Culinary-approved Christmas gift guide

Hospitality’s Christmas gift guide has you covered when it comes to buying that something special for the culinary-obsessed person in your life. Here’s our round-up spanning a ready-to-drink martini from one of Australia’s best restaurants, a Puglia-crafted butter dish, and an egg cup unlike any other.

Christmas pudding

Sydney’s Continental Deli is renowned for its canned range, and now you can get a tinned Christmas pudding that’s ready to crack open at your convenience. The kicker? It’s made by award-winning pastry chef Lauren Eldridge, who based the recipe off her great grandmother’s original creation. The puddings are crammed full of all the classic elements from sultanas to currants and raisins with the addition of spices including cassia, ginger, and coriander. The puddings ($68) are all individually cooked in the can and come with a set of instructions for serving. It’s best teamed with Continental’s traditional custard ($18), which is also available in a can (surprise!)

Egg cup

Take your idea of an egg cup and park it — the Googy ($215) is here to elevate your breakfast plate for the better. Named after “mum’s favourite term for a perfectly soft boiled egg”, the egg cup is the work of Samuel Cunliffe from Passenger Projects. Each egg holder is crafted from 100 per cent food-grade aluminium and finished with a mirror polish, giving it the shine we all need to start the day off right.

Coffee Parachutes

The Christmas period is the ideal time to elevate your home cafe offering, and Single O has you covered with a festive edition of the Parachutes range. The 24 Sugarplum blends Kenyan Nyeri beans and Aceh Gayo from Sumatra and features notes of cherry, cranberry, and plum. The drip-coffee bags can be brewed in a number of ways from hot to cold and enjoyed black or with milk — given the heat this time of year, we’ll be opting for an icy number. The Parachutes are available in five ($15), 10 ($20), or 20 ($54) packs.

Panettone

Some love them, and some hate them, but there’s no denying the prolific status of the panettone. Baker Bleu has created two options this year: a traditional panettone and a sour cherry and chocolate number. The panettones ($65) are made in small batches over a three-day period using the bakery’s signature sourdough mix, resulting in an airy yet dense (in a good way) sweetbread. Eat as is or pop a slice in the toaster before giving it a good lashing of butter.

Dry gin martini

Acclaimed distillery Never Never and equally lauded Gimlet at Cavendish House have come together to create a triple dry martini. The two forces set out to “craft the driest martini possible”, which was achieved by taking a multi-pronged approach involving winemaking techniques. Oak tannin extracts have been balanced with whey as well as chamomile and orris root distillates, which bring a floral element to the triple-juniper base. 500ml ($75) bottles are available for a limited time, with the martini also on pour at Gimlet.

Butter dish

The butter dish is undoubtedly having a moment in home kitchens, and the spread naturally deserves a dedicated and beautiful vessel to be stored in. We can’t go past the Ceremonies dish ($175) from Alex and Trahanas. Each ceramic is crafted by artisans in Puglia, Italy, who hand-paint the dishes which are all unique in size, glaze, brush strokes, and texture. A truly special item for all the butter aficionados out there.

Ham glaze

Family-run butcher Hagen’s Organics have released a ham glaze for an absolute steal: $12. Chef Zach Tinsley from the East Brunswick store used Darling Distillery’s Christmas pudding gin as the base of the glaze, which is packed with spices and citrus notes. The butchery recommends two jars of glaze to coat a whole Australian ham, which will ensure that sought-after caramelisation. Don’t forget to reapply during baking!

Summer reading

Australian Richard Christiansen built Flamingo Estate from the ground up, with the iconic lifestyle brand renowned the world over for its picturesque Los Angeles grounds as well as its farm boxes, candles, and olive oils, and hand creams. In The Guide to Becoming Alive (Chronicle Books; $75) Christiansen delves into the magic of “filling each day with radical pleasure”, covering topics of wellness, food, decor, and more. The book is the perfect gift for those who have an appreciation for the beauty of nature and the rituals of daily life.

Coravin

Wine-preservation experts Coravin have launched a limited forest green colourway in collaboration with One Tree Planted. A tree will be planted for every Forest Green Timeless Six+ ($699.95) sold, with the company hoping to plant 15,000 trees across the world. Part of the Timeless collection, the device uses needle technology that is compatible with both cork and screw caps. It extracts wine while replacing it with argon gas, which ensures oxygen never enters the bottle. The device is a must-own for the wine fan in your life, and an essential for preventing wastage.

Italian gift box

For those who like choice, a hamper is an excellent option — especially when it’s Italian-themed. Sydney’s Barbetta is known for its artisan-first approach to all things food and drink, and the same notion has been applied to its range of gift boxes that can be shipped Australia-wide. The boxes start at $75 and are filled with Italian goods from Barbetta’s own pasta to homewares, olive oil, and spirits. Our pick is the Cin Cin ($230) which includes truffle honey and a wooden dipper, fig and pepper almonds, a book on Italian wines, a bottle of Montepulciano d’Abruzzo Riserva, and a few more treats.

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