Here’s What SAVEUR Editors Are Giving This Year
These are the gifts that caught our attention, from cookware to appliances and beyond.
Choosing the perfect gift can be a challenge, particularly when it comes to the food-obsessed. Odds are that your loved one who cherishes eating above all else has already come across many of the latest and greatest tools, ingredients, and objects. But SAVEUR editors have them beat since it’s our job to cast a keen eye for the very best things out there. We’re constantly cool-hunting for sneaky snacks, appealing appliances, and crave-worthy cookware, which is why we’ve compiled a list of the things we’d like to give—and receive—in 2023. From petite citrus trees sent through the mail to canned cocktails and yuzu vinegar, there’s bound to be something for the food-lover in your life.
If you’ll indulge a humblebrag (and a bit of light nepotism), my brother, Alex, sells some of the best Thai curry pastes in the country. The pastes—panang, karee (yellow), Southern Thai, massaman, and green—are fresh and sold from the fridge, which gets you astonishingly close to the hand-pounded stuff found in the home kitchens of Thailand. And unlike other retailers that outsource production, Alex, Katrina (his partner), and Eli (his childhood friend) hand-pack every single order in their Easthampton, Massachusetts, kitchen. They’ve done most of the work already: Simply simmer the paste with coconut milk, fish sauce, and the protein(s) and veg of your choice per the package instructions, and you’ll have a respectable Thai curry on the table faster than you can order takeout. —Benjamin Kemper, Senior Editor, Travel
You don’t need to be a pro tortillera to love this blue carbon steel comal from masa disruptor Masienda and cool kid DTC cookware brand Made In—but if you bundle it with a copy of Masienda founder Jorge Gaviria’s cookbook, a sack of heirloom corn masa harina, and a Doña Rosa tortilla press, you’ll be well on your way! Bonus: The streamlined comal is also a fine cooking surface for a whole wide world of stovetop and oven-baked flatbreads, and it works nicely as a griddle for bacon, grilled cheese, and just about anything else your inner fry cook can dream up. —Kat Craddock, Editor-in-Chief/CEO
I can’t resist cooking with metal spoons and spatulas, so I pretty much gave up on classic “nonstick” skillets years ago. Instead, I take quiet pleasure in cultivating a layer of naturally stick-resistant seasoning over the surfaces of my cast iron and carbon steel cookware. This 10-inch frying pan from SAVEUR’s house line is my weeknight go-to for everything from omelettes to pan-seared steaks and chops. High sides protect my stovetop from shallow-frying splatters while a riveted stainless steel handle means this workhorse is also totally oven-safe. Carbon steel is much lighter in weight and more nimble than cast iron, so this skillet is ideal for stir frying and sauteéeing, too. This year, I’ll be gifting one of these to my dad, who is keen to cut Teflon out of his kitchen. —Kat Craddock, Editor-in-Chief/CEO
Movie night in our house requires popcorn, and lots of it. It also means that children are present, and those children MUST make the popcorn. We're also fans of stovetop popping that allows us to add our own flavors and choose the best popping corn we can find. The adorable Popsmith popper is a delight for the younger and older set alike, with a crank that constantly moves the popcorn and oil or butter to ensure no kernels burn, and all kernels pop. —Ellen Fort, Senior Editor, Special Projects
All I want for Christmas is a villa on the Amalfi Coast that features a grove of citrus trees laden with fruit. But since that doesn’t seem likely, an adorable mini citrus tree from Via Citrus will have to do. Choose from varieties including Meyer lemon, yuzu, Ponderosa lemon, and Key lime; I’m a fan of the tart and sweet Calamondin tree, both because its small orange fruit is pleasing to the eye, and the fact that it’s rather difficult to find outside of the Philippines. This is a gift that will live on past the holiday season, and, if well cared for, keep on giving for years to come. —Ellen Fort, Senior Editor, Special Projects
