LI'L HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE
Here’s a sampling of favorite gift ideas from our editorial team. Most of these come from independent makers we know and admire — support your local small food biz!
KCBC beers
Perfect for a gift swap or any craft beer drinking loved one, these cans make a great last minute gift. At 16 oz, and thanks to incredible labels illustrated by artist Earl Holloway, these are substantial enough to pass off as thoughtful. Produced in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, the only downside is these could be tricky to find outside of NYC. @kcbcbeer
The Mini Bar by Punch
A small gift set of cocktail books curated by base liquor, this collection makes a great addition to any bar-cart. They can be given all together as a single gift, or split up to be used as cute stocking stuffers or to top smaller presents (a matching bottle?) for the friend who’s drink order you know maybe a little too well. punchdrink.com
Spiced Nuts
Homemade is always more personal (and cheaper!) than store bought. I like to make a batch of spiced nuts to give as last minute hostess gifts and to fill out smaller presents. These are also great because they don't take a ton of time to make so they can be done a day or two ahead of time. Use this as a base recipe and play around with the mix of spices and nuts to suit your tastes. I like to add rosemary, hazelnuts, and pecans.
Holiday chocolates from L.A. Burdick
These chocolates are so cute you almost don't want to eat them. My personal favorite are the mice, but they also come in snowman and penguin shapes. Choose a single box for a cute surprise, or an assortment as a standalone gift. L.A. Burdick also sells single origin hot chocolate for your vegan and dairy-free loved ones. They have a few shops along the east coast and ship globally. burdickchocolate.com
–Heather Clark, Associate Editor
Diaspora Co. Turmeric
Give the gift of turmeric from a company owned by queer women of color! The turmeric is also single origin, ethically produced, super fresh, and organically farmed. diasporaco.com
Harumo Bakery
Adorable illustrations from a Japanese artist living and working in California! Gift whimsical pins, tees, and prints featuring cute pets, humorous scenes, and all your favorite foods. etsy.com/shop/HarumoBakery
Linens from New Market Goods
Gorgeous handwoven linens working to promote ethical consumption and change the way people think when they see the phrase “Made in Bangladesh”. The company is partnered with Deshal, a community of Bangladeshi artisans who together produce a beautiful clothing line that reflects their heritage. newmarketgoods.com
Detroit Friends Chips
Really dang good chips! These are partially made from potatoes grown in vacant lots by the Community Center in the Hope District of Detroit and hand fried in small batches. A portion of the proceeds go to the community soup kitchen too, so you can give back with every bag. detroitchips.com
Support these businesses post-PilotWorks.
In the fall of this year Pilotworks, a commercial kitchen in Brooklyn where small business could rent space, was forced to close abruptly. This placed nearly 200 small businesses in jeopardy, with nowhere to go and holiday orders already being placed. Jon Good Chocolate, run by a self proclaimed “giant nerd”, makes incredibly detailed and gorgeous space themed bonbons. The recipes are mostly vegan and nut free as well. Auria’s Malaysian Kitchen uses her mother’s recipe to create spicy, aromatic sambal (an amazing chili paste used in many Malaysian dishes) as well as other popular Malaysian condiments. We’ve included the links to these two companies, as well as the page about the closing of Pilotworks, in case you’d like to support the other businesses affected. supportindependentfood.com, jongoodchocolates.com, auriasmalaysiankitchen.com.
–Jenn de la Vega, Editor-at-Large
Venezuelan Pantone
Venezuelan Pantone is a series of stews, roasts, and classics of Venezuelan cuisine by Chef Luis Herrera and Creative Director Mariana Martin Capriles, a couple and partners, who also run a pop-up event of Venezuelan food and music in Brooklyn called Brunch Gozón. With these projects they want to bring the classic flavors of Venezuelan cuisine to homes and keep the flavors alive, since most people in New York City don’t have the time to make the elaborate traditional preparations like the kinds they offer. Products are sold by the pound and vacuum sealed. Thy take orders via email Monday to Thursday and deliveries are made Friday and Saturday in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and some areas of Queens. venezuelanpantone@gmail.com
–Stephanie Jaramillo, Intern
Tees 4 Togo
Tees 4 Togo is a line of t-shirts organized by Kathleen Hanna and 100% of the profits goes to Peace Sisters, a group started by Tina Kampor who has been sending money back to Dapaong, Togo for 15 years so girls in her hometown can attend school. Different artists designed the shirts which feature portraits of other wonderful artists, including several Put A Egg On It contributors (Brontez Purnell, JD Samson and Justin Vivian Bond among them). FYI I want the Brontez one! tees4togo.com
Put A Egg On It
You can also order gift subscriptions and current and back issues from our shop here! putaeggonit.com/shop
–SFK, Editor