Our panettone selection is our best ever.  We have the traditional panettone from Corsini, Perugina, Le Logge, Le Tre Marie, Fiasconaro, Sclafani and even Macrina.  A few unique offerings from Corsini (chestnut and chocolate), Rustichella d' Abruzzo (sugar glazed) and Colavolpe (fig and chocolate) round out the panettone offering.  Your pandoro options are Perugina, Le Tre Marie and Corsini.  We have torrone from Rustichella d'Abruzzo, Sperlari and La Florentine.  Our Panforte selection hails form renowned producers Le Logge, La Bottega, Corsini and Betti & Sinatti.  The Sinatti Fiorito Panforte is unique in that it contains almond paste - great with vin santo or coffee.  Need a shot of liquor and a sweet before the relatives come by?  Go for the Baba' en Limoncello (Maurizio Russo) or the Baba' Classico (Toschi) to put a smile on your face. Amarena cherries complete a simple dessert of vanilla gelato.  We have both Toschi and Fabri brands of Amarena cherries.  Cherries in syrup aren't your thing?  How about Strawberries in syrup from Fabri? ( My favorite).

Colavolpe Montagnoli baked figs stuffed with gorgonzola, wrapped in prosciutto and baked = the perfect appetizer. We have the full line of Carsten's Marzipan including the Pigs.  Make sure you get a few before New Year's.  Tradition has it that if you remember to bite the head off the pig before you go to bed New Year's Eve and place the body under your pillow, then eat the body in the morning of New Year's Day, you'll enjoy good luck all year.  Speaking of good fortune, be sure to grab a Salumi Cotechino and sauté it over lentils as your New Year's Eve dinner.  Again, good fortune will be with you all year long following your meal. The Kinder Shipper is still looking full, too.  Kinder is not just about the eggs.  They have an amazing array of treats for the stockings - all housed in the space-eating Kinder Shipper.  Check it out! Since we are on the sweets, if chocolate is your thing, Jo's Candies can help.  We have lot s of their little treats including Peanut Butter Melt Away s - Reese's on 'roids, some say.  Not fancy enough, you say?  Try our Chocolate Bundles.  Each is an amalgam of pristine chocolate from around the globe.  The hostess gift will never be the same after you give these.  Still need a gift?  How about a Ponticelli EVOO and Vechia Aemilia Balsamic Vinegar gift set.  We even have a Mini Olive Oil & Balsamic Bundle featuring EVO Extra Virgin Olive Oil from Lazio .  These are perfect for the adult stocking stuffer.

Lastly, consider giving a DeLaurenti Gift Card.  They come in any denomination and never expire.  They're wonderful for current heavy users or your friends and relatives that live nearby.

We have more White Truffles arriving this week.  They have been gorgeous and wildly aromatic.  They don't last long so please call and pre-buy one soon.  Three Little Pigs brings us a nice small tureen of Foie Gras and Fabrique Delice provides us with a Foie Gras mousse.  Our very own Rosmarino Salame from Salumi is here.  So, too, is the coveted Culatello from Armandino.  We've brought back Panforte by the Pound from Italy.  We cut this to order and it's a great way to taste this traditional Italian Christmas 'bread'.

We have two new cheeses from Vermont.  The Crawford Family Farm's Vermont Ayr - a raw-milk, farmstead cow that's aged 3-5 months and the Thistle Hill Farm's Tarantaise - certified organic, raw-milk, aged 4-6 months.  It's a nice, fruity (apples, pears) cheese that pairs great with cider.  These are the only cheeses these farm s make.  We love a farm with focus!  Guffanti always brings us their Gorgonzola/Marscapone Torta this time of year.  We have a few Mini-Stiltons remaining.  If you have a big group and want to impress them, pick up a mini and be sure the port is flowing.  You've purchased these cheeses and want to present them with panache :  Perhaps they'd look nice in pretty French Cheese Papers or even in a DeLaurenti Cheese Box?

One last note:  You obviously have heard of the flooding that happened in nearby Chehalis.  A wonderful dairy we love is the Black Sheep Creamery located on the Chehalis.  During the flooding, they lost nearly 40 sheep (out of over 60).  They may even lose their historic home.  We hope to support their effort to rebuild their family farm by collecting coins for them in our deli.  Whatever's collected, we'll match.  Perhaps if you're in the store, you'll consider helping out the Black Sheep Creamery with us.

The season of festive meals is upon us and it is time to bring those special bottles of wine to the table. The flavors of the holiday season are many and may require different wines throughout the meal or a single wine that is versatile with a variety of foods. Stephen and Ben are here to meet your holiday needs with an extensive selection of wines from around the world.

Some of our favorites for their food pairing abilities are the Pinot Noirs from Oregon. These richly flavored wines are right at home on the dinner table. This year's selection is bountiful including many limited releases. Ken Wright Cellars with bottlings from the Savoya, Freedom Hill and the Shea Vineyards.  Cameron Winery Arley's Leap, Abbey Ridge and Clos Electrique.  Penner-Ash and Lachini offerings always represent balanced wine-making.  Sineann is famous for their extracted, juicy, big Pinot Noir.  Resonance and Wyeast Vineyards are also wonderful representations of why Oregon Pinot Noir is world-class.  Not one above that interests you?  We have over 40 other Oregon wineries to choose from.

If Oregon isn't local enough for you, Washington makes excellent wine! In fact, there are some jewels from Washington State including new arrivals from Cadence and Fall Line. Both are beautifully crafted wines that showcase stellar local winemaking. Old friends Walla Walla Vintners, Woodward Canyon and Andrew Will highlight our selection of elegant reds.

And don't forget, we are an International store!  We have countless treasures upstairs.  We are most proud of our extensive Italian collection where wine and food have been making lovely pairings for centuries. For the holidays, bubbly's the thing, so don't forget about France. Champagne is one of the most versatile food wines available. Now in the shop is a lovely group of Grower Champagnes -- small domains that tend their own vineyards and produce stunning wines. Elegant, deeply textured and supremely affordable.

Back to adult stocking-stuffer ideas... half-bottles are the answer if that's the question. Our huge selection of splits must be seen to be believed.  Table wines, Champagne and Port all available in a stocking size.  We mentioned the Tarantaise cheese from Vermont up above; noting that it pairs well with cider.  Try a French cider or even a unique beer from Belgium with that cheese.  Stephen and Ben can help you pair those two perfectly.

Upcoming Wine Tastings
If you happen to be in shopping on a Saturday, stop by our regular wine tasting from 2 to 4. Through December we will be featuring holiday wines with an international theme and all including something bubbly.

8 December: Wines from South Africa
15 December: A Northwest Holiday
22 December: Festive Italian Wines
29 December: Haven't had enough? Prepare for the New Year with what else, bubbles.

So you don't have a food making tradition in your house during the holidays?  Fear not.  DeLaurenti is here to give you a suggestion.  Pasta making is simple, messy and rewarding.  In the time it takes to watch the good part of 60 Minutes, you and yours can make delicate, tasty pasta.  Once you figure out how to make the pasta, of course the opportunities are endless. (This is a repeat from years ago but the sauce is new!)

Master the pasta part of this recipe then get creative (but whatever you do, do not make chocolate ravioli - that's sacrilegious).