Christmas Gifts for Food Lovers

If you’re still trying to work out what to buy this Christmas, here are a few of my favourite food books from this year, as well as the things I have loved eating and using in my kitchen over the past twelve months. I’d be over the moon with any of these and what I really love about these presents is that they can all be eaten or have a real use day to day.

1. APRON – from the wonderful Enrich + Endure. Made of 100% Irish linen. I cook in mine time and time again and it only looks lovelier with wear.

2. SOURDOUGH + SEA SALT CHOCOLATE – from Pump St Bakery. Sourdough crumbs add pops of texture to this stand-out delicious chocolate, with an added crunch from sea salt crystals.

3. MODERN STEAMER – from Quitokeeto. An investment piece that is as beautiful as it is useful.

4. EAST LONDON JAM – from London Borough of Jam. Lillie does so many of all my time favourite combinations, including Blackberry + Bay, Rhubarb + Cardamom and Plum + Fennel Pollen.

5. VEGETARIAN CHEESEBOARD – good vegetarian friendly cheese can be hard to find, this is the best I have come across from the wonderful people at Farmdrop.

6. THE VIOLET BAKERY COOKBOOK – failsafe baking from the brilliant Claire Ptak.

7. AT THE TABLE – an amazing yearly magazine, design-led, I know this will sit on my bookshelf for years to come.

8. STIRRING SLOWLY – Georgie’s book is filled with things I want to eat, cooking from the heart. It was one of my standout books of the last few years and is as beautiful as it is delicious.

6. EARL GREY TEA – from The Rare Tea Company. My dessert-island tea choice would have to be this exquisite tin. It tastes bright and uplifting, like Earl Grey should.

7. CHUTNEYS – the lovely Kylee’s kitchen is not far from my house and I can vouch for these chutneys, the smell of them cooking always draws me in for a chat.  Lots of lovely choices to have with Boxing Day leftovers.

8. A HAMPER FULL OF CAKE – from Violet Bakery. Violet hampers have everything your sweet tooth could desire – from the best Ginger Molasses Cake imaginable, to a classic Christmas pud.

9. KITCHEN KNIFE – from Quitokeeto.  Classic and timeless. In fact, I’d like everything from Heidi’s site for Christmas please.

10. CHRISTMAS TREE SEA SALT – from Halen Môn the makers of my favourite ever salt from the crystal clear water of Isle of Anglesey. The sea salt makers have subtly captured Christmas in a salt it by smoking it over spruce, I have been adding it to roasted roots all December.

11. EVERYTHING I WANT TO EAT – Squrl in LA has to be my favourite brunch spot in the world, and the long-awaited book doesn’t disappoint.

12. THE NEW VEGETARIAN – generous and beautiful offerings from friend and brilliant cook Alice Hart.

13. NEAR AND FAR – one of my all time favourites, Heidi’s gentle photographs are food for the soul and her food is stellar.