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Christmas 2015: 11 best gifts for foodies

Inspire them to cook up something special with these culinary presents

Hugh Montgomery

Thursday 26 November 2015 13:41 GMT

When it comes to getting a gift that someone will actually want, food and drink offerings are pretty fail-safe options. And from gorgeous recipe books to on-trend spirits, the below choices will satisfy even the most discerning palates.

1. A Year of Good Eating: The Kitchen Diaries III by Nigel Slater: £9.99, Amazon

Another 365 days of inspiration from the doyen of food writers, featuring over 250 recipes, from pigs cheeks with apples in January to wasabi and salmon in June and Steak and stilton pie in November.

2. Spuntino: Comfort Food by Russell Norman: £17, Amazon

Norman’s trendy NY-style restaurant has been the toast of Soho since it opened in 2011, and now you recreate its indulgent menu highlights at home, including some ace brunch options and its famous sliders.

3. Salted Karamel Vodka: £17.50, Waitrose

It was only a matter of time before the flavour du jour got alcoholic, and we can attest this spirit is quite the sweet-savoury dream – and perfect for some post-dinner shots.

4. Larder Hamper: £250, Daylesford

Live the Cotswolds dream with this classy compendium from the Gloucestershire deli and bakery, which includes james, chutneys, relishes, biscuits, chocolate, tea, coffee, Christmas pud and crackers and an array of bottles – including prosecco, of course.

5. Le Creuset Cool Mint Oval Casserole: £190, John Lewis

Everyone’s favourite high-end cookware range is renowned for its incredibly durable casserole dishes – and it has gone green for its latest great new shade, which is exclusive to John Lewis.

6. Sourdough Starter Kit: £29.99, Sous Chef

Now the whole nation wants to jump on the bake-off bandwagon you can’t go wrong with this bread-baking beginners pack, which includes the recipe book The Handmade Loaf by Dan Lepard as well as tools from a Dough Scraper to a Bread Proving Basket.

7. Personalised Pork Pie: £59.99, Firebox

Not everyone’s such a fan of Christmas cake - and one of these crusty plus-3kg creations would make a great and spectacular alternative.

8. Nikka Pure Malt Black: £39.45, The Whiskey Exchange

Japanese whiskeys are currently in vogue, and rightfully so – and this, for the spirits connoisseur, is a fine but affordable pick, with a beautifully smoky elegance.

9. Alessi Pulcina Coffee Maker: £59, Connections At Home

Alessi can be relied on for fine kitchen style – and this state-of-the-art espresso maker is the pick of their most recent products.

10. Joseph Joseph Lockblock 6-piece knife set: £150, Selfridges

Another classic, colour-coded product from the ever-reliable cookware stable, this set comes in a nifty lockable knife block for child safety.

11. Kartell Infinity Bottle Rack: £48, Amara

Who needs a cellar when you’ve got this stylish storage option, which was created by celebrated British designer Ron Arad and is a modular piece that can be added to, should your ability to keep hold of bottles rather than quaff them increase.