Regular visitors to the annual One of a Kind Christmas Show know that, despite the pretty clothes, striking artwork, toys, knickknacks and other wonderful things, the very best part of the show is in the back left corner in the Flavours section, where a plethora of food artisans from across Canada have their delicious wares on display.

This year, I was lucky enough to beat the crowds via a media pass, and had the opportunity to see the products up close, and really talk to the exhibitors before the hordes descended, pretzel sticks in hand, to sample everything in sight.

These are folks who are truly dedicated to their products, intent on maintaining quality control through small batches. Few sell their goods in mainstream retail stores, and I even met one women who only sells her oils and vinegars at the One of a Kind Show - she works all year creating product just for this event.

With almost 50 exhibitors in the Flavours section, it would be tough to list them all, but here are a few who most definitely stood out:

• Joyce and Roger Lambert of Mr. Vinegar don’t just take some store-bought vinegar and add some flavourings to it, they actually ferment their own, and have the awards to prove it. Great on salads - no oil needed.

• Mary’s Gourmet makes incredible florentynes and toffee that made me swoon. Crisp, buttery, and that toffee with the salted cashews is out of this world.

• I came home with two jars of the tapenade from Cook’s Gourmet, and both are set to become staples in my kitchen. Assuming there’s any left. I’ve found myself eating the Black Mission Fig flavour straight from the jar with a spoon.

• Despite an extensive product list, The Bean Ladies were only allowed to bring their soybean snacks to the show (OOAK is a juried show and the judges tend to prefer ready-to-eat items), but that was enough to get me hooked. Ranging from sweet to savoury, their roasted soybeans make for a healthy treat.

• When it comes to fruitcake, the Grandmas are battling it out. Debbie Weston of Barrie offers Grandma Deb’s Gourmet fruitcake, while Kathy Hanson and Cynthia Baumgardt of Grandma’s Traditional Fruitcakes come from the far reaches of the world (okay, Red Deer, Alberta) to sell their cakes.

• For the non-fruitcake-inclined, there’s always the amazing gingerbread from Mad Batter Bakers, the Crostoli Christmas trees at Vincenzas Crostoli, or Ester Gould’s Mandelbroit, a cross between a shortbread and a biscotti. And where the OOAK show used to be overrun with shortbread sellers, only Coach House Shortbread was present this year with an array of both sweet and savoury flavours.

• Best gift idea goes to Daksha Narsing of Daksha’s Gourmet Spices. Daksha’s combo kits include a cookbook with enough of the necessary spices to make all the recipes in the book. What a perfect way to introduce someone to the joys of Indian cooking.

• Rusticella is a little company that exists in tandem with the One of a Kind Show, and their line of infused olive oils and balsamic vinegars can be found no where else, not even online.

• Most people think beets are pretty boring, but Grace Lallemand of Beetroot Delights can prove otherwise. Her line of jellies, chutneys, vinegars and even ketchup demonstrates the amazing versatility of this local crop and Grace is involved in every step of production.

• With local food so popular right now, the many items at Forbes Wild Foods are sure to make great gifts, from the pickled spruce tips to the rose petals in jelly and of course, the wild strawberry compote. Don’t balk at the $24 price tag on the compote - it’s a small price to pay for sheer bliss.

Outside of the flavours area, there were also some great kitchen-related items such as dishes and pottery. Some standouts for me were the fun, customizeable aprons at Domistyle, and the truly splendid cutting boards from Larch Wood Enterprises.

And it might be a stretch in terms of being edible, but I really can’t pass up the opportunity to tout a couple of my favourite local bodycare companies. Bathwerks offers a number of products made from cocoa butter and flavoured with real chocolate. I can’t live without some of their chocolate lip balms, and the espresso scrub, made with real coffee, is divine. Less edible, but still looking like food are the yummy soaps from Demo, scented and shaped like brownies, cupcakes, cinnamon rolls, swiss cheese (mango-scented, not cheese-scented) and pumpkin pie.

There truly is something for every foodie on the gift list at this year’s show, assuming the average customer has the willpower to get it wrapped, without succumbing to just a little taste for themselves.

The One of a Kind Show runs until December 2nd at the Direct Energy Centre at Exhibition Place. Info about admission and hours can be found on the show’s website.