You love food. Your friends and family do, too. You want to give them something that expresses your shared appreciation for the culinary side of life. We can help. The Good Food team — host Evan Kleiman and producers Gillian Ferguson, Laryl Garcia, and Elina Shatkin — got together to suggest a few fabulous gifts for the 2023 winter holiday season. These choices are highly subjective and purely our own. We hope you like them as much as we do.
More: 75 Thanksgiving side dish recipes
THINGS TO EAT & DRINK
Get ready to try some new pasta shapes! Photo credit: Via Sfoglini Pasta
Sfoglini Pasta, the Sporkful Collection Variety Pack
$36
You might think I've entered my dotage when you see pasta as part of a gift guide but stay with me for a minute. Because I am opinionated when it comes to pasta, Dan Pashman, the host of The Sporkful included me as part of his sounding board when he went on his Mission ImPastable journey to create a new pasta shape. I was a skeptic over the five episodes… until the pasta dropped and I started eating it. It's SO GOOD. Now, the original Sporkful shape Cascatelli has been joined by Quatttotrini and Vesuvio. I'll often give a box of one of these pastas along with a jar of my homemade sauce to friends. The reaction is always, OMG, that pasta is so cool and delicious. Kids, in particular, love Vesuvio. With food costs going up and pasta being such an ubiquitous meal for families, this gift of a 6-pack might turn out to be your most popular. -E.K.
This Vietnamese Coffee Kit will sweeten someone's day. Photo credit: Via Nguyen Coffee
Nguyen Coffee's Ultimate Vietnamese Coffee Kit
$155
My home contains no less than seven methods for making coffee — Chemex, Francis Francis, Nespresso, moka pot, French press, Clever Coffee dripper, Mr. Coffee coffeemaker, and I'm probably missing a few — so we figured it was time to add another. Nguyen Coffee's Ultimate Vietnamese Coffee Kit includes three bags of 12-ounce coffee (you can choose whole beans or ground) along with all the items you'll need to make Vietnamese coffee, aside from the condensed milk. That means you pour condensed milk into the small glass. The stainless steel Phin Vietnamese filter perches on top of that so the coffee drips into the glass. When that's done, you stir them to combine the strong coffee and sweet milk. Throw it over ice if you want an iced coffee. Voila! You've got your own cà phê sữa nóng or cà phê sua dá. -E.S.
Spice it up with the OG chili crisp producer, Lao Gan Ma. Photo credit: Via Lao Gan Ma
$4 - $6
The past few years have seen a lot of new chili crisp brands enter the market. No shade to any of them because all the ones I've tried have been some degree of good. Even with their fancy design and slick marketing, I still prefer the OG chili crisp, Lao Gan Ma, which means "the godmother." (Each jar features an image of the brand's solemn founder.) At this point, the company produces two dozen or so chili-based condiments. I stick to the original, a mix of chili flakes and onions soaked in soybean oil. Variations might include garlic, fermented cabbage, mushrooms, or black beans. But there's a reason the original, the Spicy Chili Crisp, is China's best-selling hot sauce. -E.S.
Gucci raises the panettone game to high art. Photo credit: Via Gucci Osteria
$160
You haven't tried panettone until you've tried Gucci's panettone. I don't say stuff like that often, so when I do, I mean it. For decades, I didn't understand panettone. "It's the 21st century," I'd think. "Why am I eating this heavy, stale bread with a few pieces of icky dried fruit in it?" Then I tasted the version from Gucci Osteria. It's sooooooft. So soft. And airy. And light. And fresh. Whoever you're generous enough to give it to mightl want to eat the whole thing. As a bonus, each year it comes in a pretty tin that you can save for use as a stylish storage container. -E.S.
Looking for chef-driven CBD and THC edibles? Try Rose Delights. Photo credit: Via Rose Delights
$40 - $45
I was slow to jump on the edible train but when I ran into the Rose Los Angeles team at the Santa Monica Farmers Market buying crates of passionfruit for a CBD collaboration with chef Dominique Crenn, I was intrigued. The company collaborates with chefs and farmers to create CBD and low-THC Turkish delights with unique flavor combinations such as the recent sold-out run of Mutsu apple, vanilla and fig leaf dreamed up by local pastry chef Nicole Rucker. The newest edition is the vision of Peruvian chef Virgilio Martinez, and showcases the rare Shinano Smile grape from Magical Grapes, a family-run vineyard in Ventura County. The op art packaging is almost worth the price tag alone. At least you'll save some money on gift wrapping. -G.F.
