No Time for DIY? Tonight's La Cocina Gift Fair Should Take Care of That

La Cocina

​An admission: While we'd love to devote a Saturday to the kind of chutney-making or other DIY food crafting Sean Timberlake is such a brilliant advocate for, we know we won't. Not even close. Between work spillover, picking up shirts at the cleaner's to avoid looking ratty at holiday parties, shopping for dinner, and napping, it's just not happening. (Sorry, Sean.) Which is why tonight's gift fair benefiting La Cocina looks even better than it did last week, when SFoodie first previewed it. It's looking more and more like the source for all the food gifts we won't be slapping our own labels on.

Vendors include the well-known roster of La Cocina artisans (Kika's Treats, Onigilly,
Clairesquares, Sabores del Sur, Neo Cocoa) and cool-kid allies (De La Paz, Meatpaper, Mexico By Hand, even Tablehopper). Plus there's a very La Cocina-ish raffle (buy tickets online if you can't make it to the fair) ― prizes include a Whole Food shopping spree (well, a gift certificate) and a 4-hour shift on the Taco Guys food truck.

Of course, quality handmade stuff isn't cheap, which might mean you'll have to take a strategic approach tonight, getting things only for the really important people on your list. You've still got another two weeks to contemplate going full Timberlake for everybody else.

La Cocina's Second Annual Gift Fair
When: Tonight, Dec. 10, 4-9p.m.
Where: Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 2868 Mission (at 25th St.)
Cost: Free entrance; bring cash to buy gifts, bar drinks, raffle tickets, and gift-wrapping.