There are few things as special as preparing and sharing a magical meal with those you love—and many covetable items go into making these memories. Whether you’re searching for a gift for a natural wine enthusiast, whisky expert, talented chef, aspiring cook, or someone who simply loves to discover new flavors, our Eat, Drink and Be Merry Gift Guide brims with new ideas. From cookbooks to candy and saucepans to serving trays, there’s something here to please everyone. And for ideas beyond food and drink, our full BUY section is updated daily.
Famous for his Bar Tartine burger, chef Chris Kronner is somewhat obsessed with perfecting the great American food. Available to pre-order now, Kronner’s debut book “A Burger to Believe In: Recipes and Fundamentals” includes more than just recipes; it also takes a dive into the philosophy, magic and art of the burger. The hardcover is also full of bold designs and colors that avoid the somewhat cliché style that have permeated cookbooks over the past few years.
Every pack of Dripkit pour-over coffee contains 14 grams of La Basa coffee, a small-batch and single origin medium roast ground bean from Guatemala. And each pack makes one single cup of coffee in an innovative new way, as the pack itself transforms into a notched strainer that rests on top of any mug. It’s the most convenient way to enjoy pour-overs without making too much (or too little). No quality was sacrificed here and the ground, roasted beans lead to a superb brew. Also available for subscription, a 10-pack is $30.
Entirely foolproof, Breville’s Barista Touch has an intuitive touchscreen display that means making your morning brew is super-simple. With a three-second heat up time, built-in grinder, automatic milk texturing, and a pre-programmed coffee menu, it’s an efficient and speedy machine that delivers quality coffee every time.
Elevate your entertaining game with perfectly spherical ice balls, free of bubbles and impurities, made in your own kitchen. The clever Invisiball Ice Kit is super-easy to use: simply connect the two silicone halves of the mold, fill the tumbler with tap water, put the kit into the freezer and wait about 24 hours. All the impurities filter to the bottom, bubbles escape at the top, and the result is a crystal clear ice ball for your drinks.
One of the latest additions to Snow Peak’s portable Field Barista Kit, this high quality coffee grinder takes its queues from professional grade equipment. Made in Japan from stainless steel and iron, the product’s all-important adjustable burr is crafted from ceramic. In addition to being small in size, the grinder can also be taken apart in order to travel better. As expected, it’s also easy to use—simply place beans in and grind.
Two important details of Lock Stock & Barrel’s 18 Year Rye Whiskey battle each other to create a surprisingly smooth profile. First, the proof stands at a whopping 109. Second, its age—the aforementioned 18 years—actually tames that high ABV. In fact, aging in American oak barrels has lent the spirit a creamy vanilla warmth. There’s a bunch of rye spice here but it’s all in service to a tasty, uniform and wood-defined whiskey.
This white kettle from Tokyo-based designer Makoto Koizumi’s “Kaico” series is subtle and stylish. Made from enamel-coated steel, it features a beechwood handle and maple knob, altogether creating an attractive but warm contrast. This lovely piece holds 49 fluid ounces. The “Kaico” series also boasts a butter warmer, saucepan and more.
With an 18-ounce capacity, Harold Import Company’s Penguin Shaped Cocktail Shaker makes for a whimsical, arguably elegant way to mix a drink. Drinks aren’t supposed to be boring, so bar tools shouldn’t either and this stainless steel shaker does everything one needs it to and more.
Many might not know that Yemen was the first location to cultivate coffee—with the nation’s Udaini varietal the grandfather to 90% of the world’s coffee. Port of Mokha aims to inform, and are doing so with roast to order coffee beans, grown in small quantities at very high elevation. This set of three varietals, in 4 oz boxes, offers the ideal introduction across distinct flavor profiles which have been regarded by connoisseurs as some of the best in the world.
From Kyoto-based Matchaeologist comes a new ceremonial-grade matcha tasting set incorporating one of three different blends: Misaki, Matsu, and Meiko. This very collection has repeatedly won the highest award from Japan’s Ministry of Agriculture, when judged on everything from aroma and taste to color. The tea itself is as high-quality as possible, worth of the ceremony for sure—but also capable of winning over new matcha coverts.
“We will organize wines according to the sensations they create in our very depths, beyond the limits of the soma, far into the infinite reaches of our soul,” states the manifesto for a guide like no other. While Dalí only contributed some 140 illustrations and no text, his concept for the book “The Wines of Gala” is executed successfully: encouraging readers to approach wine personally and emotionally and to think for themselves (rather than depending on a point system or other wine critics)—to ultimately reach “bacchic enlightenment.”
Master recipes you’ve never attempted before with the this KitchenAid mixer, which features 10 speed settings, five-quart stainless steel mixing bowl, and more. This appliance whips, mixes, kneads and beats—taking a lot of the hard work from you. Available in silver gray, black or red, it will look at home in any kitchen.
In Hudson, New York, James Beard Award–winning chef Zakary Pelaccio continues to innovate and inspire in the local food movement through his restaurant Fish + Game. With co-author Peter Barrett, Pelaccio outlines Fish + Game’s relationship to food (and nature) by way of seasonal recipes and profiles of producers. An incredibly beautiful cookbook, “Project 258: Making Dinner at Fish + Game” is more than a collection of dishes and their steps; it’s a visual guide to an important culinary movement.
Don’t let the pink hue fool you, this is a tequila—and a good one at that. While aging in Napa Cabernet French White Oak barrels has lent the agave spirit its pink color and a light nose of the wine, the flavor is that of a premium blanco with light floral notes. It’s delicate and quite easy to sip neat.
Bottled in Brooklyn, Trees Knees Coffee Maple (syrup) is what happens when organic Grade A maple syrup gets a Stumptown Coffee Roasters Hair Bender Blend infusion. There’s a delectable richness that can complement breakfast and beyond—with noticeable dessert-like qualities. Bushwick Kitchen takes the utmost care with their products and this one truly reflects that.
With slow cooking and sous-vide cropping up just about everywhere, an at-home appliance like Mellow brings the method home in a safe and easy way. WiFi-enabled and smartphone-controlled, Mellow is intuitive and quick to initiate. It can produce up to six portions at a time, in food-safe HDPE bags. And because the process with Mellow is really so hands-off, it frees up users to enjoy their time or start prepping something else.
