Gifts To Give and Put On Your List

When I worked at Food & Wine magazine, we tasted Thanksgiving recipes in June and July and worked hard throughout the summer to curate our annual holiday gift guide. 

Now that I’ve been away from magazine-land for eight years, I don’t think much about the holidays until after Election Day. When the pumpkin-spice lattes switch over to peppermint and the grocery store replaces its pumpkins with evergreens, I know I need to start planning menus, buying gifts, and finding that dang elf. (Where did we put her last year?)

Here’s a list of tools, books, and products that have I’ve purchased and loved this year. I hope one thing or another is just the right gift for someone in your life. 

For the pragmatist: 

Oxo Kitchen and Herb Scissors: I recently purchased a second pair of these scissors because I love them so much. They’re sharp enough to make a pair of cut-off shorts and cut through bones, and with padded handles, they’re comfortable on the hand. The little holes in the center act as herb strippers and the blades pull apart for easy cleaning in the dishwasher. $19

For the salad lover or friends WHO ARE known for their secret sauce: 

Acid League Vinegar: My new favorite not-so-secret ingredient, the Garden Heat vinegar by Acid League is not just tangy but savory, too. For a mere $15, you can rock someone’s cooking life with it or treat them to the four-vinegar gift pack for $49. 

For the chile head:

Auria’s Kitchen Hot Chili Sambal: You’ll never use supermarket sambal after tasting this. To my palate, Auria’s Kitchen’s version of this Southeast Asian chili paste is firey but also wonderfully layered in flavor. I also love its thick texture. 

For the friend who never has enough tea: 

Teas from Calabash Tea & Tonic: I’ve adored everything I’ve tried from Calabash Tea & Tonic and owner and healer Sunyatta Amen comes up with some seriously tasty blends. I’m especially partial to any of her blends that have hibiscus in them this time of year, like the Heart Chakra Tea and Tea Tox. Their scarlet hue is just downright festive and the added Vitamin C is a good bonus. 

For the home bartender: 

Barefoot Botanicals Syrups and Hydrosols: Founded by herbalist and farmer Linda Shanahan and farmer Eric Vander Hyde, Barefoot Botanicals is an herb farm near me in Doylestown, PA. They grow culinary and medicinal herbs that they sell fresh and also turn into amazing products. While, yes, they sell many kinds of tincture for what ails you, they also have a huge following among bartenders for their syrups and hydrosols. When we have happy hour at home, I use their syrups with soda water to make quick drinks that feels festive, whether you spike them or not. While you can spritz the hydrosols in your drink, they make a nice pick-me-up for your face, too!

For the coffee lover: 

One Up One Down Coffee Club Membership: Treat your friends to a different coffee once or twice a month with this subscription from this wonderful caffe and roastery in Trenton, New Jersey. Each coffee is hand-picked and roasted by my friend Vince.

For the skincare enthusiast: 

During the pandemic, I found myself indulging more in skin care products than ever before. Maybe it’s because I had to spend hours upon hours staring at myself on screen, watching myself age right before my very eyes. If you have a friend who loves fragrant skincare, you can’t go wrong with this luxurious mask set from Tata Harper. For something more subtly scented, I love this hyaluronic serum from Evolve and face oil from Pai. 

For the friend who hates make-up but wants to look better on Zoom: 

Ilia Illuminator: I’m not sure I’d think to buy an “illuminator” on my own...or if I’d even know what that is. But I received a sample of Ilia’s Illuminator with another purchase and instantly loved how it made me look on camera.

For people you don’t know what to get: 

Stewart & Claire lip balms: Your sister’s new boyfriend. Your kid’s teacher. The plumber who generously showed up for a weekend emergency. They will all appreciate these luxurious all-natural lip balms, often made with inspired, grown-up scents. (Negroni is the bestseller!). Full disclosure—this is my company, so I have to add it to my guide, of course. But I also frequently give these balms as gifts so I know how much people like them.

For partners and teens who don’t cook but you want them to: 

Bare Minimum Dinners by Jenna Helwig: Can you put fish sticks in a tortilla and call it dinner? According to Real Simple’s food editor Jenna Helwig you can. I purchased her book for my husband who rarely cooks and my daughter who is just starting and I expect it to be in heavy rotation this winter. 

For the francophiles:

À Table by Rebekah Peppler: When I miss France so much that my heart will burst, I turn to Rebekah Pepplar’s new book. The recipes are classic and Frenchie but with twists and styling that make them feel modern. Give a copy to that friend who is always pining for Paris. 

For friends who want to learn more about wine:

Wine Style by Kate Leahy: In this wine guide with recipes, Kate pulls off something seriously impressive: She writes about wine in a way that’s neither pretentious nor boring nor dumbed down. If you spend some time with this book, you will learn a heck of a lot about wine and how to pair it with food. But friends who are just casually interested in wine will love having new fun recipes for easy entertaining and knowing what to serve with them.

For cooks who are always up to try something new: 

To Asia, With Love by Hetty McKinnon: In my mind, Hetty McKinnon is the queen of writing clever, appealing, modern recipes, all of which happen to be vegetarian. In her latest book, she looks to the Cantonese food of her childhood as well as other dishes and flavors in East and Southeast Asia. The result is a delicious and eclectic mix of Asian-inspired recipes, like Sheet Pan Chow Mein, Dumpling Salad, and Buttery Miso Vegemite Noodles. (Hetty is indeed Australian!)

For the homesteading friends or those into natural healing: 

Earth Medicines by Felicia Cocotzin Ruiz: As a curandera (a healer) living in the northern Sonoran desert with Indigenous and European roots, Felicia weaves together wisdom from many different ancestral traditions under the umbrella of what she calls Earth Medicines. With recipes for teas, skin care preparations, and food inspired by the elements, this is a book for friends who love to DIY or who simply want to be immersed in Felicia’s dreamy desert aesthetic. 

For the gardeners and vegetable-loving cooks: 

The Chef’s Garden by Farmer Lee Jones with Kristin Donnelly: Yes, yes, I helped write this book but it’s truly an incredible work, if I do say so myself. The photos are jawdropping and the stories about the farm and vegetables are fascinating and heartwarming. I mean, did you know the original carrots were purple and white and orange carrots were bred to honor William of Orange? This book will help your gardening friends get through winter, and I have a feeling that after they read it, they’ll never look at vegetables the same way again!

A host gift any cook will love: 

Modern Potluck by me! I wrote this cookbook to answer the age-old question, What should I bring?! After nearly two years with no gatherings, I think it’s finally time to bring back the potluck. (Or to at least start thinking about it, don’t you?) My first book is already five years old but I still make so many of the recipes on the regular, from the Borcht Salad to the Curried Carrot Hummus.