National Post (National Edition)
GIFT IDEAS FOR FOOD LOVERS THAT YOU MAY WANT YOURSELF.
GIFT IDEAS FOR FOOD LOVERS THAT YOU MAY JUST WANT TO KEEP FOR YOURSELF
From a stylish non-alcoholic spirit to culinary travel inspiration, here’s what to buy for the food lovers in your life this holiday season. STYLISH SIPPER
Garden 108 and Spice 94, Seedlip ($45 each; jacobsons.ca); Shu Fa Collins Glasses, Nachtmann ($65; cocktailemporium.ca); and Cocktail Spoon, MLKANHNY ($45; mlkanhny.com)
It’s high time for a stylish virgin cocktail option, and Seedlip delivers. “The world’s first distilled non-alcoholic spirit” is now available in Canada, just in time for the holidays. Seedlip is free from sugar, sweeteners and artificial flavours, and has zero calories. But the most compelling reason to give this special product is its flavour.
The London-based brand comes in two variations: the herbal Garden 108, scented with spearmint, rosemary and thyme, and peas and hay picked from founder Ben Branson’s farm; and the aromatic Spice 94, infused with allspice, cardamom, oak, lemon and grapefruit.
Launched in 2015, Seedlip is served in 80 Michelin-starred restaurants and some of the world’s top bars, including The Savoy’s American Bar in London and NYC’s Dead Rabbit. Serve it as you would gin, mixed with tonic and poured over ice, or use it as a base for a custom non-alcoholic cocktail.
Pair a bottle with modern glassware, such as Nachtmann’s Bavarian crystal Shu Fa, or an elegant cocktail spoon hand-forged by Vancouver Island-based designer Madison Etheridge.
CASSEROLE COMFORT
Casserole Pot, Crane Cookware ($269.95; oldfaithfulshop.com)
Winter calls for baking, braising, caramelizing, sautéing, searing and simmering. This beautifully-crafted cast iron casserole is definitely up to the job. Intended for everyday use, Crane Cookware was built for the demands of commercial kitchens. Its range of cast iron pots and pans were designed in Great Britain and cast in France.
They’re oven-safe and suitable for all stovetops, including induction. The matte black enamel finish — inside and out — makes them easy to clean, and was specially formulated to resist scratches and thermal shocks. With use, the company says, the cast iron will “burn in” and develop an earthy patina.
All of Crane’s cast iron products are made with at least 30 per cent recycled scrap metal and are free from cadmium, lead, PFOAs and PTFEs. Practical and slick, the universal lid fits the company’s sauté and frying pans as well. BURGEONING BAKERS Oak Fine Pin and Cloud Cookie Cutter, Herriott Grace ($131.08; herriottgrace.com); Baking Class by Deanna Cook ($28.95; chapters.indigo.ca or wherever books are sold); Embroidered Apron (from $45; BelleEveClothing on Etsy.com)
It just isn’t Christmas without baking, and a custom kit is sure to please either junior or grown-up bakers. Herriott Grace’s tapered French-style rolling pins ($102.81) are hand-turned by Lance Herriott on Vancouver Island. Each piece is one-of-a-kind and crafted from a single piece of oak.
French models like this one are lightweight and easy to manoeuvre, but Herriott Grace also makes beautiful straight pins both with handles ($102.81) and without ($89.96). Pair a pin with a sweet cloud-shaped cookie cutter ($28.27) for the makings of a whimsical baking project.
For kid bakers, add in a copy of Deanna Cook’s Baking Class and a cotton canvas embroidered apron from Vancouver-based Belle Eve.
FARAWAY FLAVOURS
Fare Magazine subscription (£20/$34; faremag.com)
Fare is the ultimate in travel inspiration. In its nearly 200-page launch issue, the Glasgow-based magazine shone the spotlight solely on Istanbul through a collection of stories, stunning photography and vignettes.
A one-year subscription includes the Istanbul issue as well as Issue 2 (location TBA), which will be released in April 2018. Exploring cities through the eyes of locals — including neighbourhood haunts and local histories — should tide over your recipient until their next food-focused jaunt.
Editor Ben Mervis’s resume includes Netflix documentary series Chef’s Table and chef René Redzepi’s world-renowned Copenhagen restaurant Noma. Fare’s deep-dive into community, cuisine and culture sets it apart in the realm of food and travel magazines. Get ready to be transported.
CRAFT COOKWARE
Copper or carbon steel sauté pan, Blanc Creatives (from US$210; blanccreatives.com)
Not only is copper cookware striking, but the metal offers excellent temperature control and exceptional heat conductivity. This French-style beauty — made by Charlottesville, Va.-based Blanc Creatives — is hand-forged to order using 14-gauge copper with a tin lining and bronze handle (from US$625). Whether braising, sauce-making or sautéing, this copper pan is perfectly suited to cooking at gentle temperatures.
For higher-temperature cooking — browning and searing — Blanc Creatives offers a range of carbon-steel cookware, including a versatile, all-steel sauté (from US$210) and a grill-friendly roaster (from US$230). Founder Corry Blanc’s team of blacksmiths has received national attention in the U.S. and was named Overall Winner of Garden & Gun magazine’s prestigious Made in the South Awards in 2015. Care for this craft cookware and it will be enjoyed for generations.
ROYAL RED
Steak Knife Set, Roland Lannier (US$400; eatingtools.com)
Roland Lannier makes splendid knives, cutlery and tableware in Thiers (France’s historic knifemaking capital). He has a playful esthetic — “fuelled by punk rock music and comic books” — and uses unexpected materials such as recycled vinyl records and Scottish tartans for the handles of his high-end knives.
This four-piece royal red steak knife set is part of Lannier’s Tableware’s Not Dead series and comes in a sustainable bamboo case. The vibrant handle is made of Corian; an acrylic-stone composite primarily used for countertops that is durable, nonporous and hygienic.
The blade is crafted from Swedish-made Sandvik stainless steel, which “offers excellent stain resistance and long-lasting edge.” Lannier designed it with a reversed tip in order to minimize contact with the plate, helping to hold sharpness and extend the life of the blade.
GOURMET GOODIES
White winter truffle ($287.95; mikuniwildharvest.com)
Now is the time to seek out the “diamond of the kitchen”: the highly-prized white truffle. The fragrant Italian fungus (Tuber magnatum) is available from October through January. This year was a particularly tough one — truffles like plenty of rain and it was a hot, dry summer — so prices are higher than usual. But if you’re looking to splash out over the holidays, this is the way to do it.
“White Alba truffles are a rare gastronomic pleasure, the aroma is intoxicating,” says Tyler Gray, founder of Mikuni Wild Harvest. “November and December are by far the best months to experience them, as their ripeness and aroma are at peak maturity. Be sure to shave paper-thin slices over piping-hot, risotto, pasta, and scrambled eggs.”