1. Bacon.
It’s the manliest of meats, and many women can’t resist it either. For mastery of such swine, look no further than Tony Baker, chef at Monterey’s Montrio Bistro and celebrated maker of Baker’s Bacon. His mouthwatering pork is applewood-smoked, dry-cured and sourced from sustainably raised hogs – for the very best of bros.
• Find Baker’s Bacon at The Wharf Marketplace, 290 Figueroa St., Monterey, (831) 649-1116, www.thewharfmarketplace.com
• Star Market, 1275 S. Main St., Salinas, (831) 422-3961, www.starmkt.com
• Brunos Market, 6th and Junipero, Carmel, (831) 624-3821, www.brunosmarket.com
• Corral De Tierra Market, 2 Corral de Tierra Road, off Highway 68, (831) 676-3806, www.corralmarket.com
2. A Bottle of Local Shine.
Not all spirits are created equal, and nothing fills the flask quite as nicely as a bottle of small-batch Fog’s End Rye or California Moonshine. Gonzales-based distiller Craig Pakish uses old-school methods to create a flavorful and carefully produced whiskey you can be proud to distribute to your comrades.
• For a full list of where to find Fog’s End spirits, visit www.fogsenddistillery.com or call (831) 809-5941.
3. A Cool Kitchen Gadget.
From whiskey stones that keep a drink cool without watering it down to the best kitchen knives and BBQ tools around, Stone Creek Kitchen is chock-full of gifts for the culinary pro in your wedding party. They also carry a great selection of wine and specialty beers for all the dudes who don’t know a colander from a cookie sheet.
• Stone Creek Kitchen, 465 Canyon Del Rey Blvd., Monterey. (831) 393-1902, www.stonecreekkitchen.com.
4. A Real Shaving Kit.
Harken back to the days when men took pride not only in the work they did, but in the tools they used. A quality straight-edge is the epitome of class, and this gift will probably get used more than that Mr. Beer home-brew kit you were thinking about.
• Hellam’s Tobacco Shop, 423 Alvarado St., Monterey. (831) 373-2816, www.oldmonterey.org/biz/hellams – tobacco-shop.
5. A Nifty Sporting Kit.
Get creative and personalize a tackle box of your buddies’ favorite lures, baits and miscellaneous fishing accoutrements. How about a day pack with some super-useful hiking necessities? Step away from the personalized pocket knives and get your burly best man something he’ll find useful.
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