Great gift ideas for gourmets
Roula Khalaf, Editor of the FT, selects her favourite stories in this weekly newsletter.
Bode linen Garden State short-sleeved shirt, £485
Hold the Christmas jumpers. If I’m going to don clothing in festive colours, make it food-themed, linen and suitable for the beach. matchesfashion.com
HexClad 25cm hybrid pan, £114.99
From a US brand recently launched in the UK (and dubbed the “Rolls-Royce of pans” by Gordon Ramsay), these oven-safe, induction-ready, non-stick pans are as durable as cast iron and so called for the hexagonal steel ridges on their surface that enhance searing. hexclad.co.uk
Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: Food to Warm the Soul by Diana Henry, £22
A classic wintry cookbook that has been beautifully reissued with recipes including Vermont baked beans, and roast figs and plums in vodka with cardamom cream. foyles.co.uk
Spirited Away No Face soy sauce dispenser, €36.95
A pouring bottle modelled after a character from Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away. Where has this been all my life? A matching soy sauce dish and chopstick rest are also available. maison-ghibli.com
Palmito Mixed Fruit napkin rings, £45 for a set of four
To misquote King Lear, “O, reason not the need for fruity napkin rings.” May these quirky handwoven creations be under my Christmas tree this year. thecolombiacollective.co.uk
Botivo aperitif, £26.95 for 500ml
In an effort to ration my post-Xmas alcohol intake, I welcome a bottle of this non-alc aperitif made from fresh botanicals steeped in apple-cider vinegar. My work wife Alice Lascelles rates it mixed with Lucky Saint alcohol-free beer (“like a tangy, bittersweet shandy”). Who am I to argue? botivodrinks.com
Janice Wong Pure Imagination assorted chocolate bonbons, £66 for a box of 25
I’m a sucker for the razzle-dazzle creations of Singaporean confectioner Janice Wong, whose Asian-inspired chocolates include laksa-leaf lemongrass, gingerflower and kopi coffee. selfridges.com
Ember Cup², £129.95
A “smart” mug with a built-in battery, the Ember cup allows you to maintain the precise drinking temperature of your morning brew for up to 90 minutes (or longer with its charging coaster). It’s also the most beautifully designed and satisfyingly weighty mug on the market. ember.com
Durslade Christmas Foraged Farm Box, £85
My pick of hampers this year includes this box from Durslade farm shop in Somerset, which includes crab apple Christmas cake, greengage and meadow sweet jam, wild horseradish chow chow and foraged mincemeat. Order its wagyu dripping (£6.50) while you’re at it; you and your tatties deserve it. dursladefarmshop.co.uk
Hop Burns & Black x Thiccc Sauce Burns hot sauce, £6.50 for 150ml
Hot sauce is a failsafe gift for my impossible-to-buy-for father and every year I rely on Hop Burns & Black to curate a selection. This Asian-inspired savoury sauce features ginger and rice-wine vinegar and works a treat on noodles. The store also sells a “Hot Ones” mega-mix selection inspired by the cult YouTube show. hopburnsblack.co.uk
Michael Marriot Fusilli folding book stand, £26
This stainless-steel contraption holds iPads and cookbooks of any size, folds flat to hang up with other utensils and makes every other stand look hopelessly clunky. woodmetalplastic.com
Filippo Carandini wood and aluminium Cabinet Luna, €21,100
Why should kitchen storage be boring? This razzy, handpainted, high-gloss cabinet from Italian designer Filippo Carandini is going on my mood board if not in my stocking. nilufar.com
Apothekary Claim to Flame and Soothe Operator, £39.99 each
Though my daily supplement intake already qualifies as bounteous, I’m up for adding these gut remedies from the hip LA “farmacy” founded by former Goldman Sachs alum Shizu Okusa. selfridges.co.uk
Willemien Bardawil handpainted jug, £150
A cherub- and flower-adorned jug from a British artist and designer, available at one of my favourite independent stores, Lamp Ldn. lamplondonhome.com
Agricola Due Leoni x Jeremy Deller Bless This Acid House olive oil, £126
This extra-virgin olive oil is a limited-edition collaboration between a family farm in the Sabine hills north of Rome (also home to an artist’s residency) and the Turner prize-winning British artist. selfridges.com
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