Food gifts are always popular, but there’s only so many times you can present someone with a ‘nice bottle of red’ or a cheese hamper.
So we have done all the hard work for you – like looking at endless pictures of chocolate – and put together a list of original and unusual foodie gift ideas.
Even better, there is something to suit every occasion and budget – so your biggest challenge will be not to eat it all yourself.
The gourmet scratch map
Experience Europe via each country’s most iconic and intriguing dishes. Pick a nation, choose whether you fancy something meaty, vegetarian or sweet and find the full recipe on GourmetScratchMap.com. Once you have tried a dish, you can scratch it off the black laminate map to reveal a colourful continental outline of your culinary journey.
Available at Luckies.co.uk
3-D cookie cutters
Got a friend or family member who fancies themselves as the next master baker? Help them take their skills to the next level with a 3-D cookie cutter set. Building biscuit spaceships, safari animals or dinosaurs is challenging and fun in equal measures – especially for those who get to try the wacky creations.
Available at Suck.Uk.com
The cocktail classics jelly beans
For the mixologist on your gift list, there is no better treat than this gourmet jelly bean set. Containing five flavours of non-alcoholic sweets, it features classic bar concoctions like the Piña Colada, Mojito and Strawberry Daiquiri.
Available at JellyBelly.com
The hipster cheese board
Delicious dairy products are somewhat of a classic foodie gift, so spice up a loved one’s kitchen accessories with a customised cheese board. While we love the sailor tattoo motiv of this Woodchopchop serving platter, they also take on commissions for personalised etchings. And for those based in the UK, a voucher for a cheese class at Covent Garden’s famous Neal’s Yard Dairy is the perfect condiment.
Available at Etsy.com
The crazy chocolate concoction
Willy Wonka would have struggled to come up with the creations lovingly put together by Britain’s famous Choccywoccydoodah team. From fairytale cakes, solid chocolate skulls or a slab of cocoa-coated popcorn, even the most discerning of sweet teeth will be delighted with a choccy-woccy gift.
Available at Choccywoccydoodah.com
The ‘miracle machine’ winemaker
Gotcha! The Wine To Water charity campaign caused a worldwide stir when it advertised a concept called the Miracle Machine, which promised to help you produce wine from the comfort of your own home in just three days. The spoof was created to draw attention to the non-profit organisation’s work providing people all over the globe with clean drinking water. So while you can’t surprise your friends with a homemade tipple, you can purchase a commemorative vino to present them with. With every bottle of white or red sold, 10 lives can be saved. As a handy little extra, why not treat them to a box of lip stain removing wine wipes, too?
Available at WineToWater.org