Consumer Health Features
The Best in Holiday 2012 Gift Finds: 'True Blood' fans have Cookbook, Fragrance to savor
By April MacIntyre Nov 5, 2012, 23:09 GMT
The Bayou state is a hot bed for great food, and the producers have capitalized on this phenomenon and created two must own items for any fans of the series that are actually useful and smell fabulous.
The Best in Holiday 2012 Gift Finds is an ongoing series until December that celebrates the practical to the extravagant, the unusual to the commonly needed items of everyday life.
From food, wine and spirits to beauty, clothing and even home goods and appliances, we have been trying and testing and ultimately weeding out the good stuff you should consider for giving this holiday season. Take us shopping with you.
There are two must-haves for any True Blood fan, the campy HBO drama that is laced with sex, love and good, old fashioned horror, Louisiana style.
The Bayou state is a hot bed for great food, and the producers have capitalized on this phenomenon and created two must own items for any fans of the series that are actually useful and smell fabulous.
Why we love it:
The True Blood Cookbook is a photo filled homage to the series with 85 awesome recipes that go from drink recipes like "Silver Stake" to a down-home “Gran’s Pie.” I loved making the Red Rejuvenating Smoothie, a protein drink that can serve as a meal replacement.
From dips to drinks, everything "TB" is covered, and the stills from the show are so much fun to see. There are 150 full page photos from the eye-popping series that makes you feel like you sauntered into Merlotte's grille in Bon Temps.”
The book is written by Gianna Sobol, an associate producer on the show, and showrunner Alan Ball. The recipes are courtesy of the Queen of Cajun Cooking, Marcelle Bienvenu.
You can order a copy at the HBO Store website here
Now the fragrance I was dubious about, as most of these things wheeled out to ride the notoriety on a TV series or celebrity are drugstore quality at best. But I was turned on my head by the True Blood fragrance for women called Forsaken.
It's a grown up sophisticated blend of floral notes like night blooming jasmine underscored and tempered with amber, citrus notes and pulpy fruits and patchouli. It is really worth you checking out.
For a bellwether on my tastes, I love Tom Ford's Black Orchid, Opium, Coco Mademoiselle, Paloma Picasso and clean florals like Calyx, Chanel 19, Aliage and even Gendarme for men, a fragrance anyone can wear. This fragrance is in their league. The bottle is gorgeous too. Also available at HBO here
