A Radically Honest Gift Guide for Food Lovers
From a gloriously specific kitchen tool to tinned fish that tastes even better than it looks, these are a few of Jane's favorite things
My first real job in food media was as the food editor at Boston, a city magazine that fancied itself capital-I important thanks to its local investigations and swaggering writing, but was, in fact, valued most highly for its roundup of top restaurants.
There was the annual Best of Boston issue, an award coveted by local chefs, a separate restaurants issue, plus regular features on the best suburban restaurants, date-night destinations, and kid-friendly joints. On my first day on the job, well into that year’s Best of Boston cycle, I was given 30 days to review 35 restaurants.
You learn a lot making a list — or 20 of them. The first lesson is that lists are more art than science. The best restaurants are not just about the best meals, but also a mix of male and female chefs, cuisines, price ranges, geographic distribution, and a few surprise choices that you hope will go viral. Anyone who denies this is either lying or takes herself far too seriously.
The second lesson is: Be wary of a theme. Editors absolutely love a theme, whether for a best-of or a gift or travel guide. This is how, at least in theory, the list stands apart from the other million bajillion lists flooding the internet. From an SEO standpoint, it may be true. But the result is that, rather than spotlighting the genuinely best things, the items chosen are mostly distinguished by being different than whatever the publication put out the year before.
Here at Consumed, we tend to focus on news. But we could all use a break this year. And hey, everyone needs a little inspo! So in advance of Black Friday, here is my no-theme, no extenuating editorial considerations gift guide. Just a list of the very best foods and food-adjacent products that I’ve discovered or found indispensable this year: pretty napkins, expensive vinegar, a kitchen tool that will change your life, and more.
To be clear, we don’t make any money off these links. I honestly just think you’ll want to buy them for yourself or someone you love. Happy shopping! And if you have amazing finds of your own, please share them in the comments!
I found these gorgeous linen napkins from Emily Ruth Prints at a farmers’ market in Charlottesville, Virginia. I rarely pull the trigger on a non-essential purchase, but the strawberry vine pattern was irresistible. Emily’s botanically-inspired designs are somehow both soothing and bold, and the fabric only gets softer and more wonderful as you use it. The natural fern and blue daisy patterns are on my personal holiday list. $40 for four linen napkins; $18 per tea towel.
Balsamic vinegar has been so bastardized that many people outside Italy have never tasted the real deal. When Liz and I went to Tuscany this fall to see the olive harvest, we were introduced to Bonini Balsamic, made, as it must be, in Modena. The three- and eight-year versions are not technically balsamic vinegar; Italian rules say that to carry that title, the vinegar must be aged 12 to 25 years. But trust me, these are divine! I use the three-year for salads or drizzling over roasted vegetables; the eight-year I could drink with a spoon, but it also is dreamy on grilled meats. If you like, splurge on the real (12+ year) deal. All prices for a 250-ml bottle: 3-year Vivace, $32; 8-year Gustoso, $59; 12-year Affinato, $104. (Buy one, get 15% off the second bottle.)
Salted caramels are a bit of a cliché at this point. But there’s a reason for that: pretty much everyone finds them absurdly delicious. So for the toughest people on your list (or a truly great host gift), order some of the very best salted caramels out there, from Maine’s Ragged Coast Chocolates. Chocolatier Kate Shaffer uses Ecuadorian chocolate, local honey, and Maine sea salt for these sparkling after-dinner treats. The only downside? You’ll want to keep ordering them all year, so make a line item for your 2025 budget. $39.95 for 18 caramels.
If you’ve never understood the fuss about panettone, I feel you. The supermarket ones are dry and overly sweet and, I’m told, only exist as a loss leader to bring people into the store. But if you try true panettone, like the one made by Pasticceria Biasetto, it all suddenly makes sense. It’s soft, luxurious, subtly sweet with homemade candied fruit that doesn’t look like it escaped the Froot Loops factory. Importer Gustiamo makes it easy to send them in festive wrapping to people you love … or, to yourself. $70, plus shipping.
One of my most dreaded kitchen tasks has long been opening a new jar of peanut butter. If you’re a natural peanut butter household, you know why. Stirring in the oil on top is hard to do well (hence the dried-up remnants at the bottom of the jar) and almost always makes a mess … on your hands, on the jar, on the counter. How did I NOT know that there existed a perfect tool for the job?
Apparently, I should have. Jimmy Kimmel flacked the RW Witmer Natural Peanut Butter Hand Mixer for two full minutes on network TV a few years back. But if, like me, you are long asleep by 11 p.m., this is going to change your life. The metal crank fits through a hole in the lid, which you screw onto your jar of peanut butter. Stir for 45 seconds and, not only do you have perfectly mixed peanut butter, but the rod, when removed, is magically cleaned of any sticky mess. $15.55 plus shipping.
It wouldn’t be a gift guide without tinned fish. (Sigh!) Frankly, I’m a bit tired of the trend. While the packaging is often gorgeous on many brands, I haven’t been bowled over by what’s inside. But Island Creek’s line of conservas are wow-worthy. The mussels, from Spain, are huge, meaty, and briny. The little neck clams, my favorite, are from Virginia. You can eat them out of the can with a toothpick or just dump them over pasta and — buon appetito! — pasta alle vongole! I also love that the clams are processed in what Island Creek says is the first new New England cannery in almost a century. $14-$22.
I always give away a few cookbooks to people on my list — and not necessarily the newest ones. This year, however, Sunlight and Breadcrumbs: Making Food with Creativity and Curiosity from the Seattle chef Renee Erickson made my cut. The book zooms in on what she does best: simple but still thrilling food. I have at least a dozen recipes marked, but am most excited about what sounds like a curiously delicious roast chicken, with anchovy, ginger, and crème fraîche. $28.
For entertaining, one book you must own is Paul Kahan’s Cooking for Good Times. The recipes are not from Kahan’s renowned Chicago restaurants, but for shareable food that you can make before guests arrive. In each chapter offers multiple riffs on a type of dish — salads, grains, pork shoulder, steak. Things like braised pork with apricots, couscous, and fennel yogurt that you might never have thought of on your own, but will cook again and again. $29.
Loyal Consumed readers may remember that Katherine Goldstein loves a bargain-priced tub of Maldon salt. So do I! The crunchy salt, sprinkled on whatever at the last minute, makes everything taste better and is an offbeat but perfect Secret Santa gift. $13.50 on sale at Amazon.
Oooh asking for that paul Kahan cookbook!!