Home Depot has a selection of smoking woods.

dcarch

How about a gift box of Penzey's spices and rubs?

Linda

I'm with Linda, if you have an "herb/spice" store nearby, they have some fabulous blends for rubs etc.
I also try to give home made treats, but maybe frozen in small amounts or pre -sliced to pack in their lunches.
My hubby makes a Mutha sauce that is out of this world! We make it about 3-4 times a year and have BBQing guys coming up and silently shaking his hand after eating his baked beans or something grilled by him! LOL
Do you have a garden? Fresh, dried, sauced and frozen are great for the up coming winter!
Do you make soup? My fav is making some soup for those cold (non grilling) nights!
Thank you neighbor! We've hooked up electricity and water for as much as a month at a time!
Good Luck! Nancy

Foas, we use our smoker a lot and love to make our own rubs. However, I think it would be a wonderful gift to receive a basket full of different rubs and sauces. There are so many to choose from...

Judi

Here are a couple pitmaster favorites:

Thermapen

Forschner Knives

Here is a link that might be useful: Thermpen

As an avid BBQ enthusiast, I would say something like this would be a nice gift to receive. I have tried many of their rubs and they are really excellent, and highly regarded.

A thermopen is also a good gadget if he doesn't already have one or a similar product.

Here is a link that might be useful: Dizzy Pig Rubs

If your good neighbours are into smoking, there is a good chance that they already make or buy their favourite rubs and sauces.

What about a gift certificate to a good butcher or wine shop?

Ann

I'm with Ann on this. There are many rubs and sauces that I do NOT like and would not use, and so the gift certificate for a butcher shop would be great. If you know what kind of wine they like, you could buy the wine and wouldn't have to get the gift certificate, but again wine preference (like seasonings) is very personal. You can throw in an apron also - I always need more of those, but I might be in the minority. Long sleeved oven mits are good also, as those wear out as well, and I think fresh new ones would be appreciated.

Lars

I think all of the above suggestions would be great. In addition, I think you should add a personal touch. You could make a coupon and put it in the thank you card. Here is one suggestion:

Good for one driveway shoveling after the worst storm 2011/2012 has to offer.

Teresa

I also think a thermapen would be a great gadget for someone who smokes, expecially if they are relatively new to it and havne't had time to collecdt all those smoking "accessories".

A certificate to a great meat market also sounds like a really good idea, and maybe he'll invite you for dinner too, LOL. You could bring the wine...

Annie

I was actually going to suggest you invite them over or out for a few dinners.

If FOAS would invite me to dinner, I'd string a power cord all the way from Canada!

Although they are great ideas I'm just not a gift certificate person. I'd put together a basket of interesting spices, some wood chips and a great Smokin' Cookbook. You may have to sneak in and see what cookbooks they already have.

Annie gave me "Charcuteire" which is a fabulous smokin' cookbook as is "Smoke and Spice". I'd even go further and pick a recipe from the cookbook and add all the ingredients to the basket including the meat....assuming you will deliver it in person so it can be refrigerated!

Hope all returns to normal soon FOAS.

I have both a Thermapen and a copy of 'Charcuterie'. I like them both. I'm sure your neighbor would be happy with either.

Now that I have a Thermapen, I can roast anything to perfection. No more dry chicken breasts..

The last time I used the thermapen, ironically it was for a couple of rotisserized chickens which I had brined according to a recipe in 'Charcuterie'.

One problem, though, especially if you suffer from Equipment Acquisition Disorder: after reading 'Charcuterie', I bought a sausage stuffer and some sheep casings. Can't wait to try to make some merguez.

Here is a link that might be useful: charcuterie

All are great ideas. Teresa has the most unique approach; from the personal touch perspective. Besides, the benefit at the end is yours. A good snow removal is equal to two cheese cakes and one quart of ice cream in calories.
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Thermapen is great, perhaps for a smoker a remote read probe or a wireless thermometer would eliminate the need to keep on opening the smoker to check temperature.
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BTW:

A Thermapen = $93.00

An 800 watt generator = $86.00 at HF with a coupon.

Therefore:

Go shovel snow, and use the #100.00 to buy yourself a generator. :-)
dcarch

It's fun to be creative with ideas but when it boils down, we all want what we want, not what we already have or what someone else thinks we should have. So, I'm in the butcher shop gift card category, which I think will be most appreciated. They probably already have books (other people read too) thermapens, wood, etc.

A prettier extension cord?

I think a dinner chez vous would be best. The most fun, anyway.

My neighbor and I do stuff for each other all the time. I have them over for dinner and holiday parties, he has me over for booze and cigars. Unfortunately he's cutting back on the drinking, damn dieters.

What happened? You lost power to part of the house, but the rest has Internet etc?

Thanks a lot for the suggestions. Not sure which direction I'm headed yet, but all of you have given me ideas to consider.

Got a smile out of the "coupon" suggestion. First thing that came to mind was a hundred "Get your puppy out of my yard NOW" vouchers. I had a few other thoughts, but sharing them would give away just how bad of a neighbor I am.

dcarch - What's HF and where do I get their coupons? 800W sounds perfect for keeping the Christmas lights lit in the case of a power failure during the holidays. For just $86, not much to lose.

John - Lost power to the whole house. The cable line survived. (Other side of the house.) Ext cord from neighbor's house kept bare essentials powered up for the most part, probably didn't run my 5K generator much more than five hours total throughout the ordeal. (The generator is another thank-you I need to deal with. It was given to my cousin by a customer a couple days before the storm, cousin had no use for it and gave it to me.)

Anyway I'm back and running as of a few hours ago. I smiled when for the first time in six days the bathroom light actually turned on when I flipped the switch!

LOL Foodona. Funny how you keep reaching for those things you're used to. I reached for the mouse more than once. Our phone line stayed so I hooked my trusted old fashioned non electric needing phone and a couple times when the family called from New Orleans to check on us, I'd reach for the remote to turn down the verrrry quiet tv. Smiles. Glad you're back in full force.

Lots of great ideas. I'm leaning toward DCArch's first suggestion of wood. Some people do have serious preferences but a lot of people just use the first couple they try that they like. Giving a variety for them to experiment with might be nice. Something they might not do for themselves. Plus schlepping wood.... nicer when someone else does it. Not to mention if they don't care for a particular one it's easier to use as firewood if you didn't buy it yourself.

If your getting power from their generator you might want to give them a gas card. Those things drink gas like crazy!

"-------dcarch - What's HF and where do I get their coupons? 800W sounds perfect for keeping the Christmas lights lit in the case of a power failure during the holidays. For just $86, not much to lose. ----"

HF=Harbor Freight (harborfreight.com)

At the moment, the 800 watt generator is around $120; However, you can go to eBay and buy a coupon for a couple of dallors.

800 Watts will power all your computers, phones, chargers, TV, a couple of CFL bulbs.

It can actually keep your refrigerator running, even your refrigerator says 1,500 watts. That's a starting wattage. Once the fridge is running, it draws not much power.

dcarch

We have had our smoker for about a year or so now. Folks are always giving us sauces, so I wouldnt go the sauce route. You can only use so many sauces and I really dont use much sauce if any. Like the dry rub flavor better than a wet mopped sauce.

The gift certificate for meat is the route we would appreciate, either at the grocery store or local meat market.

Glad to hear your power is back on. We loose power in the winter due to ice or wind and we are always trying to flip switches!