Bottoms up! Photo credit: Via Tito's Vodka
$22 - $50
I'm probably gonna put this on the gift guide every year. This is my mother-in-law's tipple of choice, served promptly at 5 p.m. with lots of ice. She's 81, plays 18 holes of golf three times a week, and has more of a social life than many people half her age. I figure she must be doing something right. If, unlike me, you have a #justnoMIL or you're stuck dealing with exhausting, dramatic family members who you can't cut off, Tito's Vodka helps smooth over those "must swallow my contempt and plaster a smile on my face" moments. Cheers! -E.S.
More: 91(!) vegetarian and vegan Thanksgiving recipes
THINGS TO READ
"Mai and the Missing Melon" is a beautiful children's book. Photo credit: Bala Kids
$19
Years ago, local cookbook author and teacher Sonoko Sakai told me a story about being a young girl in Japan and forgetting a melon on the train while en route to visit her grandmother in Kamakura. Now, her childhood memory is the basis of a beautifully illustrated kid's book called Mai and the Missing Melon. The story celebrates family bonds while introducing the reader to Japanese food and folktales. My 5 year old, who was delighted by the textured netting of the melon on the book's cover, has asked to read it several times and even noted the message of kindness embedded in the story. The parents of the 3 to 7 year olds in your life will appreciate this gift as much as their kids. -G.F.
"Meliz's Kitchen" explores Turkish-Cypriot cuisine. Photo credit: Interlink Books
I have to start off with a cookbook. Each year we get a ton of them. Going by weight, it's probably more. All of the cookbooks we cover on the show are impressive or we wouldn't highlight them. But every once in a while, a book comes along that I end up cooking out of a lot. This year, it's Meliz's Kitchen by Meliz Berg. Meliz has a huge following, which isn't surprising given the rustic nature of her dishes. She combines the comforting flavors and techniques of the Mediterranean with a focus on her Turkish-Cypriot upbringing. I like how she nudges me out of my cooking rut yet still allows me to make food that feels like a hug. -E.K.
"Polish'd" by Michal Korkosz is a nice addition to any vegetarian's library. Photo credit: The Experiment
Polish'd: Modern Vegetarian Cooking from Global Poland by Michal Korkosz
$32
I may lean into the Mexican side of my heritage and gravitate toward tacos, but my love of sour cream is rooted in the Polish side of the family. Snacking on salted pretzels and sour cream while laying on my tummy on shag carpeting and watching Elvira's Movie Macabre with my grandparents, Leonard and Irene Markowski, is a core comfort memory for me. While pretzels and sour cream are certainly not the national dish of Poland, I was excited to receive a copy of Polish'd by Michal Korkosz. With recipes ranging from Autumn Sauerkraut Bigos with Butternut Squash, Porcini, and Grapes to Crispy Smoked Tofu with Black Polish Sauce, I am making a New Year's Resolution for you to bear witness and hold me to. I will explore the maternal side of my heritage, eat more vegetables, retreat from meat, and do so using this book — a nice addition to any vegetarian's library. -L.G.
From established religions to fringe cults, "Holy Food" explores how they influence what we eat today. Photo credit: Feral House
Holy Food: How Cults, Communes, and Religious Movements Influenced What We Eat — An American History
$28
Did you know that Seventh Day Adventists created Little Debbie Snack Cakes with carob because they viewed chocolate as a stimulant? Or that Pythagoras told his followers to avoid fava beans not just because they caused gas but because he believed they contained the souls of dead people? Or that there's a strong link between utopian communities and the spread of vegetarianism in the United Stats? Or that religious cults (also known as "high control groups") often use food restriction as a way to recruit, indoctrinate, and retain members? These are just a few of the topics that Christina Ward covers in her fascinating new book, Holy Food. From established religions to fringe cults, she explores their approaches to food and how they still influence what we eat today. It's a thoroughly researched book that's also thoroughly readable. This isn't some wonky academic snoozefest. This book is a page-turner. -E.S.
