A Few Good Sites

You can order a holiday gift online in the time it will take to find a parking space at the mall.

So for those last-minute foodie gifts, consider the Internet. But get online now; the longer you wait, the greater chance your item will be out of stock. Also worth considering: Last-minute shipping charges increase as Christmas draws near. On the downside, the Internet--like the mall--can get crowded, so Web sites can be clogged or tough to access. And though Web retailers have said they’ve overcome last year’s obstacles--which caused a number of late deliveries--you might not want to take that chance.

Here are some sites we like.

* Cooking.com: This site is easy to use, and that’s important when you’re in a hurry. Use the search engine to look among the many culinary items, from barware to small appliances, or browse by departments. Shipping details are easy to find (see the “need help” box at the bottom of the home page), and a toll-free telephone number is listed prominently.

Because its warehouse is here in the Southland, in Ontario, Cooking.com’s orders can be expected to reach local destinations quickly.

Deadlines (for shipping in California): Order by Tuesday for economy shipping (three to eight business days); order by Wednesday for expedited shipping (two to three business days); order by Thursday for next-day shipping. Fresh food items must be ordered by 9 a.m. Monday.

https://www.cooking.com, or (800) 663-8810

* A.G. Ferrari Foods: We’ve found some of our favorite Italian products on the Web site for this Northern California-based chain of Italian markets. They include Brisighella olive oil (750-milliliter bottle, $35.95); Tenuta Rocchetta olive oil (500-milliliter bottle, $26.95); La Giacometta chocolate-hazelnut cream (300-gram jar, $9.95); Davide Barbero Torrone (half-pound bag, $7.50); and Latini pastas (500-gram bag, $3.95). You can also order gift baskets.

The site is not offering guarantees for delivery by Christmas, but items can be shipped second-day air (an additional $10 charge) or overnight ($15 additional charge).

https://www.agferrari.com, or (877) 878-2783

* Godiva.com: This site scores for its ease of use. Godvia has a “tour” to guide buyers who have never ordered from the Internet. Also immediately obvious on the home page: Christmas delivery deadlines and drop-down menus that appear just by rolling the mouse over the category headings. And like a number of other Web sites, this one features “live” customer service, where you can have a text messaging conversation with a customer service representative.

Deadlines for Christmas: Order by Wednesday for second-day shipping; by Thursday for overnight shipping. Charges are based on the dollar amount of orders.

https://www.godiva.com or (800) 946-3482

* Mrs. Weinstein’s Toffee: We can’t get enough of the toffee from this Santa Barbara-based store. Tremendously buttery, the toffee comes in almond, hazelnut, pecan and pistachio. Toffolos, bite-sized pieces of chocolate-covered toffee, come in a 3/4-pound or 1 1/2-pound box.

Though the site makes no promises for delivery by Christmas, our past orders have been delivered promptly.

https://www.mwtoffee.com, (800) 682-0978, or visit the retail store at 14 W. Figueroa St., Santa Barbara.

* Amazon.com: Go here for, if nothing else, gift certificates. They can be e-mailed within hours of your order, the site says. You can also send animated e-mail gift certificates to arrive when you specify.

The site, first known for its books and music, now has a variety of departments, including a kitchen store. There you’ll find cookware, small appliances, tableware and knives. Holiday deadlines for products as opposed to gift certificates: Order by Wednesday for next-day air shipping and by Thursday for special Saturday delivery.

https://www.amazon.com