Gift Guide 2017 | For the Foodie who has Everything

We're getting down to the wire, and, if you're anything like me, you're not nearly done with your Christmas shopping. HELLO, procrastination!

I've rounded up a list of my favorite obscure (and some not-so-much) foodie finds from around the web (AKA my personal Christmas list), many of which can be picked up from stores locally or shipped directly from Amazon to have just in time for the holiday!

1. Creative Live Food Photography Class

Does your foodie friend constantly post pictures of their plate on Insta? Do they want to share their recipes with the world via a blog or Facebook? This would be the perfect gift. Creative Live is hub of self-paced video classes taught by world-class leaders in the fields of business, art, and design. Definitely the place to go for anyone wanting to take their hobby to a new level.

Go to the Food Photography course page and click "Give as a Gift"

2. Danish Dough Whisk

Why am I so smitten with this thing? I think because it's just so different looking, and something I highly doubt your foodie friend already has in her kitchen. But then, when I think about it more, I realize that I actually really want one because have you ever tried to mix up a batch of dough with a regular whisk, or even a wooden spoon? With a whisk, everything gets stuck. With a spoon, it never really feels like you're MIXING and incorporating stuff... just turning it around in the bowl. So this looks like the perfect solution, not to mention the fact that you'll seem so cosmopolitan by gifting it.

3. Cast Iron Skillet

A classic Lodge cast iron skillet is the gift that keeps on giving, for sure. I've learned that people that don't own them usually have two reasons. First, they don't realize how affordable they are. This one comes in at $15! Totally doable. Second, they don't know how to care for them. I admit there's a little bit of a learning curve when it comes to cleaning and seasoning cast iron, but once you get the hang of it, it's actually a lot less work than any other type of pan. Add this cast iron care kit to your gift (which can also be found at Target!) and you've covered all your bases.

4. Leather Hot Handle Holder

Taking the cast iron idea a step further, this rustic leather hot handle cover is such a cool idea for someone that cooks using cast iron. Never worry about someone accidentally touching the handle of a skillet that just came out of a 500°F oven again!

5. Fancy and Obscure Pantry Stuff

As a foodie but also a budget-conscious and responsible person, I LOVE the idea of having these items on hand, but wouldn't typically buy them for myself. That's exactly why they would make such great gifts. And hey, your foodie friend might just find their new favorite brand of whatever-it-is, just because you were kind enough to gift it to them for Christmas! How cool would that be? Here are my picks.

Unfiltered extra virgin olive oil

I took a trip to Rome with my mom and sister when I was in college, and we learned from the Romans that, with olive oil, a good rule of thumb is "the cloudier, the better".

Mother-in-Law Kimchi

I put this on everything when it's in the house. It rounds out a buddha bowl. It goes on toast with eggs. It takes roasted veggies to the next level. BUT... I have to go to the special (read: expensive) grocery store to buy it. Nuh-uh. Just give it to me as a gift, please and thank you!

Miso Paste

This is one of those things that is so hard to find at normal grocery stores and, because of that, it steers me away from lots of different Asian-flavored dishes that I'd love to make on a more regular basis because, let's be honest, I'm not making a special trip to the ethnic market for miso, mmmmkay?

But it's not expensive and would pair well with the Kimchi and some Harissa paste to turn it into a gift basket!

Smoked salt

I could see this rimming a cocktail. Or topping homemade caramels. Or sprinkled onto fresh tomatoes or roasted veggies. Or even on a steak or pork chop that I cook in the oven because it's too freaking cold to grill out. Again, it's so affordable you could pair it with any of the other items on this list.

6. Napa Wine

You can never go wrong with a bottle of wine, obviously. But if you're going to buy wine (even just to bring along to a gathering) your dollars can also go toward helping the people in Napa who are trying to recover from the tragedy they experienced in the fires this year. When you're out buying wine, it's as easy as looking on the label to make sure it's produced using Napa grapes.

7. Butter keeper

Here's another obscure foodie gadget that I can't even quite explain why I'm obsessed with it... but I want one. You might be surprised to learn that butter doesn't have to be refrigerated. I've been keeping mine out on the counter for years in an old school glass butter dish. But something about this method of storing and preserving makes it even sexier. It comes in so many fun colors that you could totally customize it to your friend's kitchen decor.

8. "House cocktail kit"

Having a "house cocktail" is just one of those things that makes me feel like I've got my shit together. My aunt always has Bombay Sapphire and tonic on hand, and offers us one any time we show up at her house. Other friends of mine do a "welcome cocktail" upon your arrival, which the husband creates, seasonally. And friends-of-friends of mine do an Apérol Spritz as their "house drink". All of these are easy options for entertaining and can certainly save money over stocking a bar cart full with an entire liquor selection.

Last year, we were gifted a bottle of bourbon, a couple of beautiful gilded rocks glasses, and real Vermont maple syrup to make this Food52 cocktail. It was the best gift we received.

So, pick up a few ingredients for a house cocktail. Doesn't have to be expensive, but try to keep it classy. As in, spring for the lesser-known and more elevated brand of tonic water vs. the grocery store off-brand with terrible packaging.

Include a recipe card, some rocks glasses, and maybe even a fancy ice mold, like the ones below.

Fancy ice molds

We've all seen giant ice molds. They're cool and fun and great. But I'm all about fancy normal size ice right now. Because, every single cocktail doesn't work with a massive sphere of ice in the middle. This ice mold makes 1" cubes, which are perfect for filling a rocks glass for any type of cocktail!

9. Beeswrap

Think: replacing plastic baggies and cling wrap with beautifully-designed and environmentally friendly beeswax-coated cotton sheets. Your crunchy friend is going to love this stuff. You know, the one that always remembers to use their own bags at the grocery store. The one that uses essential oils. The one that washes her fruit in a special solution before eating it. The one that doesn't ever put plastic in the microwave.

I love the idea of Beeswrap and would use it all the time if I had some. But, again, it's one of those things I won't buy for myself.

10. Aldi quarter key chain

Not only will your Aldi-loving friend never have to worry about losing her cart quarter again, but she can show off her love for spending literally half on groceries by sporting this cute Aldi cart quarter keeper on her keys!