Artisanal caramel. It's happening.

We’re tallying up 25 affordable local gifts this year, but since this is Brooklyn, we know this you’ll also be shopping for people who eat sustainable pork jowl and say peanut butter is over (pumpkin seed butter, yay!). So we’ve compiled a list of the best locavore edible gifts to give your foodie friends for the holidays. And yes, it’s possible to put your money where your Pollan is when you don’t have much money. Grab one, two, or create a gift basket for the rooftop farmer in your life.

1. Spatzi’s Granola, made in Brooklyn by Sarah Abramjuk.
You ever want granola that makes chocolate milk like Cocoa Puffs at the end? Lucky you because Spatzi’s Granola, available in four flavors, makes you feel healthy and indulgent at the same time. This delicious, decadent chocolate granola is made with Mast Brothers cocoa nibs and has a little bit of hot pepper heat on the finish.
How much? $8.25 for two-ish servings
Where? Dépanneur 242 Wythe Ave at N. 3rd St. in Williamsburg.

2. Pound of Honduras El Sauce Coffee from Gimme! Coffee.
Brokelyn’s coffee connoisseurs have tried every coffee out there, but after drinking El Sauce, we can definitively say that this coffee will get you out of bed in the dead of winter (no small feat.) Btw, you’d probably never buy a $16 pound of coffee just for you, which is why people will love it as a gift. And it’s dark, bold, intense, and amazing!!!
How much? $16 for one pound
Where? Online or any of their three NYC locations

3. Mike’s Hot Honey
A spicy-sweet honey, vinegar and chili pepper mixture that’s perfect for putting just about anything, like a grapefruit.
How much? $8 for 12 oz.
Where? Paulie Gee’s, 60 Greenpoint Ave.

5. CHEESE, CHEESE, CHEESE!
In particular, the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, which is the mainstream cheese producer’s artisanal variety. Cabot makes it and then ships it to Jasper Hill Farms to age on wood shelves for 12-14 months. The result is the most glorious, sharpest, nuttiest cheddar you’ve ever tasted! I’m getting hungry just thinking about it. Anne Saxleby, one of the co-owners of Saxleby Cheese, sources cheeses from sustainable farms throughout the Northeast. She knows everything there is to know about cheese. You can stop by the Essex Market, grab the Cabot Clothbound Cheddar, ask Anne for her recommendations and this girl will hook your shit up!
How much? $21.99 for a pound, and they’ll cut any size you like!
Where? Saxelby Cheeses, 120 Essex Street (in Essex Market), Manhattan, or online.

6. Pickled anything from Rick’s Picks
You want pickled beets like your Oma makes? They got that. You want smoked Okra like your MeeMaw used to do? They got that. You want some Wasabi green beans that even your Obaasan could love? They got that. Of course, they even have your regular ol’ sours, which are great for peanut butter and pickle sandwiches! (Yum!)
How much? $7.99-$11.99
Where? At the Brooklyn Flea or online.

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8. The 3-in-1 Cream pie baked by Pastry Chef Shuna Lydon
This is the stuff of legends. It’s a dream. It’s a layer of chocolate ganache, banana cream, topped with coconut cream. Three cream pies in one. I die. I’ve died. See ya later.
How much? $40 (but so worth it!)
Where? Peels, 325 Bowery, at 2nd St., Manhattan. Pre-order PDF form available on online.

Follow Sue: @itsreallysue.

The Brooklyn Lyceum holiday market/Photo by Flickr's groundsel

As if Amazon’s anti-small-business tactics weren’t enough to convince you, here are more than a dozen reasons to ignore e-tailer spam and shop locally in Brooklyn. This year, holiday markets are popping up around Brooklyn like Swedish espresso shops, with added inducements like concerts, performances and booze. At Dekalb market, Santa’s even posing for photos in a shipping container. Beat that, internetz. Markets are free unless otherwise noted.

Brooklyn Heights
NY Creates Holiday Craft Festival
Brooklyn Historical Society
128 Pierrepont St. at Clinton
Dec. 7 – 11
Weekdays 11 -7, Weekends 10 – 5
Ceramics, jewelry, apparel, plush toys, organic cosmetics, glass works, photo art, home goods. Bonus: Museum is open for free admission during the craft fair hours.

