In part three of our ATF Christmas gift guide, we're looking at the best edible and drinkable gifts, because how better to say it (anything) than with food! Or wine. Or cocktails. Or stuff to eat them off and drink them out of. Here are our top picks for the year that's in it...
Edible
A Dolce Sicily Panettone
Italian café Dolce Sicily are selling not one, not two, but seven different types of panettone this Christmas, from pistachio to chocolate, fruits of the forest to one that's supposed to resemble a volcano. Supermarket panettones might tick the box, but these are the ones to buy for someone special.
Toonsbridge Cheese & Cracker Hamper
Toonsbridge has plenty of different hamper options this season, but we love the cheese and cracker hamper - very affordable at €32, and who doesn’t love cheese?! The perfect hostess gift for any get-togethers, it comes with three cheeses, crackers and some chutney, and if that doesn't float your boat you can see their full selection of hampers here.
Lilliput Christmas Hampers
Our favourite food-filled treasure trove never disappoints at Christmas time, full to the brim of pantry favourites for your loved ones (and yourself). Lilliput Stores are running their annual Hamper Market for two weekends this December so you can potter down and pick up your favourites to create your own, or if you prefer them to do the work for you there are plenty of pre-selected hampers at varying price points available on their website.
Hen's Teeth Hampers
You can always count on Hen's Teeth to get you out of a last minute gift jam, they have all the cool stuff, and Christmas is no different. They have three hampers from €50 - €125, or you can make up your own, but we love the €50 'Ah you're very good' option, with Hey Yum gummies, a bottle of Craft Cocktails, Ocelot chocolate, Piccolo contemporary garden seeds, and a Clean Slate candle. They'll even let you swap out items for something else, which is very sound. Buy them here.
An Olive Oil Tasting Club
For the budding chef or general food obsessive in your life, Sarah and Olive's tasting club will deliver top class olive oil to them throughout the year (one every three months) along with tasting notes, food pairing suggestions and recipe ideas. Sign us up please.
A Flavour Of The Boyne Valley
The Boyne Valley seems to be Ireland's newest food destination, with growers, producers and makers everywhere you look. Boyne Valley Flavours have put together some great gift boxes at different price points featuring loads of local food companies, like Bán goat's cheese, Oriel sea salt and Bakealicious' Christmas puddings - it's like going on a food tour over Christmas, but not having to get dressed at any point. Buy them here.
A Jam Selection Box
If you know someone who loves jam as much as we love jam, this limited edition Christmas box of Irish Folláin jams and marmalade is the business. Featuring flavours like mulled wine and winter berry, Christmas spiced marmalade, and spiced Irish apple jelly, as well as two jam serving spoons (the spoon we never knew we needed), it's currently €25 reduced from €30, and it comes wrapped and ready to go under the tree. Buy it here.
The Natural Bakery's Gingerbread House
Perfect for the child (or adult) in your life who needs occupying over the Christmas season, this gingerbread house from The Natural Bakery comes either pre-constructed or to be assembled at home, but where's the fun in the first option?
Weekl.ie Hamper
Weekl.ie is another great spot to pick up a hamper containing so many of our favourite things, like Assassination Custard's piccalilli, Cocoa Atelier's cranberry marshmallows, and their own homemade cookies. They range from €35 for a small one to €145 for large, and you can order on their website.
Drinkables
Craft Cocktails Christmas Collection
We could credit Craft Cocktails with getting us through a few lockdowns over the past 18 months - the zesty cocktails we ordered for our birthdays eased the sting of the fact that we were celebrating it on the couch...again. They've just added some festive flavours to their core range which is just another reason to place an order. The Yuletide Negroni, Gingerbread Punch and Festive Old Fashioned are available in a small 2-serve bottle for €12.50, or large 7-serve bottle for €35. They are available in over 20 independent retailers around Dublin or online.
Boujee Booze
Boujee Booze was set up by two best friends who worked in hospitality and just love food and wine. It shows in their online shop, which they would probably describe as "full of bangers" - and they'd be right. They've got gift sets ready to go with just wine, or wine and food, but the fun starts with their food pairings and recipe sections. Buy someone a bottle or six and they can go online and see what to cook or order with it. We'd suggest buying this for your other half so you can reap the rewards of all that experimentation.
Vice Coffee's Espresso Martinis
We loved Vice Coffee's Irish Coffee kits last year, but this year is all about the Espresso Martini. It's a bit of a faff to make at home, so these pre-made bottles with their house espresso, cacao infused Absolut Vodka & Kahlua are ideal - just decant into a cocktail shaker with ice, shake until your hand's about to fall off, and strain into a chilled glass. €25 buys you four serves and you can order them here.
Kombucha Brewing Kit
All About Kombucha are all about that gut health, and if you know someone who dreams of having a kitchen filled with scobies, this gut box is for them. They'll learn how to ferment tea (i.e. make kombucha), as well as pickle food, all intended to improve your gut, and the box contains everything they'll need to get started, including the scoby, jars and teabags. They also deliver nationwide.
Ely Wine Club
Know someone who wants to learn more about wine? Without actually picking up a book? Ely's 'Sommelier Selection' wine club sends out three or six bottles a month with a specific theme or from a particular region or variety, along with winemaking details, tasting notes and food pairings. Would also make a great 'gift to self' for getting through the past 18 months. Sign up here.
Virgin Mary Christmas Kits
If you’ve followed us for any length of time, you’ll know that we love a tipple or two (three?!), but the recent transformation in the non-alcoholic market has had us reaching for the Seedlip on more than one occasion when we start to feel thirsty. The Virgin Mary Bar is one of our favourite spots to go when we want a cocktail sans hangover, and they've put together a few kits for the non-drinkers amongst us. This would be an amazing gift for a tee-totaller, but it’s also just a very handy collection to add to the bar cart alongside the usual spirits. Christmas Kits range from €40 to €450 but their online shop also has a variety of drinks available by the bottle. Take a look here.
Stuff To Eat And Drink With
Fermoyle Pottery
If you've been lucky enough to nab a table in Ichigo Ichie or Allta you've definitely admired their uniquely beautiful tableware. Fermoyle Pottery is where the best of the best go to complete the experience they're creating for their customers, and for good reason. Hand-thrown and hand-built, each piece is one of a kind, making them even more special. The Christmas webshop opened on December 5th so move quickly if you want to nab something special.
Note's Glassware
We can't stop staring at this glassware from Kinto, Japan, available at new wine bar Note on Fenian Street. When you're there you can drink out of it at the Bureau in the morning, then take some home to put under the tree.
Loose Canon Wine Glasses
The Loose Canon swimming pool glasses have been the camera subject of practically everyone who's visited since the summer, and now they've made them available for purchase. They're €50 for a set of six and are collection only, because they ain't putting glass in the post - wise. There's an Instagram story highlight here with more information.
You can find our other gift guides here:
Part 1 - Cookbooks, memoirs and classes
Part 2 - Experiences and subscriptions
Part 4 - Gadgets and stocking fillers
