By Hey friends! It’s been a crazy few months what with flutters hands, gestures to the burning tire fire just outside the window. The point is, December caught us completely unawares this year. We genuinely thought that November was followed by … Smocktober? We apologize for the delay on the gift guide this year, but fear not: we’ve got all sorts of goodies — from mouthwatering treats to accouterments that will make you look as delectable as the dishes you’re serving. We’re also welcomed this year by a new contributor – the amazing Kristy Morrison, who joined our weird little family as Rand’s Chief-of-Staff, and has made all of our lives better for it.
As a reminder, here is your distinguished panel of judges:
Amanda Natividad (yours truly): Le Cordon Bleu graduate, feeder of not-so-picky-anymore children, and has a self-proclaimed palate of the people. I’m snobby enough to invest in a Ratio Eight coffee maker and single origin beans, but I also enjoy a chestnut praline latte from Starbucks (one pump of syrup please, and thank you.)
Rand Fishkin (originator of this gift guide): Once made cacio e pepe at 11pm with his eyes practically closed because he was that tired after I (Amanda) sheepishly mumbled, “I’m hungry and I didn’t have a chance to eat dinner at SparkTogether.” He is also never too tired to pronounce “cacio e pepe” with the correct Italian accent.
Kristy Morrison (Rand’s chief-of-staff): New-ish to the SparkToro team, Kristy is a big reason we decided to follow through with the gift guide this year. She has killer recommendations in this list, all locally sourced and simply beautiful. And fun fact, she went from “couch to 5k” to running literal marathons, and she looks like a superhero.
Geraldine DeRuiter (James Beard-award-winning food writer): Incredible baker who can just make any cake or cookie without breaking a sweat, buyer of all <insert here>-flavored things from Trader Joe’s, and fellow Maxxinista. She is my very dear friend, and there is a rumor she is married to Rand. Buy her best-selling book, “If You Can’t Take the Heat.” (It makes a great gift for yourself, or for anybody who gives a second thought to how food shapes our culture today.)
Scott Heimendinger (food inventor, literally yes, that is what he is): Scott is easily the most brilliant and the kindest, most humble person I’ve ever met. He invented the sous vide cooker for home cooks, and most recently, he shrunk down ultrasonic technology for the consumer — which means that in just a few short months, you can use a regularly-looking chef’s knife to effortlessly cut tomatoes, potatoes, baguettes, ice cubes, anything, precisely and without squishing. (Spoiler: his invention is our first pick.) It may be no surprise to you that he’s quite picky about what he keeps in his kitchen, and what he gifts to friends.
And now, without further ado, let’s get to the best damn food and drink gift guide you’ll see all year.
(By the way, don’t forget to peep the past editions: 2024; 2023; 2022; 2021; and 2020.)
For the foodie you love most:
Seattle Ultrasonics’ Ultrasonic Chef’s Knife
Look, we realize that this is a little self-serving because founder/inventor Scott Heimendinger is a regular contributor to the gift guide, our legit bestie, and probably Rand’s eighth cousin or something. But we swear he’s not just another pretty nepo baby. He spent the last six years making the impossible, possible. You see, for decades, commercial kitchens have used ultrasonic technology to perfectly slice difficult-to-cut foods (think: soft breads, cheesecakes, butter) without damaging or squishing the food itself. But, this technology has been inaccessible to home cooks (wait for it) … until now. Scott has created the first ultrasonic knife available for home use, and in addition to being unbelievably sharp, it also has incredible food release (so those pesky onion slices don’t stick to the side of your knife) and badass edge retention (i.e. the blade doesn’t dull as fast from use).
If you preorder it now, it won’t arrive until after the holidays, but that just means you’ll be a hit well into 2026. It also means that if this ends up being a totally last-minute, pretty much too-late purchase, you won’t look like you simply forgot to buy a gift. You can see it in action on YouTube, where it’s already inspired a half million views:
The section with hot ideas, and even hotter flavors:
Hot Ones hot sauces
Yup, the hot sauces from the show. Buy the season 27 kit (at the time of this writing, on sale for $120!) for friends, loved ones, or even your significant other. My husband and I bought a kit a few seasons back, and we still break ‘em out for date night in! I’ll order unseasoned/unsauced wings, husband prepares the drinks (er, milk), and we both think of 10 questions to ask each other (copying the show’s format, but we’re both insufferably thorough). We also discovered a love for the Los Calientes Barbacoa sauce and we put it on everything — eggs, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast burritos, (regular?) burritos, loaded fries, and any dish that needs a little extra flavor. We’ve already had to replenish the bottle so we recently treated ourselves to the Los Calientes Trio. -Amanda
Flatiron Pepper Co.