Gowanus
Crafted on the Canal
Built It Green! NYC- Gowanus
69 9th Street, Brooklyn NY
Dec 9, 5 – 9 • Dec 10 & 11, 10 – 5 • Dec. 17 & 18, 10 – 5
Featuring artists selling fair trade, handmade, or reuse items. Special Event: Launch Party Co-sponsored with BKLYN Green Drinks on Friday Dec. 9 from 5-9

Brooklyn Craft Central’s 4th Annual Holiday Market
December 17 & 18, noon – 6
Littlefield, 633 Degraw St.
Featuring 65 artists and crafters, food trucks, and drinks. Each day features different vendors, see website to see which day each vendor will be selling. Events: Collaborative Gingerbread Construction, DJ sets and live music, and a few short sets by comedians. Note: $6 cover charge, $5 if you bring a can of food for CHIPS soup kitchen OR something for the gingerbread house

Columbia Heights
Clayworks on Columbia-Holiday Ceramic Show and Sale
Dec. 10, 1 – 5
195 Columbia St. (Sacket and Degraw)
Featuring over 20 ceramic artists showing and selling handmade ceramics, pottery, sculpture, jewelry and home décor. Snacks: hot cider, wine, cheese, and sweets.

Williamsburg
Holiday Pop-Up Shop
Dec. 10 & 11, 2-8
330 Berry St., Between south 4th and south 5th street
Featuring hand-made jewelry, knitwear, paper goods, fine art, toys, LED art, photography, and more. Treats, Holiday cocktails, and music by local musicians while you shop.

The Fifth Annual 3rd Ward Handmade Holiday Craft Fair
Dec. 10, noon – 6
195 Morgan Ave.
Featuring handmade jewelry, bags, paper goods, housewares, toys, and clothing. There will also be a DJ, live music, cocktails and food. The first 300 attendees will receive 3rd Ward tote bags filled with giveaways from the vendors. RSVP at 3rdward.com/rsvp

Brooklyn Night Bazaar
149 Kent Ave.
Dec. 15 – 17, 5  - 1
Featuring over 100 local merchants and food vendors, films, projections, art installations, and a beer and wine garden. The fair is free but there are ticketed music events including James Murphy (LCD Soundsystem), The Crystal Ark, Midnight Magic, The Hold Steady, Titus Andronicus, and Wakey!Wakey!

Bay Ridge
Scandinavian Christmas Market 
Dec. 10 & 17, 10 – 3
Nordic Delicacies, at 6909 Third Ave. [CROSS STREET] in Bay Ridge
Sponsored by the Scandinavian East Coast Museum, and featuring Scandinavian Christmas items and gifts. The Brass Trio will perform on Dec 10, and on Dec 17 there will be holiday music by the Christ Church After School Center.

Park Slope
South Slope Craft Fair
Dec 10, 11 – 5
PS 10 in Park Slope 511 Seventh Ave. between Prospect Avenue and 17th Street
Featuring jewelry, apparel, ceramics and more. There will be snacks from local restaurants, a raffle, and activities for kids. Events: 11:30-2 Button making workshop; noon: Performance by the Brooklyn Music Studio; 1 Performance by the New York Guitar Academy

The 4th Annual Lyceum Holiday Marketplace
December 17 & 18, 11 – 7
227 4th Ave. at
Featuring soaps, books, clothing for adults and children, jewelry, fine art, and food. Performances by “Superheroes Who Are Super” at 3 and 6 both days, and a PG version at 9 p.m. on Saturday

Cobble Hill
ArtsCetera’s Indie Artisan Market
Dec. 10 & 11, Dec. 17 & 18, Saturdays 1 – 7, Sundays noon – 6
212 Smith St., between Baltic & Butler
Featuring mostly handmade accessories for adults, babies, and toddlers. Their list of sellers varies each weekend. For $10 you can have hands-free shopping with the provided daycare of an open play center.

Greenpoint
Greenpointers Holiday Market
Lutheran Church of the Messiah (129 Russell St.)
Dec. 17, noon – 5
Featuring art, crafts, and food vendors.

ONGOING MARKETS

Artists & Fleas, 70 N. 7th St., between Wythe and Kent, Williamsburg
Dec. 23 12 – 7, Dec. 24, 10-5
Featuring vintage clothing, jewelry, and other crafts, and art.

Brooklyn Flea, Skylight One Hanson, 1 Hanson Place (at Ashland), Fort Greene
Every Saturday & Sunday 10 – 5, thru March 2012
Extended hours – Dec. 16, Dec. 21, Dec. 22 2-9
Vendors change weekly, see website for line-up.

Dekalb Market
8AM -10PM (Market Hours) 10 – 7(Sat and Sunday weekend vendors) 138 Willoughby St., Downtown
Featuring food and gift vendors selling daily. Stop by to visit Santa in a decorated shipping container and be ready to pose for pictures! Santa’s hours: weekends, 11 – 4 through Dec. 24.

FRIDAY

7, 10pm (thru 12/1): the week-long ‘vhs turkeys’ series at rerun showcases 2-for-1 double features of awful cult and failed art films – all available only on videocassette. $7 (free 30 mins before showtime with $7 food or beverage purchase).

8pm: $15 gets you 4-hours of select booze at public assembly’s leftovers booze buffet

SATURDAY
7-8pm: boats adorned with twinkling lights and holiday décor take to new york harbor for the annual lighted boat parade

8:30pm: stabbing eastward = tunde adebimpe (tv on the radio) + ryan sawyer (tall firs). glasslands, $10.

