There is so much goodness here to explore! Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I was inspired by this post to make the effort to bring back two pots of honey from a recent trip to France and the Colmar Christmas market. Such great presents! :-) <3
I love, love, LOVE Drinking French and My ParisKitchen - as for Claire Saffitz, saw her for the first time today doing a YouTube of her updated fruit cake recipe. She commented that the Golden Syrup might be hard to find, but if you live in the South Bay/SF, San Jose and environs, I buy the squeeze bottle and the iconic green can (which I first acquired at Cost Plus near Fisherman's Wharf in SF in the 60's - talk about iconic, the GoldenBrownies are absolutely the very best, the recipe part of the small fold-out pamphlet which used to be glued to the lid. ) I buy it at Lunardi's in San Jose, and have found at the Cost Plus World Markets in this area as well. And may you have the merriest, yummiest Christmases ever!!! LaVonne Bouchez
Those kouign amann are going to be a wonderful way to welcome my mother, who is flying in on Christmas morning. They are her favorite pastry and I was trying to think of a special treat with all the bakeries closed... thank you!
Thank you for the great list! I’ll add myself to the Burlap and Barrel fan group. The Royal Cinnamon is a game changer and I like to mix it with Cinnamon Verum in my baking to add more depth of flavor. I’ll definitely need to order the cardamom now.
I owe you a huge thank you, always for your incredible recipes and witty commentary, and for introducing me to Claire Saffitz. I had recently bought two baking cookbooks only to return them so I was wary of buying another. I made Claire Saffitz's oatmeal and pecan brittle cookies thanks to your blog post. They were so good that I immediately bought Dessert Person. I've made many of the recipes and loved them all. Some, but not all: blueberry/buckwheat/brown butter skillet pancakes, brown butter corn muffins, almond Bundt cake, Marcona almond cookies, kabocha/turmeric cake.
You are a culinary treasure. I so appreciate your blog, your cookbooks and you introducing me to other cookbook writers.
You're a bit of an (inadvertent) tease. I love chocolates so I clicked on the Recchuiti Chocolates sharing box only to find that they are sold out.
David: thanks for these great gift ideas for our US friends/family. However, I live in CA and have family who live in the UK. We are looking for holiday treats that can be shipped from France or elsewhere in Europe to the UK. Can you suggest anything? Cookies, caramels, any delectable sweet treats for the holidays that will deliver. Thanks!
I am immediately descended from Irish, Scots and Newfoundlanders, and every division of that heritage was emphatic that "you never take a point for free." If someone gifted you a blade — knife, scissors, razor, anything that could cut — you HAD to give them a coin in exchange or risk all kids of havoc.
Thanks for the great suggestions. A box of Rancho Gordo beans is on the way to some great friends, and also thanks to you I did more poking around the internet and discovered that Jacques Genin is now shipping internationally! Oh happy day, their caramels are on the way to me for a Christmas gift. Not been able to travel for the past few years, due to Covid and my own health issues, but this kind of makes up for it. Again, thank you! And p.s. readers, get the bread knife! And order some bread too. A perfect gift!
Thank you so much for including us and the wonderful Pallarès Profesional Cocina 8" kitchen scissors in your incredible list. It's our great pleasure to be able to partner with the Pallarès brothers to bring their amazing, high-quality, hand-assembled kitchen shears to North America (and fwiw we've spotted these shears in a storefront in Beaune, priced at €150...). Your scissors should be as good as your knives!
Love Diaspora spices! I love the fact that you mentioned the practice of giving a coin in exchange when giving scissors or knives. My mother always mentioned that custom. Apparently the exchange of a coin keeps the friendship from being cut or broken.
I’m sure you will like the cardamom extract from Burlap & Barrel. I got some in my Spice Club box recently and it’s delicious! I own waaaay too many B&B spices but I love them all.