I love a condiment that punches above its weight, and this trio from Japanese brand Cabi does just that. The yuzu vinegar is surprisingly tart and floral and makes a great quick dash atop noodle bowls and in salads, and the dashi soy sauce has become my new go-to for topping a fried egg over rice. The sansho peppercorn miso also makes an effortless glaze for fish or tofu, and is good to go right out of the bottle. I love the playful design too—that smiling yuzu fruit gets me every time. —Alex Testere, Senior Editor, Features
As much as I dream of having a flourishing backyard garden that sprouts fresh fruit and herbs all year, my apartment in the city won’t afford me that possibility anytime soon. But I’ve found the next best thing: this little herb garden kit, which requires just one (!) square foot of space and comes with everything an amateur gardener might need to get started, from a grow bag to plant food. When you gift this garden, your recipient will receive a code to redeem it on the website, which then curates an optimal collection of herbs based on the local climate, weather forecast, and other factors. After setting up the garden, which takes less than 30 minutes, you harvest your first herbs in as little as 10 days. They’re perfect for adding to tea blends or making infusions. Talk about a gift that keeps on giving. —Megan Zhang, Senior Editor, Food & Beverage
I know the holidays are on the way when I switch up my cocktail base, from silvery chilled tequilas and vodkas to warming pours of amber-colored bourbon and scotch. Yet after my trip this past summer to London’s Ginstitute, the educational arm of The Distillery of the Portobello Road marketplace, I’ve made more space for gin in my year-round liquor cabinet. While at the Ginstitute, I got to sample a few sips of their Old Tom gin varietal, their tribute to what gin might have tasted like in the 18th century before more modern distilling methods set in. Pot-distilled, redolent with juniper, licorice root, and coriander, and aged in sherry barrels, it takes on a gorgeous citrine color and an herbaceous, slightly sweet flavor profile. I can't wait to try it in my favorite winter gin cocktail, the Greyhound. —Jessica Carbone, Contributing Editor, Books
Our kitchen range rests against an interior block wall, which means we don't have the ability to upgrade to a functional range hood. And let's be real: The only thing our microwave vent fan accomplishes is drowning out thoughts and moving moisture and grease up to gather on the ceiling. So instead of feverishly running around the house and opening windows when the Vietnamese crispy fried butter quail is sizzling in the skillet, this holiday season I'm giving our galley kitchen the technology it deserves. The super cute and wirelessly portable AirHood ventilation system pulls in grease, smoke, and food smells through an activated charcoal filter and oil filter to keep air pollutants from collecting on kitchen surfaces and aggravating allergies. This trio set includes a lift to boost the gadget higher into the air, an extra dishwasher-safe oil filter, and extra activated charcoal filters for when we've surpassed 100 hours of cooking. My New Year's resolution? Starting a Fry-day Night tradition. —Stephanie Pancratz, Managing Director, Editorial Operations
Unsurprisingly, I possess many, many pots and pans from years of cooking, collecting, and simply working in the food industry. I recently acquired this beautiful piece of cookware from SAVEUR’s line, SAVEUR Selects, and all bias aside, I love this braiser. It’s incredibly sturdy and versatile — I’ve cooked everything in it from a whole chicken to chili to short ribs, seamlessly moving from stovetop searing to the oven (up to 500 degrees!). I'm also a fan of the stainless steel lid that is hefty enough to create a tight seal, and doesn't allow condensation to drip onto the stove from the rim. —Ellen Fort, Senior Editor, Special Projects
I was recently lucky enough to meet the founders of Frey Ranch at an event. Immediately I was drawn to their story of having farmed their own land for generations, as well as the fact that every part of the whiskey-making process, from growing the grains, the distilling, the aging, and even the bottling the booze are done on-site at their compound in northern Nevada. This pack lets you experience two iterations of their wonderful bourbon. The Signature blend is great for sipping alone (and for mixing in cocktails), and the Farm Strength Uncut is a high-test offering that, until a short time ago, was only enjoyed by the staff at the ranch before it was proofed down for consumption by the masses. —Ryan McCarthy, Editorial Assistant
