Holiday Gift Guide 2016: Solid Food
Delectable delights for cooking (and eating) enthusiasts
As the holidays get closer and closer, we’re launching our beloved Gift Guides—and while the season can get stressful, our aim is to make choosing presents a lot easier. While buying products for each other is the traditional route, make sure to consider gifting experiences, price-matching presents with a donation to a charity, taking time to volunteer, and—of course—be sure to spend time with your favorite humans.
Since the CH team loves cooking (and eating), we decided to start off our 2016 Gift Guides with a solid line up of food-centric presents. From salami of the month club to cook books, coffee, fruit-centric art and more, there’s something in this delectable collection of treats for everybody. See the full guide in our BUY section.
Atlas 150 Pasta Maker
With over 80 years of experience, Italian homeware company Mercato knows a thing or three about pasta—and any noodle enthusiast knows that homemade iterations taste far superior to store-bought, dry versions. Not only does the hand-cranked Atlas 150 ($100) make pasta production simple, the beautifully designed piece can yield linguine, spaghetti or lasagna noodles in minutes. It’s also entirely BPA-free, with a copper-coated steel body and even comes with a recipe book.
Mouth-Made High Five Chocolate Bar
Tapping into the familiar notion of a Take5 bar—sporting five salty-sweet layers—Mouth Foods’ High Five bar ($7) takes all that’s deliriously delicious about the original and brings it to the present day. Made in Brooklyn and featuring caramel, pretzels, roasted peanuts and peanut butter, all coated in milk chocolate, the High Five forgoes both high fructose corn syrup and preservatives. It’s as healthy as a chocolate bar can be and all the ingredients are incredibly transparent. That said, it’s a whole lot of flavor and that matters most.
Dinner at the Long Table
Since launching Williamsburg’s Diner in 1999, Andrew Tarlow has opened six restaurants, a hotel, a bar and a bakery. His book (written with Anna Dunn) “Dinner at the Long Table” ($40) explores recipes that are made for sharing. There’s a celebratory tone that permeates the book—with cheery cocktails and impressive recipes that all seem crafted for celebration. With each minute part of a meal considered (from salad dressing to an after-meal biscotti) this cook book is incredibly comprehensive.
Sync Platter
Glass artist Kumiko Nakajima of design firm MONO and her furniture designer husband John Quan have united their skills to create a minimal platter ($110 AUD) ideal for wine and cheese dinner parties—and easy clean-up afterward. Crafted from Tasmanian Oak in the couple’s hometown of Adelaide, Australia, the platter—featuring a napkin stow level—comes complete with a clear glass wine stopper to accompany any bottle. Beauty, ease and quality define the simple, effective piece.
Loring Place Apron
Made in NYC, this 100% cotton chambray apron ($98) was designed by celebrated designer Todd Snyder for (and in collaboration with) Chef Dan Kluger. The chef and his staff in the Greenwich Village’s Loring Place restaurant actually wear the handsome, functional piece when they work. Utility is key here (as evidenced with the stow pockets) and the classic workwear references (like the contrast stitching and X bar tacks) throughout the design make it ultimately sophisticated.
Salami of the Month Club
Olympia Provisions—a Portland, Oregon must-stop—approaches meat-curing as a form of art and science, using old-world traditions learned in Europe to craft their never-hurried salami, sausages and charcuterie. Oregon’s first USDA-approved salumeria offers the rest of the country who can’t visit their shop or two restaurants a year-long sampler: their Salami of the Month Club ($150). It’s hard to top a gift like monthly meat.
Fruit and Vegetable Skateboard
Incorporating Martí Guixé’s colorful, graphic fruit and veggie designs, this Australian-manufactured skate deck ($100) is vibrant and playful. Of course, skateboards have long been used as a platform for artistic exploration and Guixé’s work succeeds as a colorful piece to be proud of—whether using it to skate on or to hang on a wall. For foodies, skaters, art enthusiasts and more, it’s a piece that caters to all types.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Having won plenty of New York International Extra Virgin Olive Oil Competition awards (and others around the globe) Cobram Estate olive oil ($13) is one of the few brands that is genuinely extra virgin. Since it’s a high-quality olive oil, the smoke point is also very high—meaning frying, BBQing or even cooking over hot coals is possible. With plenty of antioxidants, phytosterols, vitamins and monounsaturated fatty acids (a healthy dietary fat), Cobram Estate isn’t just good for you, it tastes delicious.
Kink Vinegar Bottle
With a kink intentionally formed during a traditional glass-blowing process, Jam Factory’s Kink Vinegar Bottle ($99) carries an extra bit of uncommon personality. The simple design flourish lends the bottle an ergonomic edge, allowing for a easy handling and pouring. Altogether, there’s a curious balance of sculptural art and function here, available in three distinct colors.
Holiday Box: Michelin Edition
The latest food selection from box service Try The World was created in collaboration with acclaimed restaurant guide service Michelin. Within, one will find eight uncommon food items drawn from Italy (a truffle sauce), Taiwan, Israel (a date spread), South Africa, France, Mexico and more. Beyond the treats, Try The World ($39) includes culture guides and recipes to bring all of the products to life. As with all Try The World boxes, it can be purchased as a one-off, or those interested can enroll in their subscription services and get seven or eight speciality items every three, sixth or 12 months.
Glass French Press
Taking a classic design and adding beautiful contemporary flair, Saint Augustine, FL-based Yield’s Glass French Press ($85) is made from premium heat-proof borosilicate glass, so it can withstand super-high temperatures. Available in gray, orange or clear, it comes complete with a mesh steel filter and lid with a subtle but lovely copper pull. Made for brewing coffee or tea, this piece holds 850 mL of liquid.
Holiday Cookie Plate
For all the baking ambition one may have at this time of year, sometimes it’s just time-saving to buy well-made holiday cookies instead. Our friends at Mouth Foods have assembled a “best of” care package ($75) featuring some mouth-watering seasonal favorites. The gift-wrapped set comes complete with gingerbread, raspberry cave cookies, chocolate peppermint and more. Many of the cookies were made by Bunches & Bunches, but the team at Mouth also sourced from other talented bakers. Altogether, there’s plenty of bang for your buck within.
Images courtesy of respective brands, hero courtesy of Food52
