Here are a few more food items that may work as stocking stuffers or hostess gifts this holiday season:

La Farm bakery in Cary is selling stollen (pictured at left) and a Linzer challah bread. Baker Lionel Vatinet makes the stollen with a brioche-like dough filled with rum-soaked orange zest, raisins and nuts. After baking, the bread is rolled in sugar. A large loaf costs $15.99. A small costs $8.99. Vatinet's Linzer challah is his take on an Entenmann's cake -- a challah dough filled with a cream cheese-based custard and fresh raspberries. It sells for $7.89.

The special breads are available every day at the bakery in Cary or at the bakery's stand at the state Farmer's Market in Raleigh from 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday-Monday. Local Whole Foods stores also are carrying these breads and can place orders for customers. Special orders for the holiday must be placed by Friday either through Whole Foods , by calling the bakery at 919-657-0657 or online at lafarmbakery.com. Orders also can be delivered to the state farmers market.

La Farm also sells the traditional Buche de Noel cake (pictured at right) for $36.99 in three flavors: Belgian chocolate, vanilla buttercream with a raspberry coulis and hazelnut praline. It is only available at the Cary store and pre-order is necessary before Friday.

Raleigh-based coffee roaster Larry's Beans is now selling a cold brew coffee concentrate. It can be used to make iced coffee, hot coffee and cocktails. A three pack of 16-ounce bottles costs $32.50 online at LarrysBeans.com. A single bottle sells for $11.49 at these stores: Taylor's gas station and wine shop and Harmony Farms in North Raleigh, The Meat House in Cary and Tyler's Bottle Shop in downtown Raleigh.

I also wanted to mention Mrs. Hanes' Hand-made Moravian Cookies. This Clemmons, N.C.-company makes 10 million cookies by hand each year. A one-pound tin costs $20.30. Order online at hanescookies.com.

I learned this week that Gail Cash died last month. Somehow I missed this story about her death in the North Raleigh News. Gail died from cardiac arrest while recovering from back surgery. She was 54.

Gail and her husband Taylor (pictured left) owned Taylor's BP gas station on Six Forks Road, just north of Interstate 540, a gas station/convenience store/wine shop. The tagline on their store says it all: Taylor's: Fine Wine Live Bait.

One of my first feature stories as a food writer was about the Cashes' crazy store but also about how the couple transformed their store as the community changed around them during the last 30 years. (I've attached a copy of my story below if you would like to read it. They also appeared on The Story with Dick Gordon [just click the link to hear the interview]. To see more photos of the couple and the store, go HERE.)

It was obvious when I met Taylor and Gail Cash how much they loved each other. I had a hard time taking notes because they finished each other's sentences. They spent every day working long shifts together at the store. Taylor was the dreamer and Gail handled the details. Without a computer, Gail paid the store's bills, handled payroll and did 80 percent of the ordering. Their only break from each other: they drove separately and cherished their lonely commutes.

At the time of Gail's death, they had been together 32 years and married for 30 years.

I don't think I have ever met two people more suited to the careers they had chosen: they were the ultimate hosts, greeting their regular customers by name, quick with a joke or a laugh.  Together, the couple's hospitality made that store so much more than a place to buy gas, a cup of coffee or a pack of cigarettes.

Click READ MORE to see the entire post.

Margaux's Restaurant and Taylor's Wine Shop, both in North Raleigh, are putting on a three-course dinner featuring the wines of Barnett Vineyards.

Winemaker David Tate will be in attendance. The dinner is Thursday, Jan. 27.

The dinner costs $75. Fewer than 20 seats remain.

For that cost, you get three courses and samples of six wines, including the 2008 Rattlesnake Hill Cabernet.

For a reservation, call 847-3069.
.

Taylor's Wine Shop in North Raleigh is hosting a barbecue fundraiser from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23. Each barbecue plate costs $8.

The event will benefit Community HOPE, a program that connects volunteer mentors with high-risk students from low-income neighborhoods for weekly mentoring session.

They also will be selling $10 raffle tickets for a $1,000 wine shopping spree. The drawing will be Dec. 1.

 Taylor's Wine Shop is an unique destination in North Raleigh because the wine store is located inside a BP gas station.

The shop is celebrating 30 years with a wine tasting Thursday night. 

Taylor Cash and his wife, Gail, have changed their gas station to meet the needs of the neighborhood as it changed around them along Six Forks Road north of I-540. First, it was a gas station/bait shop for the folks fishing at Falls Lake, then offered a grill for all the construction workers when the housing boom came that way, and now they sell a wide selection of wines for the neighbors who live in these upscale homes. 

If you have never met the Cashes or been to one of their wine tastings, it's an experience  you won't ever forget and this fun couple will keep you coming back. 

The  tasting is from 6-8 p.m. The store is located 10005 Six Forks Road, Raleigh. 

If you want to read a story I wrote in 2007 about Taylor's, download the story below. 

Taylor tells me they have completely remodeled the store since I reported this story. I wish I could go Thursday night but I will be toasting their 30 years regardless. 

Documents: