Gift ideas for the foodie in your life
Christmas is, at its best, a season of giving, thoughtful, joyful, genuine giving.
Last year, when I asked Little Miss Holly what her favourite part of Christmas was, I fully expected a list of toys and sparkly wishes. Instead she said: “Seeing the faces of the people I’m giving gifts to.” My heart absolutely melted, because that’s my favourite part too (along with receiving a few surprises myself).
The truth is, gifts don’t need to be expensive to be meaningful. With a bit of time, imagination and love, you can create beautiful handmade treats that any food lover will cherish. Here are some things I made over the years for friends and family that went down a treat.
Christmas vodka
1 bottle of vodka, 2 cinnamon sticks, orange peel of 1 orange, 75g sugar (I used demerara sugar), 2tsp ground mixed spice, 5 cloves, 1, vanilla pod, 1 star anise, handful of cranberries.
Pour the vodka into a large Kilner jar, add all the ingredients and stir well. Close and leave to infuse for a couple of weeks. The colour will become darker. After a few weeks, strain the vodka into small bottles and close. Attach a nice label. Maybe add some recipe cards for cocktails using the vodka.
Homemade labneh
This is so easy to make and all you need is a good quality yoghurt (full fat, I usually go for a Greek one).
Place the yogurt into a bowl and mix well with 1tsp of sea salt. Take a muslin cloth and spoon the mix into it.
Tie the ends and hang over a bowl. Leave in a cool place for up to 48 hours. The longer you leave it, the drier the cheese will become. The salt will start ‘eating’ the liquid from the yogurt, leaving behind a tasty cheese. After the desired consistency has been achieved, remove the cheese from the muslin and take a spoonful of cheese, roll into a ball. You can now roll it into dried herbs or spices to coat the balls.
Place in a sterilised glass jar and pour enough oil in to cover the cheese. Close the lid tightly and put a nice label on the jar.
Mulled wine spice bag
This is one of the easiest homemade gifts going. In a small bag or jar, combine whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, a strip of dried orange peel, and a little sachet of sugar. Add a handwritten label with warming instructions. It’s cosy, personal, and smells like pure Christmas.
Handmade chocolates
These are always a treat or simply get a nice collection from the Chocolate Shop in the English Market. Three Spoons Tea Shop in the English Market is a genuine treasure trove for tea and coffee lovers. Beyond its superb range of black, green and herbal blends, you’ll also discover rarer delights like delicate white tea and fragrant oolong. Shelves are lined with beautiful teapots, cups, filters and gift sets, making it the perfect stop for anyone who takes their brew seriously.
Handwritten recipes
There’s something special about recipes written in your own hand. They become part of your family story.
Gather the dishes you’re known for and write them out in your finest script, creating a collection that feels intimate and timeless.
You can slip them into a beautiful recipe folder or, for something truly heirloom-worthy, bring them to Barbara Hubert on Tobin Street, where your recipes can be hand-bound into a stunning keepsake book that will be treasured for generations.
Gadgets
The world of gadgets is ever evolving and it is hard to keep on top of things. Some are quite handy while others are ‘show-off’ items.
The Posha Cooking Robot is the ideal tool for anyone who likes a ‘homecooked’ meal but doesn’t want to actually cook it. Posha promises to cook a meal according to the recipe from its collection. You just need to add the ingredients. According to the recipe, the robot adds the ingredients as needed and can adjust temperature as required so the food is cooked timely. Posha also creates shopping lists depending on the recipes in the app you choose. It is currently only available in the US (as far as I could see) and will set you back about $1,500.
The Etekcity Smart Food Scale with nutritional calculator might come in handy after the feasting stops. It is based on the Nutritionix database and can be connected to your FitBit (if you have one). It’s available on Amazon for around €50.
If the above are a bit too avant-garde, why not get a voucher from one of the amazing restaurants in Cork or pop into Delia’s Kitchen Shop to support a local shop? Horgan’s in Blarney is always great for dinner or glassware while Meadows & Byrne in Blarney Woollen Mills has some great offers this Christmas to create the perfect tablescape for your Christmas dinner. Or simply join the Blarney Christmas Market at Scoil Mhuire gan Smál this Sunday from 10am – 4pm where you can find the perfect gift for your friends and family or simply treat yourself. You’re worth it!