Not for the faint of heart, but definitely for anyone who loves pepper flakes or spicy foods. They go beyond your basic pizzeria-style red pepper flakes. Varieties like Dark & Smoky, Calabrian Chile, and Sweet Heat mean there’s a pepper blend for every meal. -Kristy
Blackthorn Natural Sea Salt Crystals from Scotland
I didn’t know I could have a new favorite salt. Created by a process that sounds positively elven, this finishing salt adds flavor, texture, and bright salinity that make my other fancy salts seem… unseasoned. -Scott
Liquid Sunshine Preserved Lemon Crush
When Rand and I were in Japan last month (unhumble brag) we kept ordering tempera that was served with a preserved lemon compote. Rhea Liquid Sunshine isn’t the exact same thing, but it’s close. A sort of jammy preserved Moroccan lemon spread, it’s salty and tart and good on everything from rich stews to fried foods. -Geraldine
Mann Kitchen Pepper Mill
The absolute best pepper mill I’ve ever used. Yes it’s heavy, yes it’s expensive, yes it could easily double as a weapon during a home invasion if needed — but it is an absolute must-have for anyone who loves flavor. -Kristy
Tools for the home cooks who have it all:
Scallop gift boxes
We know, we know. Gift boxes can be so mid. (Please tell us the kids are still saying mid.) But Scallop boxes are a class above — covering everything from fancy snacks to spa essentials to elegant pantry additions — lovingly assembled from local small businesses across the Pacific Northwest, wrapped up in a sophisticated package, and shipped right to a lucky someone’s door. -Geraldine
Joseph Joseph Twist Whisk
Whisks are usually excellent for two things: 1) whisking, and 2) preventing your utensil drawer from opening. BUT NO MORE. With this foldable whisk, you’ll have easy storage and easy whisking. Plus, the metal wires are coated in silicone which means it won’t make a scratchy noise against the mixing bowl or pan, and you’ll probably reduce microplastics in your household or something. This one’s going in the gift box for all my relatives. -Amanda
Search and Rescue Denim Co aprons
Handmade aprons from Granville Island, BC. They’re endlessly customizable and crafted to last. -Scott
Scoups Spoon
Incredible little ladle. Sounds weird, but for anyone who makes lots of soups, sauces, and whatnot, this thing solves a huge kitchen irritation – the different colored lip of the scoop is flexible allowing you to get in all of the nooks and crannies of any pot you’re using. Plus, it comes in cute colors and would look adorable peeking out of a stocking or gift basket. -Kristy
108 Asian Cookies by Kat Lieu
Geraldine gifted me this cookbook (I think after she saw me staring at on her kitchen counter), and I squealed with delight as I flipped through the pages of beautiful photos. I couldn’t remember the last time I even bought a cookbook. It’s become a page-turner for me as I plan to gift cookie boxes to my kids’ teachers and our neighbors. What could look more festive than a box of chocolate chip cookies, red and green Funfetti cookies (er, that’s an Amanda recipe… which is just the Funfetti cake mix with a scant 1/2 cup oil, 1 egg, and 1 egg yolk), purple ube crinkle cookies, and green buko pandan cookies (think: green cookies with a snow of dried coconut flakes)? -Amanda
New pantry essentials for gourmands:
Rancho Gordo beans
Amanda: “What kind of gift?”
Kristy: “Beans!”
Amanda: “BEES?”
Kristy: “BeaNs.”
Amanda: “BEANS?!”*
Yes, beans. These aren’t just any beans, though. Rancho Gordo’s bean club has a multi-year-long wait — they’re that good. This holiday gift box would make a fantastic starter for someone who knows that fiber is just as important as protein, and what’s even more important than that is supporting sustainable agriculture and eating tasty foods. -Kristy
(*The deep cut reference to Arrested Development is here. -Amanda)
Girl Meets Dirt jams, shrubs, and more
Handmade on Orcas Island in the San Juans of Washington State, this small local business is churning out delicious treats. The jam club would make an excellent gift (maybe just me?) as would any assortment of her jams, cutting preserves, shrubs, or boxed gift sets. The most fun is venturing out to the island directly to explore the gorgeous area, buy more pottery than you can carry, and handpick your jars. If you can’t make the ferry trip work, they’re also available online. -Kristy
Pommery Moutarde Royale (Cognac Mustard)
This delightful pot of grainy, tangy cognac mustard comes in its own little crockery (with a cork stopper and a wax seal). In short, it’s so fancy it makes Grey Poupon look like French’s (YEAH, I SAID IT). But it goes equally well when you’re making a rich sauce for a bavette steak or just slathered on a toasted hotdog bun. Bonus: because it’s in a beautiful, black ceramic jar with a flawless cork plug, you won’t ever deal with that unpleasant mustard water that drips out before the actual mustard (shudders). -Rand
KIT KAT Mini Otona no Amasa Sweetness (Japanese KIT KAT bars!)