9pm: underground rebel bingo ain’t your grandparents’ bingo. dancing, drinking, body art… bingo! bell house, $5-15.

ALL WEEKEND
10am-5pm (thru 4/1): the brooklyn flea moves indoors to one hanson for the season

various times thru 11/27: turkey’s so 2011. have a retro-futuristic sci-fi thanksgiving at bam with 2001: a space odyssey and solaris. $12.

thru 11/27: babeland soho, les and park slope offer buy-one-get-one free orgasm in a box kits. plus, the first 50 shoppers sat + sun get a free babeland buzz or pico bong vibe.

$20 to spend at any old navy location for $10

 Listings brought to you by the skint. Follow @theskint.

FRIDAY
7:30pm

8pm: soul coughing’s mike doughty and his band fantastic play brooklyn bowl, $12

8pm: let’s knife! female japanese rock trio shonen knife make a stop at the bell house during their 30th anniversary tour, $12.

thru 11/20: although the jim henson foundation is co-producing the puppets on film festival at bam, these movies aren’t just for kids: the muppet movie fits right in with the dark crystal, gremlins 2, team america: world police, where the wild things are, documentaries and shorts. $12

SATURDAY
8pm: breukelen + ukulele = breukulele! bliss blood, ted gottfried (sonic uke), cat smith, sarah bisman, j. walter hawkes, and jamie scandal. way station, free.

8-11pm: secret project robot gallery officially claims their new home at its bushwick opening tonight.

9pm: monthly 60s soul party dig deeper presents winfield parker’s first nyc show in 39 years. southpaw, $12 adv, $15 dos.

10pm: twenty-five musicians – including members of the dap-kings, psychedelic furs, buke + gass, and caveman – are divided into five random groups and create band names and original songs in only twelve hours. hear the results at knitting factory, $10 admission proceeds goes to free arts nyc.

11:30pm: the sons + heirs pay tribute to the smiths and morrissey at brooklyn bowl, $5 adv, $7 door

SUNDAY
7pm: mivos quartet perform their own music for the first time live and cellist-singer-composer jody redhage‘s brings her new quartet to the sanctuary @ temple beth emeth (83 marlborough rd. @ church ave., prospect park south), $10.

ALL WEEKEND
the brooklyn flea moves indoors to one hanson next week and it’s your last chance to get your grub on at smorgasburg this season.

Listings brought to you by the skint. Follow: @theskint.

due to hurricane irene, please check venue website, facebook, and twitter accounts for weather cancellations

FRIDAY
thru 9/1: rerun gastropub theater highlights favorite films from their first year with double features, filmmakers in person, and $4 chilled absolute brooklyn + il prosecco (mention the password ‘the new year’). $7, or arrive 30+ minutes before showtime for free admission (with $7 bar/food purchase). 

6pm: only five more brooklyn cyclones home games to go, and only two more with fireworks: tonight (a doubleheader) and 9/2. $8-16.

6:30pm: evan hughes takes you on a tour of literary fort greene beginning and ending at greenlight before reading from literary brooklyn at 7:30pm. nelson george (city kid, the plot against hip hop) joins. free.

10:30pm: kaputsnik – ‘delightfully sexy cabaret with a retro soviet kick’ – hits galapagos, $10

11:55pm: the prince and michael experience: a dj/dance party tribute to the purple one and the king of pop. brooklyn bowl, $5.

SATURDAY
10am-2pm: celebrate michael jackson’s birthday with spike lee, music spun by dj spinna, more. prospect park’s nethermead, free.

12-6pm: greenpoint’s in god we trust throws its third backyard bazaar of the season, with vendors, snacks, free beer and wine spritzers, and ping pong. 70 greenpoint ave.

4-8pm: greenpoint’s connie o’s bbq with free burgers (inc. veggie), hot dogs, and $1 beer

SUNDAY
3-6pm: sample wine and snack on food pairings at brooklyn winery’s harvest 2011 preview party. free (rsvp).

3-9pm: it’s the penultimate mister sunday dance party of the summer. gowanus grove, $10 adv, $12 door.

8pm: blog i am not lying blog gets a loose live adaptation in a night of stories, burlesque, comedy and sword swallowing. union hall, $10.

ALL WEEKEND
9pm (thru 8/28 + 9/8-10): join hipster ariel in her search to be ‘where the pbr’ at mccarren park for the work/shop production of the little mermaid — with puppets, dance, and song. free.