David, I need a suggestion for a cookbook. My new son-in-law, who is a chef and has a restaurant, has started the Keto diet. Can you suggest any? He has found in a very short time that it is working for him and he is sticking to it. Thanks, Gail
There is so much goodness here to explore! Thank you so much for all the suggestions. I was inspired by this post to make the effort to bring back two pots of honey from a recent trip to France and the Colmar Christmas market. Such great presents! :-) <3
I love, love, LOVE Drinking French and My ParisKitchen - as for Claire Saffitz, saw her for the first time today doing a YouTube of her updated fruit cake recipe. She commented that the Golden Syrup might be hard to find, but if you live in the South Bay/SF, San Jose and environs, I buy the squeeze bottle and the iconic green can (which I first acquired at Cost Plus near Fisherman's Wharf in SF in the 60's - talk about iconic, the GoldenBrownies are absolutely the very best, the recipe part of the small fold-out pamphlet which used to be glued to the lid. ) I buy it at Lunardi's in San Jose, and have found at the Cost Plus World Markets in this area as well. And may you have the merriest, yummiest Christmases ever!!! LaVonne Bouchez
I bought those scissors from Heidi’s website back in the day, and they are amazing! One of the best kitchen purchases I’ve ever made.
Those kouign amann are going to be a wonderful way to welcome my mother, who is flying in on Christmas morning. They are her favorite pastry and I was trying to think of a special treat with all the bakeries closed... thank you!
Thank you for the great list! I’ll add myself to the Burlap and Barrel fan group. The Royal Cinnamon is a game changer and I like to mix it with Cinnamon Verum in my baking to add more depth of flavor. I’ll definitely need to order the cardamom now.
Mr. Lebovitz,
I owe you a huge thank you, always for your incredible recipes and witty commentary, and for introducing me to Claire Saffitz. I had recently bought two baking cookbooks only to return them so I was wary of buying another. I made Claire Saffitz's oatmeal and pecan brittle cookies thanks to your blog post. They were so good that I immediately bought Dessert Person. I've made many of the recipes and loved them all. Some, but not all: blueberry/buckwheat/brown butter skillet pancakes, brown butter corn muffins, almond Bundt cake, Marcona almond cookies, kabocha/turmeric cake.
You are a culinary treasure. I so appreciate your blog, your cookbooks and you introducing me to other cookbook writers.
You're a bit of an (inadvertent) tease. I love chocolates so I clicked on the Recchuiti Chocolates sharing box only to find that they are sold out.
Yours,
Ellen
David: thanks for these great gift ideas for our US friends/family. However, I live in CA and have family who live in the UK. We are looking for holiday treats that can be shipped from France or elsewhere in Europe to the UK. Can you suggest anything? Cookies, caramels, any delectable sweet treats for the holidays that will deliver. Thanks!
I am immediately descended from Irish, Scots and Newfoundlanders, and every division of that heritage was emphatic that "you never take a point for free." If someone gifted you a blade — knife, scissors, razor, anything that could cut — you HAD to give them a coin in exchange or risk all kids of havoc.
Thanks for the great suggestions. A box of Rancho Gordo beans is on the way to some great friends, and also thanks to you I did more poking around the internet and discovered that Jacques Genin is now shipping internationally! Oh happy day, their caramels are on the way to me for a Christmas gift. Not been able to travel for the past few years, due to Covid and my own health issues, but this kind of makes up for it. Again, thank you! And p.s. readers, get the bread knife! And order some bread too. A perfect gift!
Thank you so much for including us and the wonderful Pallarès Profesional Cocina 8" kitchen scissors in your incredible list. It's our great pleasure to be able to partner with the Pallarès brothers to bring their amazing, high-quality, hand-assembled kitchen shears to North America (and fwiw we've spotted these shears in a storefront in Beaune, priced at €150...). Your scissors should be as good as your knives!
Love Diaspora spices! I love the fact that you mentioned the practice of giving a coin in exchange when giving scissors or knives. My mother always mentioned that custom. Apparently the exchange of a coin keeps the friendship from being cut or broken.
I’m sure you will like the cardamom extract from Burlap & Barrel. I got some in my Spice Club box recently and it’s delicious! I own waaaay too many B&B spices but I love them all.
David, I need a suggestion for a cookbook. My new son-in-law, who is a chef and has a restaurant, has started the Keto diet. Can you suggest any? He has found in a very short time that it is working for him and he is sticking to it. Thanks, Gail
Hi, Flotsam and Fork https://www.flotsamandfork.com/challenge#stock-notification-form-static-product has sold the Pallares Solsona kitchen shears although they appear to be out of stock. I found them after Quitokeeto stopped selling kitchen things.
Merci! I just ordered caramels from Le Bon Garçon for holiday gifts and two packs of the pretzel shortbread for me! 😄
Love your shortlist of edibles, giftables, readables. The WOL cookbook, in particular, is full of terrific recipes and family warmth.