Staff Report

With the holiday shopping season in full swing, here are two ideas for the special people in your life that will tickle their cultural fancy.

THE ISLAND DISCOVERY BOX:

Inspired by the nationally broadcast Caribbean cooking series Taste the Islands, the Island Discovery Box showcases traditional and gourmet Caribbean cuisine. The show’s creator, Blondie Ras Productions, partnered with gourmet food specialists Icon Food Marketing to come up with the delectable creation. Their aim is to give the audience a chance to taste some of the flavors they enjoy watching on the television show; which is now in production for its second season and will be available nationwide via Create TV and PBS stations in April 2016.

The holiday themed collection includes Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Blend, a delectable butter rum cake, exotic Jamaican Sorrel chutney, spicy pineapple pepper sauce from Tobago, and a coconut ginger flavored brittle. The goodies include only natural ingredients and contain no artificial additives or preservatives.

Boxes ship free throughout U.S. and are available at islanddiscoverybox.com

MY STORY, MY DANCE:

Written by dance phenom and Liberty City native, Robert Battle, the beautifully written and illustrated book tells Battle’s story in a way that children can appreciate and enjoy. Written for children without talking down to them, the book makes a wonderful gift for young dancers, especially boys who are interested in dance but might be reluctant to indulge. Available at Pyramid Books, Books and Books, and Amazon.com.