THINGS TO COOK WITH
This comal isn't just a cooking tool, it's a piece of art. Photo credit: La Chamba
When a cooking tool is also a piece of art you can hang on the wall, that's a win. La Chamba is the famed Colombian cookware company making beautiful and useful objects from local black clay. I use their comal to heat my tortillas and roast ingredients for salsa. And also an occasional quesadilla or grilled cheese. During tortilla contest season it gets a workout. I cherish its beauty and utility. Buy it from Alta Baja Market in Santa Ana and you'll also be supporting a local woman-owned business. -E.K.
Pie queen Evan Kleiman declares, "It's a great pie pan." What more do you want? Photo credit: Via Milk Street
This white and blue pie pan is made in Turkey of high quality enameled steel. You'd think I love this because it's a great pie pan. That's true, it is. But that's just the beginning for me. As a singleton cook, it's the perfect pan for roasting, broiling or heating up just about anything for up to two people. It's become my go-to instead of a sheet pan. And it's a breeze to clean. It's currently my most used pan. Yes, it does make a fantastic pie crust and an awesome Tarte Tatin. I love this pan. -E.K.
THINGS TO DECORATE YOUR LIFE
Designer Bailey Hikawa makes funky, chunky cell phone cases that are impossible not to notice. Photo credit: Via Bailey Hikawa
Bailey Hikawa Phone Cases
$59 - $229
Everytime I travel to Italy, my phone case is more popular than I am. It looks like a flower-studded, yellow, gummy, Japanese geto-style sandal. It was made by self-taught industrial designer Bailey Hikawa. Her pandemic pivot was to start playing with molds and resin, creating weird-to-look-at but oh-so-perfect-to-hold phone cases. It all started when Good Food producer Laryl Garcia pulled hers out during a pandemic gathering. I never clicked faster to purchase an item. This Geta model in Tangerine Dream is similar to mine. I don't care if it doesn't fit in my pocket because it rarely leaves my hand. When I turn it upside down, it works as a kindle holder. When it's right side up, it serves as a tiny table. At every angle, it brings me joy. -E.K.
Be the most stylish person at your picnic with a Trilby Nelson blanket. Photo credit: Via Trilby Nelson
$110 - $185
I met Trilby at the Echo Park Craft Fair a few years ago. The Santa Fe-based artist and designer makes the perfect blanket in my humble opinion. Trilby works closely with US textile mills to produce her designs. With playful shapes, her cozy knits are the ideal weight for snuggling up on the sofa to rewatch Season 2 of The Bear or spreading out for a picnic at the beach. I have gifted many patterns to some of my favorite people. -L.G.
This candle shaped like a fruit tart is just one of the many food candles Cereria Introna makes. Photo credit: Via Cereria Introna
$20 - $88
I've read that it takes four to five employees, each with a different specialty, to make one Cereria Introna candle. The family-run business, based in Puglia, is now helmed by the 6th generation. Once you see their whimsical wax creations, you'll know why so many hands are involved. Whether it's a slender baguette, a ripe persimmon, or a perky panettone, the playful candles are the perfect hostess gift or stocking stuffer. Personally, I can't wait to see my daughter's face when she unwraps this pistachio and strawberry ice cream cone. You can check out their full inventory online, and in the US you can buy them from Gohar World and John Derrian. -G.F.
Follow Ginny Sims on social and set a calendar reminder if you want to get one of their coveted ceramic pieces. Photo credit: Via Ginny Sims Ceramics
$90 - $145
After bright copper kettles and warm woolen mittens, add Ginny Sims Ceramics to the list. Ginny's cups are a few of my favorite things but they can be hard to come by. If you love the thrill of refreshing your browser minutes before concert tickets go on sale and you have a coffee or a tea lover in your life, Ginny's cups make a special gift. When Ginny announces an online sale via Instagram, I set a calendar appointment. Based in Minneapolis, where her studio is open on Fridays until Christmas, Ginny may be best known for her signature Staffordshire-inspired cups. Otherwise, the difficulty level of snagging a pitcher or a candlestick is on par with nabbing a floor seat to the Eras Tour without the assistance of a third-party seller. Occasionally, Ginny makes a trip to Los Angeles for a pop-up sale, so keep your eyes peeled on her socials. -L.G.