Look, does this product have a name that makes us giggle when translated into English? Yes. Do we love offering our friends a “Soft adult flavor KitKat” when they come over? Also yes. Are we immature children? Probably. You should still check these out. The flavor is shockingly subtle and not-too-sweet – a delightfully grown up flavor that… actually really lives up to its name? Huh. -Rand & Geraldine
Chartreuse
Chartreuse is increasingly hard to come by these days, because it’s made by only a few monks who have decided that they need to spend more time on their ecclesiastical duties than getting a bunch of strangers sauced. (Cue sad trombone.) Last time we purchased this, we had to go to Paris (“Life is pain,” she whispers into her champagne flute) but you can now get this vibrantly verdant elixir online. The packaging alone makes it a great gift, but it’s also amazing for mixologists and cocktail enthusiasts. -Rand & Geraldine
“Wait, this is true?! Whoa.” -Amanda
Lurisia Chinotto
Think non-alcoholic sparkling amaro, or the foreign exchange root beer -Scott
Miscellaneous gifts for the host, or for someone you… hate?!
Malort (yuck)
Somehow, we’re new to the Malort pain train. Midwest masochists know this brand well (past taglines include “Malort: when you need to unfriend someone in person,” “Malort: these pants aren’t going to $#@% themselves,” and “Malort: what soap washes its mouth out with”), but it’s a bit of a novelty to those of us out here in the Upper Left. The Chicago-born digestif makes Jagermeister taste like 2% milk. Send it to someone you hate. -Geraldine?
Oh, this stuff is bad. In fact, I think I’m going to buy some for the Christmas party I’m hosting. Loser has to take a shot. -Amanda
Beautiful bar soaps by Ume.
These soaps literally look like a piece of art for your sink. The kind of gift no one would likely buy for themselves, and they’d think about you every time they washed their nasty hands 😉 -Kristy
Wildwood Chocolate bars
Real talk: Wildwood Chocolate makes the most expensive chocolate bar I’ve ever had in my life. I gifted one to a friend and I almost wrote in her birthday card: “THIS CHOCOLATE BAR WAS ALMOST TWENTY F$#KING DOLLARS” but I did not. (I am a lady.) And while the bars are pricey, they are absolute showstoppers. Molded with flower designs, studded with dried fruits and chocolates, filled with caramel, toffee, and nuts, these are an elegant gift for anyone with a discerning sweet tooth. -Geraldine
Popcorn from Bessou
No holiday is complete without a giant tin of popcorn, and Bessou does a beautiful spin on it with their miso caramel, nori crunch, and soy butter trio of flavors. You can also check out their shiso sour cream flavor. Personally? I’m just in it for the caramel, which is rich, slightly savory, and studded with pumpkin seeds. -Geraldine
Schmackary’s Cookies
Schmackary’s has been on the list before, but because several of our judges requested them again, and look: our judges are terrifying when it comes to their passion for baked goods. Schmackary’s has been NYC’s worst-kept-secret for years (they even had a significant cameo in season 3 of Only Murders in the Building) and they’re a must-stop destination for me and Rand every time we’re in the city. They ship nationwide. Plus, with flavors like Santa’s Slay, The Hangover, and Dirty Peppermint, you can’t really go wrong. -Geraldine
I buy them every Christmastime for my relatives all over the US… and then I get a box for myself just to make sure I’m gifting quality cookies. Yes, I bulled my colleagues into including this on the list again even though we’ve said, “No repeats!” Also, by the way, eagle-eyed readers will notice the Liquid Sunshine Preserved Lemon was on a past gift guide too (recommended by our dear friend Andrew Bohrer) but this post is taking me way too long to produce, and we are going to let that slide too. -Amanda
And there you have it…
Beautiful gifts, delicious treats, something for everybody, even the person you hate. Happy holidays, friends! Don’t malort and drive.
-Your friends at SparkToro, and your friends of SparkToro friends