Foodies Gift Ideas

 

So many people love cooking and they like to add gadgets and speciality ingredients in their kitchen in order to prepare something delicious. Nothing is enough in a kitchen because we always need utensils and the more the merrier. Just to state the obvious, I can use at least 4 wooden spoons when cooking because I don’t like to mix flavours and also they won’t ruin a non-stick pan. So don’t worry if you think that buying a wok could be a risk. It won’t. I have found few nice things to update existing kitchen gadgets and some food ideas in festive packaging.

 

Fiasconaro is a Sicilian family run bakery specialised in delicious Panettone. They have started collaboration with Dolce & Gabbana so that a range of their huge selection comes in a bright tin round box with the D&G patterns. A box that once the Panettone has been eaten can be used to store biscuits or anything you want. The online deli Fratelli Camisa sells these products as well as jars of almond spreads and chocolate spreads, also in the D&G tin box. www.camisa.co.uk

 

When buying from Fortnum & Mason you buy from the most iconic place in the world regarding food and wine. Among the many options that you can find online and in store, this Champagne and Chocolate Gift Box is a great gift comprising a bottle of Brut Reserve Champagne NV and a box of Gold Dusted Marc de Champagne Truffles, all of this comes in a beautiful box than once emptied it can be used to store silk scarves for example or gloves. It is so beautiful that you want to reuse it. www.fortnumandmason.com

It was all the rage in the 1970s but recently the Fondue set has made a comeback and I can talk for experience, when having friends around the table for a fondue either savoury or just at the end of a meal with chocolate and strawberries, the wow effect is always guaranteed.  This bright cherry coloured set, very festive indeed, is made of cast iron and it is from Staub. There are three sizes available with the small ones good for a chocolate fondue while the larger can be good for cooking also meat or for a cheese fondue where you can dip crusty bread. www.zwilling.com

If you have someone who loves hot chocolate as I do, the Hotel Chocolat Velvetiser by Dualit will be the best gift ever. It is available in white, copper or charcoal and it comes with two white ceramic mugs for the right size of the hot drink. You can add some delicious chocolate pouches to the gift and you will have a chocolate lover grateful for life. It is good not just with the Hotel Chocolat drinking chocolate but also with other hot drinks concoctions. The result is something velvety and silky and you can say good bye to lumpy hot chocolate forever. I have it and I can't rave enough about it. www.hotelchocolat.com

If you know someone who is a wine connoisseur, a gift box from the Historic Newspapers could be the right gift. This company has got an archive of original newspapers where you can choose a significant date for the receiver and then have it wrapped up together with a bottle of vintage Bordeaux wine that will cone in a beautiful felt lined box. The choice can be extended to Champagnes, Whisky, Port and more. www.historic-newspapers.co.uk

If you know a cheese lover, add this lovely cheese board with knives to a couple of very posh cheese. This one is from Wilko and it cost £ 5.00 so you can add a nice wedge of Parmesan cheese (the right knife is the one with the pear shaped blade) and maybe nice Stilton (the best knife is the spatula one). The board is in bamboo while the knives are in stainless steel and with a wooden handle. www.wilko.com

A Christmas Hamper is one of the most perfect and coveted gifts ever. They come in so many options, for vegans, for teetotal, for the ones who enjoyed a glass of good wine or fizz. No wonder then that Thornton & France has a huge selection on its website. This hamper called Christmas pantry contains Prosecco, chocolate, fine crisps and dry nuts, a Panettone and more goodies. I am sure that with all the selection you can find the right hamper at the right price for the right person. www.thorntonandfrance.com

 

Orange Moon is an Italian company based in UK and they are specialised in Sicilian sweets and other food products. This year they have teamed up with some Sicilian artisans  for some nice gift sets using handcrafted baskets and handbags and decorated with beautifully designed fabrics filled with traditional chocolate and biscuits or other products. This one here is a lovely straw bag filled with almond pastries and Orange Moon dark chocolate orange slices. The bag will be a fantastic accessory for next holiday on the seaside. While shopping for a gift, have a treat just for you with one of those fabulous almond sweets or the half-moon shaped orange slices dipped in dark chocolate. They are divine. www.orangemoon.co.uk