Admit it, you're tempted to eat these food ornaments, aren't you? Photo credit: Via Food 52
Food Ornaments from John Derian and Food52
From $16
"You're gonna need a bigger tree." In my mind, I hear this riff on Roy Scheider's iconic Jaws line, admonishing me for my annual Christmas tree ornament purchases. I opt for tins of caviar or a fried chicken drumstick over candy canes to hang from the boughs. This year, I plan to start giving these food ornaments as gifts instead of buying more of my own. But oh gosh… the corn dog! This might be a "one for you, one for me" situation. -L.G.
Is that a pickle in your pocket or are you just thirsty to see me? Photo credit: Via Mother
$60
Why is Mother, a company best known for its super-soft jeans, selling a flask shaped like a pickle? I have no idea. How much liquid does it hold? Is it easy to fill? How do you wash it? I can't answer any of those questions. Full disclosure: I spotted this on the internet but haven't tried it so I can't vouch for its efficacy. But you know what? I still love it! It's exactly the sort of cool random item that I wouldn't buy for myself but would happily purchase for a friend. -E.S.
THINGS TO WEAR
You don't have to be a chef to look like one thanks to these pants from MEALS Clothing. Photo credit: Via MEALS Clothing
$140
Offering non-gendered clothing inspired by food, MEALS is a fun and comfy clothing line that sources its fabric from India but cuts, sews, finishes, dyes, and ships its products within a 6-mile radius in Los Angeles. Jackets, bottoms, vests, and tops are available in colors such as Grape, Latte, Flour, and Blue Cheese. The Donut Box Pink Chef Pant is a personal favorite. And when a coworker half my age told me my look prompted a few of his friends to make purchases, I was tickled the same color. Does that officially make me the crazy, old lady who attempts to dress like the kids? Don't answer that and have a happy holiday! -L.G.
Time to dress up with a food-themed tee from Lisa Says Gah. Photo credit: Via Lisa Says Gah
Lisa Says Gah - Set The Table Collection
$78 - $188
Lisa Says Gah is known for making fun clothes that the Youth of Today enjoy wearing. I am not a Young Person but I also like these threads, especially the Set The Table Collection. It includes a corset top, a skirt and a midi dress adorned with plates of food, glasses and candles; a green jacquard maxi skirt that plays on the same thing; and, my favorite, long sleeved tees celebrating everything from clams and martinis to cherries and shrimp cocktails. -E. S.
THINGS TO CLEAN UP YOUR LIFE
This dish drying mat will help keep your kitchen tidy. Photo credit: Via Sonoma Wool Company
$25 - $40
A dish drying mat might seem like a niche gift for the #cleantok folks, but I think you'll be surprised by how much this highly absorbent square of wool can improve your quality of life. I have three, and splurged on the linen sleeve for each one. If you have a friend or family member who loves a tidy kitchen, pair this mat with Peter Miller's How to Wash the Dishes, and you've got one chic gift. -G.F.
Subscription service Ridwell collects hard-to-recycle waste from your doorstep and takes it to vetted partners who can transform it into useful things. Photo credit: Via Ridwell
$14 - $24/month
I never thought I'd be recommending dish drying mats and recycling subscriptions, but I'm at the point in my life where I don't want more stuff. I have two kids, and the mountain of Crap with a capital C that flows into my house has me more attuned to the amount of trash that goes out. Plastic shipping bags. Seaweed Snack wrappers. Empty bags that once housed Bob's Red Mill Rolled Oats. I could probably stuff an entire couch with the amount of used saran wrap I discarded this year, and as someone who dutifully composts and takes my own bags to the farmers market, I have become increasingly horrified by this unending stream of waste. So I was excited to learn about Ridwell, a subscription service that collects hard-to-recycle waste from your doorstep and takes it to vetted partners who can transform things like plastic film into decking material. They also pick up items like used batteries and light bulbs, and offer seasonal pickups for items like unopened Halloween candy. (Parents rejoice!) At this time, Ridwell is only available in Santa Monica, but they are awaiting approval from the city of Los Angeles to service all of LA. They also serve Seattle, Portland, Minneapolis-St. Paul, Austin, Atlanta, the San Francisco Bay Area and Denver. -G.F.