Every year I have the grandest plans to make the most elaborate Christmas cookie boxes showcasing my favorite recipes, and every year, that turns out to be…wildly optimistic. While I usually get it together enough to bake a batch or two, I also make sure to stock up on Té Company’s signature pineapple linzer cookies and buttery shortbread. Not only are the beautifully packaged treats perfect for gifting, but they’re also great to have on hand to serve with tea or coffee should any impromptu guests drop by. —Frances Kim, Digital Director
Made using an 18-hour air-drying technique, A-Sha's Taiwanese noodles are just as convenient as instant ramen but better for you since they’re not deep-fried. I love them on their own or dressed up with a fried egg and whatever greens I have in the fridge. This festive variety pack with three different sauces (original soy, onion, and spicy soy) is the perfect starter kit for anyone on your list. —Jessie YuChen, Senior Culinary Producer
There’s no better way to celebrate the holiday season and toast the end of the year than with sparkling wine. I’m lucky enough to get my supply straight from the source: my very own sister Kate Payne-Brown and my brother-in-law Griffin Brown, who are both winemakers in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Their private label Dolores is named after our late mother, who always loved entertaining this time of year, and includes this spectacular sparkling pinot gouge blanc that tends toward creamy and buttery, with toasty brioche notes. —Thom Payne, Photo Director
I received an apron for Christmas a few years back, and every time I put it on to cook, I think of the person who gave it to me. This holiday season I'll be returning the favor with this stylish, pocket-heavy Carhartt apron made of sturdy cotton duck. It’s got that workwear vibe I love, and it’s versatile, too—equally suitable for cooking in the kitchen or fixing that motorcycle in the garage. —Thom Payne, Photo Director
Not long ago, I fell in love with Tip Top’s adorable canned espresso martinis at 30,000 feet. Delta offered the brand’s premixed craft cocktails in all cabins last year and those diminutive-yet-potent pours took the edge off more than a few of my 2023 red-eyes. Since then, I’ve also started tucking Tip Top margaritas and old fashioneds in my bag ahead of beach trips and picnics. This season, the brand dropped a new boulevardier flavor which I’ll be adding to all the 21+ Christmas stockings in my house. —Kat Craddock, Editor-in-Chief/CEO
The closest I will ever come to dining with royalty is a recent night in the company of celebrated cookbook author Diana Henry, sipping fizz as autumn drizzle streaked the windows of a wood-paneled café on London’s swank Marylebone High Street. Henry does not mind "hail that can shatter glass or biting wind that stings her cheeks," as she admits in a new foreword to her updated classic Roast Figs, Sugar Snow: Food to Warm the Soul. My own winter stretches almost five months, so I’ll be planning dinners with her recipes for pumpkin tarts, venison with chestnuts and wild mushrooms, stuffed quail with marmalade and whisky, and a singularly poetic Scandinavian apple dessert called “peasant girls in a mist.” It’s food fit for snow queens, and a gift to warm the heart. —Shane Mitchell, Editor-at-Large
Seeds are my favorite stocking stuffer. Hope and promise in a little paper envelope. Either to grow or to sow wild. (I'm a guerilla seed sower. It's an environmental action thing.) When the weather outside is frightful, I delight in scrolling through catalogs for heirlooms that might thrive in my northern New York climate, once the sun returns and the snow melt floods our creek. But I also give packets to my extended family in the Carolinas and California, some gathered from my own fields, others through seed-saving alliances. Southern Exposure Seed Exchange sells fruit, vegetable, and flower seeds from a network of small farmers who continue to steward varieties that our collective grandparents once planted—Arkansas Traveler tomatoes, Aunt Bea’s pole snap beans, Iron and Clay Southern peas—all with history worth preserving. —Shane Mitchell, Editor-at-Large
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