2pm-?: milagres, newvillager, the forms, lemonade, computer magic, and xylos are among 16 bands playing the two day ‘out in the streets festival‘ at brooklyn fireproof. after parties and free brooklyn beer (while supplies last). $10/day, $15/2 day pass (adv).

highlights of ‘battle week‘, commemorating the 235th anniversary of the battle of brooklyn (the first major battle in the american revolutionary war) include a neighborhood walk (sat @ 6pm, $10) and re-enactments.

other confirmed weather closings: the brooklyn flea & smourgasburg, governor’s island.

Listings provided by the skint. Follow: @theskint.

8pm: the bee gees’ music is stayin’ alive w. all-metal tribute band tragedy. brooklyn bowl, $8.

8:30pm: ‘the butt kapinski last show and star cabaret’ features trapeze, lyra, 7-minute opera, bellydance, hoops, and snaps alden + the butt kapinski orchestra (feat. luminescent orchestrii’s sarah alden). big sky works (williamsburg), $15 ($5 for after party).

8:30pm: pearl and the beard celebrate their album release w. support from lady lamb the beekeeper + the lisps. knitting factory, $10-12.

SATURDAY
thru 5/1: hanami, a month-long celebration of the japanese tradition of enjoying the cherry blossom season, starts at the brooklyn botanic garden. $10.

12-5pm (thru 9/5): the prospect park carousel opens for horsing around. $2/ride, $9 for a book of five tickets.

5-11pm: brooklyn museum’s target first saturday celebrates the exhibition norman rockwell: behind the camera w. curator talks, jazz music, a screening of wuthering heights, hands-on-art, a dance party, more. free.

8pm: misstallica (all-girl metallica tribute) + body talk (all-girl ratt tribute) play union hall, $10 adv, $12 dos

SUNDAY
8pm: the secret science club presents a ‘brain-boggling’ evening with neuroscientist/author paul glimcher. bell house, free.

ALL WEEKEND
10am-5pm (thru 11/20): the brooklyn flea moves outdoors to fort greene (saturdays) and williamsburg (sundays) for the new season

two movie tickets, two small popcorns, and two small sodas at cobble hill cinemas for $18 ($37 value)

listings brought to you by the skint.

FRIDAY
9pm:

9pm (thru sat): the house of yes ‘xmas spectacular: xmas around the world’ promises strong language, drug references, nudity (full frontal, male and female), racial profiling, strobes… fun! $20+.

SATURDAY
3pm: five foodie authors (baked explorations, the new brooklyn cookbook, more) sign copies of their new cookbooks at powerhouse arena, free

10pm: rock lottery = 25 musicians randomly assigned into 5 groups have 12 hours to write 3-5 songs. you get to hear the results. feat. members of golden triangle, king missle iii, bear in heaven, hesta prynn, les savy fav, more. knitting factory, $10.

SUNDAY
4:30pm: go for a leisurely bike ride through the famous christmas light displays of dyker heights. starts at the manhattan bridge with a pickup point at prospect park. free.

6pm: cookie! takedown! bonus: free bourbon eggnog 6-7pm. bell house, $15.

7pm: just try and name all santa’s reindeer (after three beers) at the mental _floss holiday trivia show. prizes and bad festive jokes galore. galapagos, free.

ALL WEEKEND
11am-5pm: the third annual brooklyn craft central holiday market‘s 70 vendors expand to two locations this year. bonus: workshops and chair massages! littlefield and textile arts center, free admission.

11am-7pm (thru 12/23): the brooklyn flea’s annual ‘gifted’ holiday market features 100+ vendors selling jewelry, apparel, art, antiques, treats, more! one hanson place.

Listings brought to you by the skint.

Hear the flea calling. Photo via Brownstoner

You all know the Brooklyn Flea pretty well by now, we’re sure: the lick-smacking tastes of Asia Dog, the free samples of McClure’s Pickles, the guy with the REAL zebra-skin covered trunk and so forth (and if you don’t, Martha Stewart is way cooler than you). But how much do you know about the beautiful neighborhood that surrounds the flea? And even if you do think you know it, do you really pay attention to all its sights and sounds? Elastic City, a new walking-tour company, is kicking off this Saturday, May 1, with the first in a series of Flea Walks, and it’s free this weekend only.

The walk goes from the Flea (176 Lafayette Ave.) around the surrounding area “with an attention to how sound informs our experience.” The walks explore the colors and textures of Fort Green and Clinton Hill through what Elastic City calls “active listening techniques.” The tour will be led by Todd Shalom, the founder of Elastic City, a multimedia artist and a member of the New York Society for Acoustic Ecology.

Three 30-45 minute walks are scheduled for Saturday at 11:30, 1:30 and 3:30. Sign up here. This is the time to try it, because after this weekend, the tours will start at $25 each, but will vary in price. Elastic City will feature nine artists giving a total of 12 walks, including a “Bushwick in 2-D and 3-D” walk with urban planner Neil Freeman and a “De-masking the Bridges” walk with Brooklyn sound artist Daniel Neumann.