Several days ago, I found myself remarking with some exasperation that birthday season had opened. Amongst our circles of friends and family, a good number celebrate their birthdays sometime between the Autumnal months of September and November. It may have something to do with September being nine months from New Year's Eve, but I digress. The fact is many share the same birthdays. Those that don't are only days apart.

When I was in university, we actually grouped our birthdays together, holding a mega-celebration on the Saturday of the Thanksgiving weekend. This way, we kept from exhausting the limited number of restaurants in our budget range. We could wait for those of us studying out-of-town to return. And, we guaranteed each other a pretty righteous party.

These days I am finding that the observation a now retired colleague made about birthdays carries some truth. The older you get, the longer your birthday becomes. You will find that more friends will insist on taking you to lunch. Some will invite you to coffee. Others, over for dinner. Everyone, just wanting to spend some time with you. Eventually, one day won't be enough time to see everyone.

Gifts, at the same time, become more meaningful.

Here are thoughtful gifts from my last birthday:

Over the top chocolate coated caramel apple
This birthday apple, hailed from the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory in the Byward Market. It came from a friend who likewise embodies candied excess. She is a really sweet person.


Digital Grilling Fork
Seeing me constantly lugging a probe-style meat thermometer and barbecue fork with me, a friend and neighbour gifted me something to streamline my trips to the grill.


Spice Rubs

for Chicken, Salmon, and Steak
That same friend also gave me these spice rubs, which come from Tom Douglas (restaurants and catering) in Seattle.


3 Marinades for Beer Can Chicken
Our friend Abby from Toronto sent me the gift of variation with beer can chicken in 3 flavours of "Vinny's Best Kept Secret": raspberry chipotle, garlic teriyaki, and apple bourbon.


4th Edition of Herbst and Herbst's Food Lover's Companion
Jenn gave me the Companion, knowing full well that it would add to the clutter of books, magazines, print-outs, and scribbled paper that litter my corner of the living room when I blog. The Food Lover's Companion is actually a required purchase for culinary school students at a local college. My copy is now heavily dog-eared.

As you can likely see, these are gifts for a foodie. I happen to be one who firmly believes that, to appreciate food, one must learn how to cook. And, I like to cook for others.

Apparently, I like spending time in my meager kitchen so much that Jenn managed to get me to roast an entire leg of ham (bone-in of course) with all the fixings on my birthday, my not knowing she invited two of my dearest friends from university over for dinner. Sharing a meal with friends, old and new, was my best birthday gift.

Some advice if you are out birthday gift shopping for a foodie: Find out what kind of foodie you are shopping for. Oftentimes, sharing cup of coffee during a break on a busy day will be better received than something branded by the Food Network.