Treat your foodie friend or family member to a quirky present that won't break the bank. From cute cheese knives to truffle hot sauce, and luxury licorice to funky graters, we have every option covered.
Fresh Chilled Chocolate from Russell & Atwell
Mix up the choc orange stocking filler this year and try Dragons' Den favourite Russell & Atwell's new, letterbox-friendly trio of fresh chocolates in pouches. They make a great point; now that most households have a fridge, we don't rely on long-life milk and powdered egg - so why are we still eating long-life chocolate? These are absolutely delicious; my favourites are perhaps the limited edition Seville orange version.
RRP: £20.00
Available from: Russell & Atwell
Crosta & Mollica: Panettone
A festive favourite, Crosta & Mollica Panettone and Pandoro are crafted by artisan Italian bakers following time-honoured techniques. The panettone dough starts with a 'lievito madre' (mother yeast), enriched with butter and free-range eggs; each panettone is then slow-proved for forty hours to develop a distinctively rich flavour and light open texture, before being baked in a traditional tunnel oven. These are the perfect size to pop at the top of a stocking or take as a gift when you visit friends and family, as is traditional in Italy; in the unlikely event you have any left over, Nigella has a fabulous panettone bread & butter pudding recipe.
RRP: £9.00
Available from: Ocado
KitchenAid Aluminized Steel Non-Stick Mini Rectangular Cake Pan – 8pcs
The KitchenAid Mini Rectangular Cake Pan is made of high-quality aluminized steel with a dishwasher-safe PFAS-free non-stick coating. The ideal pan for 8 mini individual baked goodies from cakes to quiches, it’s great for all festive or new year party treats but will be a go-to throughout the year for the keen home cook.
RRP: £30
Available from: John Lewis
Lakrids by Bülow: Christmas Butter Cookie Liquorice
This traditional Danish Christmas flavour combines the spicy, warm notes of cinnamon with caramelised white chocolate and crunchy butter caramel, with sweet liquorice at the centre. I'm really not a fan of traditional liquorice but these are genuinely delicious and would make a lovely stocking filler. Still have some left after Christmas? Simply peel back the original label to reveal a 2023 label underneath. Happy New Year anyone?
RRP: £19.00
Available from: Lakrids by Bülow
Kikkerland: Jar & Bottle Opener
A multipurpose kitchen essential, this Jar and Bottle Opener is dishwasher safe and not only great for anyone who generally struggles with stubborn lids but handy to for everyone to have in the kitchen drawer.
RRP: £14.99
Available from: Kikkerland
Tracklements Festive Four
These four little jars of festive flavour are perfect alongside the Christmas Day roast, Boxing Day's cold meats, pies and cheeses and 2023's grazing boards. Great mini additions (90g - 110g) to have tucked in a kitchen cupboard, this would be a welcome foodie gift.
RRP: £14.15
Available from: Tracklements
Firelli's Truffle Hot Sauce
An alternative to the more traditional accompaniments, this new truffle hot sauce from Firelli gives a spicy kick and an unami glow to everything from classic cold turkey and ham to cheese, pasta or chicken wings in those weird post-Christmas/pre-New Year days. Personally, I can't wait to try it on Boxing Day bubble & squeak.
RRP: £5.99 for 148ml
Available from shop-uk.firelli.com
Microplane Zester
We have lots of love for the new funky edition Microplane Premium Classic Zester, which shifts this kitchen essential from a traditional to a cult classic - and a great gift. Now available in a design and colour to suit more modern tastes, the latest limited series of handles are: Safari, Skull, Ombre, Tropical and Black Marble. RRP £24.95 Available from: hartsofstur.com
Tension: Foodies Edition
Can you name 10 types of pasta in 60 seconds? What about 10 items on a full English breakfast? To make things a little more interesting, only answers on the game card count - and they may not all be the most obvious answers! Perfect for that post-dinner games session.
RRP: £7.99
Available from: The Range
Wasabi Starter Kit
You may think you've had wasabi with your sushi but, unless you've been in a restaurant and seen it grated in front of you, chances are it was actually just horseradish and food colouring; this gift lets your favourite foodie try the real thing. The kit contains a 50g fresh wasabi rhizome, a specialist wasabi grater to generate the familiar green paste using circular motions, a bamboo wasabi grater brush (to help you mix the wasabi and gather all the valuable paste from the grater) and a guide on how to prepare and store wasabi.
RRP: £20
Available from: The Wasabi Company
Three Blind Mice Cheese Knives Set
This cute little set of cheese knives adds a whimsical touch to a cheeseboard and is more fun than frumpy. Made from stainless steel and rubber wood.
RRP: £32
Available from: Beaumonde
Davidstow Cheddar Trio
Give a loved one serious head start on their Christmas cheeseboard with this trio of aged, waxed cheddars. It includes a 20-month Crackler, a multi-award winning 40-month Reserve and a 60-month Special Reserve, favourite of London's Michelin-star chefs.
RRP: £20
Available from www.davidstowcheddar.co.uk
Old Fashioned Cocktail Kit
Go classic with this beautiful Johnnie Walker Black Label gift containing everything you need to make the iconic Old Fashioned whisky cocktail. This complete set also includes premium glassware, a jigger for the precise measure, sugar syrup, Angostura bitters and a dried orange garnish to complete the cocktail.
RRP: £40
Available from: Johnnie Walker
M&M Selection Boxes & Santas
It wouldn't be Christmas without a selection box; this year there's a M&M's Santa filled with colourful chocolate mini M&Ms as an extra sweet treat.
RRP: £2.50
Available: UK wide
[Items in this article may have been gifted to Chatting Food. No financial payment has been made to feature in this article, and entries to the feature are made independently by members of the Editorial Team. This page contains affiliate links and we may receive a small commission for purchases]
Chatting Food London: Amanda David
Amanda David is a freelance food writer specialising in London’s restaurants, bars, exhibitions and events. She is the Events Editor for London Cheapo and a regular contributor to Palate Magazine.
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