the RIAA still counts each disc of a multivolume set separately when tallying sales, which explains why The Wall and 1968's The Beatles (aka "The White Album") topped their respective decades. The '80s leader is, of course, Michael Jackson's Thriller (1982); the '90s belong to Shania Twain's Come on Over (1997). But the '50s book is the most interesting, considering that most of these albums are barely remembered anymore except as kitsch icons: Mantovani's Song Hits From Theatreland (1955; 58th), Jackie Gleason Plays Romantic Jazz (1954; 81st), the Mormon Tabernacle Choir's The Lord's Prayer (1959; 29th). Still, the decade's biggest seller is also the most appropriate for the season: Elvis' Christmas Album (1957). MICHAELANGELO MATOS
Photo Snow Globe
(Photo Images of America, $4.49 each)
You're banging your head against the wall trying to think of something to get that quirky friend with excruciatingly picky tastes, but all you can come up with is a scented candle. Relax and explore the infinite possibilities of a photo snow globe. It's the secret weapon of gifts—something they'll deeply cherish and get a huge kick out of. Plus, it's a do-it-yourself kind of present, so it feels personalized. Search the Web for pictures of your friend's favorite personalities, print them, cut to fit, and insert into the photo snow globe. Voila! You've created a tailor-made gift that took all of five minutes and $5. Fans of Deepak Chopra, M.F.K. Fisher, the New York Dolls, or Diana Ross can proudly display their idol's image in a swank little setting. The snow globes are never permanently sealed, so your friend can swap photos at will. Genius! (www.photoimagesofamerica.com) JEANNE FURY
info@seattleweekly.com
