Eat Alabama Seafood

The holiday season has arrived! Your loved ones deserve the best, and you want to give ‘em something they won’t soon forget—or forget to use.

That’s why we put our brains together to bring you a practical gift guide for your friends who love seafood, whether they’re catching it or cooking it (or both, on a good day). And don’t worry—

if you’re shopping on a budget after this rough year, we’ve got some inexpensive ideas on the list.

Gift cards will do quite nicely, especially if it’s a restaurant or retailer that carries Alabama Gulf Seafood. But if you want a present that’ll make an impression (and maybe even make some cherished memories), there’s plenty of gifts in the sea.

Here’s our list of Gulf seafood gifts for all the seafood fans in your life.

Alabama-Made Seafood Seasonings ($5-$10) – Seasoning your food is essential! And what better way to eat local than to throw on some Alabama spices, boils, sauces, or rubs for your next Alabama Gulf Seafood dinner. We promise there’s room in the cabinet.

Parchment Paper ($5-$10) – Need a small something to stuff into a stocking or top off a combination of gifts? A simple roll of parchment paper is a great tool for poaching or baking fresh Gulf fish, and it’ll only cost you a few bucks.

Oyster Knife ($5-$10) – We salute those of you who buy fresh Gulf oysters and shuck ’em yourself, but please, make sure you’re using the proper tools. An oyster knife won’t cost you much, and it’ll make shucking so much more efficient.

Crab Crackers/Shrimp Peelers ($15-$20) – Don’t let the “hassle” of seafood preparation keep you from enjoying it. With these handy tools, you can easily crack and open blue crabs and peel and devein your Gulf shrimp. Now that’s multitasking.

Seafood Stockpot ($50 and up) – If you’re planning on frying or boiling seafood in bulk, you’ll need a quality stainless steel stockpot. From low country boils to fried soft shell crab, this one will serve you well for years to come. Prices start around $50 for a 24-quart stockpot!

The Oyster Bed ($80 and up) – This is premium oyster cookware for the devoted oyster enthusiast. It’s lightweight, great for grilling or freezing, and easy to clean. Best of all, this Southern company donates a portion of their proceeds to Alabama’s oyster shell recycling program!

Heavy-Duty Fishing Cooler ($150 and up) – If you’ve got a fishing enthusiast in your life, make sure they’re well equipped. These coolers from Pelican are sleek, secure, and made right here in the U.S.A. And they’re big enough to keep fresh catches for dinner, that’s for sure.

Ceramic Grill (Prices Vary) – When it comes to grilling fresh Alabama Gulf Seafood, well, you don’t want to settle for a lesser grill. For your loved ones who really earned a nice gift this year, we’d recommend a Big Green Egg or a Kamado Joe.

Charter Boat Family Fishing Trip (Prices Vary) – For a great excuse to spend a day with your family (and a great opportunity to reel in some Alabama fish), there’s nothing better than a deep sea fishing trip. Book a trip with one of the many quality charter boats on Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Gulf Coast Vacation (Prices Vary) – The holidays can be awfully stressful, so maybe it’s time to take your family or your sweetheart on a beach vacation. Our friends at Kaiser Realty (now part of the Vacasa family) can take care of everything for you.

Perhaps your foodie friends are looking for new dish ideas for the equipment they already have? There’s always room for another quality cookbook on the shelf.

We recommend Chris Hastings’ Hot and Hot Fish Club Cookbook, Frank Stitt’s Southern Table, Lucy Buffett’s Gumbo Love, Martie Duncan’s Alabama Cravings, and the Junior League of Birmingham’s Tables of Content.

We hope you’ll find our suggestions helpful, and if you dive in on one or more of ‘em, we hope your loved ones enjoy their gifts (and use them for fresh Alabama Gulf Seafood, of course).

Oh, and do us a favor: When they break out their gifts and take ‘em for a test run, post a few photos and tag ‘em with #ALSeafood. Happy Holidays, Gulf seafood fans!