The best holiday gifts for foodies
Including a mini jamón carving kit, a drop-dead gorgeous French cake and exquisite conservas
All products featured on this page were selected by Toronto Life’s editors. However, when you purchase an item through our retail links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
See our full holiday gift guide.
A mini jamón from Carnivore Club
Toronto’s online mecca for cured meat is the go-to for avowed carnivores. The site’s selection includes salami bouquets (way better than flowers), charcuterie boards and our favourite: this condo-kitchen-table-sized jamón carving kit, which comes with a one-kilogram hunk of cured Spanish ham on its own adorable stand. $90
Ginger-scallion seasoning from Hong Shing
Move over, flavourless mid-week stir-fry. With this magic seasoning on hand, anyone can breathe life into even the most mundane meals. The Cantonese-inspired combination of finely blended dehydrated ginger, green scallions, yuzu, chicken fat and parsley can zhuzh up just about anything—from leftovers to popcorn. $12 Shop Now
Chai concentrate from Spice Girl Eats
For those keen to skip the café queue, this just-add-milk chai concentrate is a cut above the standard steamed stuff. Based on a handwritten recipe from Spice Girl Eats owner Becca Pereira’s great-great-grandmother, it’s brimming with warmth from cardamom, ginger, peppercorn, cinnamon and clove. It’s sure to be a balm, even on the most blustery of winter days. $18 for 500 mL, $28 for one L Shop Now
Cubic croissants from Little Pebbles
Circular croissants may be the pastry du jour, but a couple of these cubic versions make for an impressive and surprising host gift. What looks like a loaf of golden-brown milk bread is actually layer upon layer upon layer of crisp, buttery laminated dough. When sliced open, the sweet stacks reveal either an almond-chocolate, chai latte or rasperry-matcha-white-chocolate filling—the latter of which has a seasonally appropriate red-and-green palette. $9 to $12 each Shop Now
Whoa peanut sauce
Sunta Sem always thought the best part of eating fresh spring rolls was the dipping sauce. Hers, perfected over 10 years, layers multiple umami bombs with punchy aromatics like slow-cooked garlic and crushed red Chinese chilies. The extra-spicy recipe— savoury and lightly sweet with some heat—is perfect for dipping or spreading and, with a few easy add-ins, can be turned into a banger salad dressing. $14 Shop Now
A swirly festive cake from Pretty Little Layers
Don’t try this at home: entremet—the finicky French cake that’s drop-dead gorgeous and nearly impossible to execute flawlessly—is a job best left to the pros. Rochelle DeSouza’s would make Great Canadian Baking Show judge Bruno Feldeisen blush. We particularly love this mirror-glazed five-layer one featuring strata of pistachio-almond financier, white chocolate feuilletine, pistachio Bavarian cream, raspberry gelée and vanilla panna cotta. $65 and up Shop Now
Madeleines from Gateau Ghost
When chef Jayden Park was laid off during the pandemic, he told his friends he felt like “a sad, forgotten madeleine.” Rather than wallow, Park—whose resumé includes Joe Beef and Alo—launched his own business, giving the often-passed-over shell-shaped sponge cake a glow-up. His version is the antithesis of French restraint: the taller-than-typical ultra-moist confections are stuffed with rich fillings like mascarpone ganache and chocolate crémeux and topped with treats. $30 for six Shop Now
Honey from chef Albert Ponzo’s PEC apiary
When he’s not in the kitchen at Picton’s Royal Hotel, Albert Ponzo is buzzing around his 63-acre farm. Harvesting honey is a family affair that happens twice a year and produces approximately 1,000 jars. Goldenrod, aster, lavender and clover give the liquid-gold ambrosia its complex sweetness. $18 a jar at Hooked Shop Now
Holiday pizzas for all
Whether gluten-free, keto, vegan, vegetarian, flexitarian or meatitarian, everyone deserves pizza. This year, enjoy the holidays with Pizza Pizza’s variety of tasty and crowd-pleasing options. Gift a classic pie and new menu items, like poutine, strombolis and stuffed-crust pizza, or let loved ones choose their own flavour with a gift card. From $20 Shop Now
A box of assorted chocolates from Chocolat De Kat
By some Wonka-esque Everlasting Gobstopper magic, Kata Ambrus’s beautiful bonbons taste just as advertised—the Birthday Cake tastes like the best boxed confetti cake, and the Turtle tastes like an elevated take on the chocolate-caramel-pecan confection. Seasonal flavours include Rum Nog, Plum Pudding, Gingerbread Mans (that “s” is intentional) and the super-limited—wait for it—Mariah Cherry. $27 for a box of nine Shop Now
A whole wheel of cheese from Cheese Boutique
Both Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Ben Affleck have wheels aging in Afrim Pristine’s cheese cave. (Hers is a big Beemster; his is a 750-pound provolone.) You too can give your special cheesehead a bonkers amount of funk. But not many folks have room in their fridge for that much vac-packed fromage, so there are petite options too, like a four-pound Mimolette. Prices vary Shop Now
A slab of halva from Parallel
Not all halva is created equal. It takes a culinary magician who moonlights as a chemist to nail it. And the chefs at Parallel don’t just get it right: they create something truly special. Their delightfully delicate halva melts like cotton candy as soon as it hits the tongue. And their flavour options— orange, cinnamon, coffee and cardamom—complement the freshly milled sesame’s innate nuttiness. $3.60 per 100 g Shop Now
Anna Olson–worthy cheesecakes
