A connoisseur is a person that takes pleasure in the small things in life, including unforgettable experiences, fine libations, and other simple luxuries. Because connoisseurs are epicurean in nature, we have curated a list with the best holiday gifts for foodies so you can dazzle the tastebuds of your loved ones. Bon appetit!
1. Modernhome Aria 10Qt Air Fryer Oven ($199.00): There’s no other way around it: holiday season means cooking a lot for many people. And your foodie loved one might enjoy cooking for two, but not for twenty. If you are still struggling to find the perfect gift, we have found a perfect device to take care of kitchen business like a pro without the mess. This magical device is capable of baking, frying, rotisserie, reheating, toasting, and grilling with the push of a button. The new Aria Digital Air Fryer oven is the love child of a traditional oven and a stovetop with the convenience of a microwave. This new ‘go-to’ appliance is perfect to cook meat, fish, poultry, veggies, French fries, and everything in between—and it works without a single drop of oil for healthier, easier meals. It is also perfect for families, because this air frying mastermind is an easy way to dehydrate fruits and meats to make homemade meat jerky, trail mix, and dried fruit snacks for a healthy new year. The Rotating Rotisserie mode is also a favorite of the NYFB staff because the rotating cage system cooks whole chickens with even results. Now there’s no excuse for not cooking healthy, hearty meals for the whole family!
2. The Spice Lab Taste of America Seasoning Set ($19.95): Proudly made in the USA, this cool seasoning set includes the best of America’s flavors in full-size shaker jars. For the tasting pleasure of your loved ones, it comes packed in a beautiful gift box that reveals a Chicago Chop Seasoning, a Key West Seafood Seasoning, a Fiery Southern Charm, and an Everything and More Seasoning. This spice set is incredibly versatile, as it pairs perfectly to season any kind of meat, seafood and vegetable dishes for that secret personal touch. And for a guilt-free experience, they work wonderfully well with the Aria Air Fryer featured above! Perfect to create new favorite dishes or recreate family recipes, these gourmet spices are a great gift for that loved one who recently moved into a new apartment and would like to start new cooking traditions during the holiday season.
3. Rabbit Hole Heigold Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($69): Lose yourself into the rabbit’s hole to find the perfect gift for any bourbon enthusiast. Rabbit Hole is a young and local whiskey brand from Louisville, and Heigold is their fourth concoction. With notes of rye, corn, malted barley and malted rye imported from Germany, it is the perfect gift for the epicurean soul in your list. Heigold Kentucky pays hommage to Christian Heigold, a real-life stonecutter immigrant who truly left an impression in the 1800’s society with his heartfelt patriotism. Distilled to perfection to have a strong and bold spirit, this bottle of whiskey will surely come handy at every holiday party!
4. Michel et Augustin Holiday Cookie Gift Box ($9.99, at Target): For a yummy gift with a touch of French flair, look no further. These buttery shortbread cookies are filled to the brim with a dreamy, creamy dark chocolate ganache with just the right amount of sea salt. Made with real ingredients that you could find in your own kitchen, the Michel et Augustin holiday gift box is a wonderful way to say “je t’aime” without breaking the bank. Each box contains 20 squares, or as I like to put it, 20 morsels of pure chocolatey love.
5. Methodical Coffee Blue Boy ($17.00): It’s always a good time to give the joy of a coffee fix, and the holiday season is not an exception. Classical with a powerful punch, this coffee embodies the artsy packaging in which it is presented. With an unexpected smooth aftertaste, Blue Boy is a super soft and velvety concoction that is deeply satisfying to jumpstart a long winter day. This special blend of 70% Guatemala Ixlama and 30% Colombia Narino is imbued with a chocolatey flavor for a merry caffeinated Christmas. Blue Boy pays homage to the two countries for whom coffee is a big part of their culture. A sophisticated gift for the foodie in your life, it is a gentle and sophisticated concoction that speaks of the value of good manners and solid values.
6. Tussock Jumper Wines (retail price varies): Tussock Jumper is a young wine brand that adds a touch of modernity to the art of oenology. With a vast array of crus and terroirs to please the most exquisite palates, their young-spirited image makes them perfect holiday gifts for foodies and connoisseurs of the small pleasures in life. When it comes to gifts, you hardly can’t miss with a good bottle of wine. Right from the South of France, their Pinot Noir is a dark wine with ruby tints that includes floral notes and the delicate flavors of mixed berries. With hints of delicate wood and vanilla, it is the perfect red that stays long on the palate to compliment a good charcuterie starter or a main grilled meat, which makes it perfect for the holiday season. [Please note that this bottle of Pinot Noir is extremely cute, but doesn’t include Caviar or Myanmar, as Titus Andromedon would expect. ] The Moscato Rose is the perfect gift for your bestie. Luscious, fun, and pink, its youthful floral and fruit notes are the perfect match for a girls’ night in with bubbly and gossip. Finally, Tussock Jumper’s Prosecco is perfect to greet the New Year in style with a spumante toast! Crafted from grapes found in the Italian city of Glera, this extra dry wine is the sparkling cherry on top for this holiday season.
7. The Brisket Chronicles ($19.95): The meat lover in your life will fall head over heels with this book that details how to barbecue, braise, smoke, and cure the world’s most epic and revered cut of meat. A staple across many cultures, the brisket’s bold flavor has attracted fans across the planet, and this book celebrates the many ways that you can have fun with it. With a complete step-by-step guide, Steven Raichlen delivers tips to buy, trim, and seasoning brisket, as well as various indoors and outdoors cooking techniques to complete the 50 recipes in the book. A perfect gift for the foodie in your list!
8. belle+ bella Yomagic Yoghurt Maker ($93.99): How could we not include this super cool yoghurt maker in our list of the best holiday gifts for foodies? An original twist on the classic, it is perfect for that friend who loves cooking dessert without the mess. With this beauty, all you need to make scrumptious yoghurt is pour some milk and your favorite extra ingredients into the ceramic container, mix it with the Non-Dairy Yogurt Starter, and let it chill. Perfect to make any kind of yoghurt (we personally love using goat and cashew milk), the Yomagic uses a patented “water bath” system for even heating. A great way to become more green in time to ring in the new year, this beauty reduces the plastic containers from store-bought yogurt, plus lets your loved one know what goes inside their dessert at the press of a button. How cool is that?
