Something to Eat
Forever my favorite guide to write, to give and to receive. You can never go wrong with novel pantry staples, new kitchen tools and anything else to inspire cooking and eating together.
For endless inspiration - a book celebrating the most beautiful cookbooks of the last 100 years - Cookbook Book from Phaidon.
For topping toast or bowls of granola and yogurt to rounding out a cheese board. A much-lauded Plum and Mint Preserve from Girl Meets Dirt, a marmalade of heirloom tomatoes, apples and chili flakes from Westwind Orchard, Rhubarb Cardamom Jam from London Borough of Jam (probably couldn’t go wrong with any of their flavors), and a blend of honey featuring a subtle licorice twist - Fennel Pollen Honey from Bee Squared.
For leaning into luxe breakfasts - round out the above with a vintage-inspired toast rack. Sir Madam Toast Stand available at 2Modern or a charming coated linen tray in cheerful gingham from Fog Linen (also available in more subdued hues). Add a local loaf or batch of english muffins and you are set.
For the love of all things pistachio. For drizzling on ice cream and mixing into cookie dough, Creamy Pistachio spread from Pistakio. For spreading on sandwiches or eating off the spoon, incredibly snackable Pistachio Almond Crunch from Big Spoon Roasters. For improving lattes or cocktails, Proper Pistachio Syrup available at Crate and Barrel. For sprinkling on salads or roasted veggies, toasty Roasted Pistachio Oil from La Tourangelle. And finally, for adding some crisp and crunch to grain bowls, greens or even a bowl of pasta, a blend of nuts, seeds and spices - Glitter from Big Night.
For the bar. Bitters for spicing things up - Cardamom from the Bitter Housewife available on Amazon and smoky Palo Santo from Dram. Some new bottles for pushing cocktail boundaries, farm-fresh liqueurs from outside of Chicago in flavors like saffron and celery root from Apologue, Vermouth made from Rosé from The Wine Collective out of Baltimore, or a mezcal-adjacent spirit distilled from prickly pear cactus from Dry Land. Finally, a gift box ready for your favorite martini lover with olives for days from Quincy. Why not pair with these perfect glasses from Nude? For non-martini drinkers, don’t miss these spinning rocks glasses from Viski.
For the grill master. A set of stainless baskets for perfectly charred veggies, Rolling Grill Baskets available on Wayfair. The very best bourbon barrel staves for adding additional smoky flavor to any type of grill Pappy Smoking Chunks available on Wine Enthusiast. Lastly, some flavorful new finishing sauces - Tamarind Heads or a mole that’s BBQ ready from Tenayo.
For the love of all things butter. A little lamb mold (many other holiday creatures available too) from The Butter Empire on Etsy, a notepad - perfect for grocery lists - from Bromstad Printing Co., an ornament from Odd McClean, a t-shirt (for their favorite team) from Life is Good, a fine art piece - Irish Butter Giclee Print by Alexsey Vaynshteyn on Etsy, and, OF COURSE, the real deal, Beurre Bordier.
For the baker. Summer sweets in the dead of winter - a made-in-the-South, award-winning kit Peach Cobbler from Pearson Farm. The most precious raspberry shaped birthday candles for topping any cake from Happy Organics - also in cherries, strawberries and more. A seasoning mix for taking their cornbread to the next level from Four Sixes available on Amazon. And for tiny apprentices - a wooden play set of loaves, boules and buns from Moon Picnic.
For pasta night. All the noodles: La Gnocca from Bucatini, Malfadine from DeLallo, or Radiatori made from mid-Atlantic ingredients from Pasta Lab. For handling hot pots and for whimsy - Farfalle shaped potholders from MoMA Design Store. All topped off with a classic bistro apron - made in Italy to boot - from Verve Culture.
For the barista on the go. A travel brewer that supposedly puts the Aeropress to shame - Outdoor Rapid Brewer from Oxo available at REI.
For 90s nostalgia. A flavor combo of childhood dreams - Ranch Kraft Macaroni & Cheese.
Finally, for documenting all of the deliciousness. A leather-bound planner for the dinner parties of their dreams - Big Nights. A three-ring binder for filing away magazine clippings from Zazzle or a custom journal for their greatest hits from Papier.