Turn your dessert table into a star-studded affair with holiday cheesecakes on Anna Olson’s A-List. Canada’s baking sweetheart judged the Tre Stelle Cheesecake Showdown, featuring their all-natural cream cheese made with just four simple ingredients. The winner was the Triple Gingerbread Cheesecake by former lawyer-turned-baker Maggie Firth. For the full recipe and Anna’s three runner-up cheesecakes, visit @trestellecheese or download BitesbyTreStelle, and taste the difference Canada’s all-natural cream cheese makes in your holiday desserts. For baking classes from Maggie herself, click Shop Now. For Tre Stelle cream cheese products, visit any major grocery store. $3.99-$4.99
Slice-and-bake cookie rolls from Smiley Drop
After New Year’s wraps and the holiday decorations come down, there’s not much left to look forward to but slushy weather. These small-batch slice-and-bake cookies will bring a boost of sunshine to the greyest of days. Coloured emoji-yellow with turmeric and bearing cute cocoa-based smiles, the butter-rich baked goods make the Pillsbury Doughboy’s discs seem bleak by comparison. $25 for a roll Shop Now
Lao Jeow hot sauce from Lao Supper Club
“It smacks you in the face,” says Daovy Chanthalansy when describing this very traditional Lao condiment (the red one pictured above) made from bird’s eye chili, garlic, cane sugar, fresh-pressed lime juice and fish sauce. To keep the tang intact, Chanthalansy makes only a few dozen bottles of the stuff each week, so it’s always fresh. $18 for a 10-oz bottle Shop Now
Some sip and sparkle
Are you ready to kick off the holidays with one of the most iconic flavours of the season? The most trusted source for cranberries now has a line of sparkling juices that make mouth-watering mocktails and cocktails perfect for holiday get-togethers. Ocean Spray Sparkling is the only sparkling cranberry juice on the market, making it a true one-of-a-kind. Available in four refreshing flavours: Cranberry, Lite Cranberry, Cranberry Mango and Pink Cranberry, Ocean Spray Sparkling is made with real fruit juice and no artificial flavours or sweeteners. For the top five cranberry drink recipes this holiday season, visit @OceanSprayCanada. $6.49 – $7.49 for a case of six cans Shop Now
A box of tropical fruit from Fruter
During winter, the selection of fruit at the average Ontario market is anemic and flavourless because it sits on a ship for nearly a month making its way here. This fancy new fruit service, however, works with farmers in nearly three dozen countries to fly in juicy mangoes, lychees and persimmons alongside harder-to-find produce like Japanese jelly oranges and egg fruit. Fruter’s selection changes weekly but could include Brazilian papayas, durians from Vietnam or Nam Dok Mai mangoes from Thailand. Prices vary Shop Now
A ramen subscription from Crafty Ramen
These heat-and-eat frozen pucks of ramen check all the wholesome boxes: the wheat used to make the noodles is Canadian grown, and the meat is from Ontario Mennonite farms. The owners are a plucky couple who honed their broth-and-noodle skills at Japan’s Yamato School of Ramen. Commitment-averse folks will appreciate the subscription’s hyper-flexibility. $56 and up Shop Now
Edible pearls from the Truffle Kings
Consummate hosts will instantly add these truffle pearls—dyed black with squid ink and bursting with earthy, savoury truffle flavour—to their arsenal of cocktail-hour appetizer accoutrements. Made with ingredients that include black precious truffles, winter truffle juice and winter black truffle, the petite pearls can elevate the simplest canapés, like devilled eggs, giving them luxe appeal with minimal effort. $40 for a 50-g jar Shop Now
Conservas from Tinmonger
This is not the canned tuna of your school-lunch nightmares. Think trout infused with citrus and herbs or hunks of squid stewed in its own ink. Spanish Pig’s online sister shop sells exquisite—pardon the portmanteau—“seacuterie,” ranging from $10 sardines to $44 goose barnacles. For the newly initiated, a 12-pack from Portugal’s José Gourmet (stuffed with a dozen different tins of sardines, calamari, mackerel and cod) is a great place to start. $190 Shop Now
Castello Charcuterie Chalet
Move over gingerbread, there’s a new house in town. Introducing Castello’s Charcuterie Chalet kit, a feast for the eyes and palate made with everyone’s favourite ingredient, cheese. Canadian cheesemaker Afim Pristine recommends five Castello Cheeses held together with all-natural Tre Stelle Cream Cheese for a premium, show-stopping tasting spread that’s ideal for every celebration. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to make your own, visit @castellocheesecanada on Instagram. $5.99-$8.29
Barbecue glazes from Robinson’s Sauces
These fruity, tongue-tingling sauces are ideal for the friend with a grill who never goes into hibernation mode. Guava Lava (which gets its heat from a blend of adobo, scotch bonnet and Carolina Reaper peppers) packs enough Scovilles to keep alfresco cooks warm even during a deep-freeze. Spice averse? Cherry Bourbon has a very mild sizzle and tastes like Stubb’s but a thousand times better. $14 a bottle. Shop Now
Fancy cocktail nuts from Salted
This Toronto-based snack company has elevated the humble cocktail nut mix. Each elegant package even comes with a suggested drink pairing. Best with a G&T? The blend of ultra-buttery Marcona almonds, candied rosemary and green raisins. Serving scotch? That calls for something equally robust, like Valencia almonds and black-skinned Ontario-grown heirloom peanuts tossed in smoked tea mixed with salt. $15 a bag Shop Now
Rugelach from Romi’s
Tomer Markovitz, the chef and owner of Romi’s, is a self-described “fat boy from Tel Aviv” at heart. “That means I love baking with a bit more of everything—butter, chocolate—anything fun, really.” A run-of-the-mill rugelach is nothing but a dry crescent-shaped creation, but Markovitz’s spirals of joy are made from croissant-like dough and an unholy amount of Nutella. $3 each Shop Now
