My Top 10 Holiday Gift List
Don't Stress... I've got the perfect picks for you here ⬇️
The Holidays are here just around the corner and I’ve had a ton of DM’s and requests for my favorite holiday gift ideas.
So here it is.
My narrowed down list for 10 gifts perfect for the holiday season… incl a special sale if you missed out on Black Friday.
These are all items I use and also send to the special people in my life
For the Sweet Tooth 🍰 🍞
No need to waste holiday calories on supermarket pies and sweets 😑
Here are two Artisan options that are perfect for the holiday season.
This is From Roy: Panettone
What happens when a perfectionist chef picks one sweet bread to master?
After working with some of the best pastry chefs in the world, Roy Shvartzapel set out to master the Italian 🇮🇹 sweet bread “Panettone”. This is a notoriously tricky preparation… part bread, part cake… traditional dessert in Italy around the holidays.
This was such a ballsy move to put all his eggs in one basket, pun intended 😂
The results have been nothing short of PERFECTION
I was honored to be in on one of the first batches that Roy sent out when he launched and I’ve been a faithful customer ever since. This is one of the few times that I’d pay double the price and it would still be worth it.
If you’ve never had Panettone, try this… If you have had Panettone, prepare to be mind blown 🤯 🙌
To truly show someone they are special send them a panettone from This is From Roy
Just don’t forget to score one for yourself! 😂
The Pistachio-Cherry is my fave, followed by the Orange-Raisin. The chocolate is worth trying after the first two masterpieces have been sampled.
You’re welcome 🤝
Eilenbergers
I was lucky growing up.
Every Christmas my Mamaw would send my family a couple of these amazing fruitcakes for us to savor over the month.
Too many people have had poorly made fruitcakes that are either too sweet or just dull, bland and unremarkable. This should be a crime 😑
The Eilenberger bakery in has been slamming out some of the best fruit cakes known to man since the 1890’s
Yeah, over 120 years 🙌
While they have many other offerings, the fruit cakes are where it’s at. The traditional Texas Pecan fruitcake is sublime, however, The Chocolate Chunk-Spiked version has been a fave since childhood.
Straight out the fridge, a small slice is perfect with all those dried fruits and nuts, studded with delicious chocolate chunks. 🤤
These fruitcakes will convert any skeptic.
For the Coffee Lover ☕️
Octopod Premium Coffee
What if you could send someone the highest quality, carefully roasted coffee beans on the planet… for less than $1 per cup? ☕️
That’s what I’ve been sending out now for a over a year now with Octopod Premium Coffees.
This month features (2) roasts, one of which might be my favorite coffee of the year.
If you have a coffee lover, this is the time to spoil them with a premium coffee they will love.
Deadline to order is December 12th so don’t wait!
For the Carnivore 🥩
Beef is Royalty in the culinary world. I’ve been lucky to have worked with some of the best beef from all over the world and I’m letting you in one a little secret… my favorite beef purveyor in the US and also the Best BBQ you can get your hands on… sent to your door. ✈️ 🙌
Flannery Beef
In San Raphael, CA is one of the best kept secrets in America.
Flannery beef is a 3rd generation butcher that is getting, literally, the best beef in America to their customers.
Wanna know where all the Michelin * guys are getting their US beef?
Flannery Beef
I met Bryan many years ago and we have become dear friends… I still order from him as he is getting his hands on the best beef in the USA 🇺🇸
Bryan’s daughter, Katie, handles most of the day-to-day operations now as the family tradition of meat cutting and aging continues.
They dry age their Prime beef in-house, so you can order aged meats directly to your door. This gives you access to a quality of product that is impossible to imitate at home.
(*No, putting a rib roast in your fridge is not the same as dry aging. It’s a meticulous process that requires certain airflow, humidty, temp and rotation.)
If you’re ordering for the first time, the California Reserve line is my fave… their signature cut “The Jorge Steak” is named after one of their favorite Spanish Wine Importers, Jorge Ordoñez. The Ribsteak is a full rib cut from the chuck end of the Prime Rib.
32oz of straight luxe 🙌
Check out their full line of offerings and you’re guaranteed to have the best beef on your table this holiday season.
PS: here’s a before and after of a Flannery Masterpiece.. insane marbling guaranteed 🤌
Snows Brisket
For many people BBQ is King 👑
Traveling around while I was cooking professionally afforded me the opportunity to meet world class chefs, and pitmasters.
If you want some of the best brisket on the planet, you can have it shipped directly to your door from my friends at Snow’s BBQ.
Snow’s isn’t in a hipster town, flooded with traffic and foodie visitors 24/7.
It’s literally in the middle of nowhere 😂
They are open 1 day a week, and if you get in line early enough you get to taste a little bit of heaven that my friend Kerry Bexley and Tootsie Tomanetz are smoking up.
The BBQ is unreal.
They already had a spotless reputation and then Netflix featured them in the Chefs Table: BBQ series.
Tootsie is 87 now and still tends those fires every Saturday to serve customers from all over the world. You’re literally eating a bite of history.
I’ve tried all the big guys briskets… If I could only have one bite of brisket again before I died… it would be Snow’s BBQ Brisket. If you’re adding on to your brisket order: Jalapeno Cheddar sausage is 🤤 … and the Signature Steak Seasoning is tasty af 🤌
For the Serious Cook:
Here are a few tools that are essential for a serious home cook.
Octopod Chef Knife
Millions of people spend $500+ per year to upgrade their iPhones… but balk at spending ~$200 for a quality kitchen knife that can last 50+ years and possibly hand down to your kids.
Comparatively it’s a no brainer what the better ROI is…
This blade is made in collaboration with a Japanese family that has been making blades for over 750+ years!
The blade itself is razor sharp and also light to hold. The weight of a knife blade is very important. Japanese knives tend to be much lighter than their European counterparts. Wusthof’s, Henckels etc are much heavier in your hand. Just a few oz’s makes a big difference and the Octopod Chef Knife is the perfect weight for maximum productivity and minimum wear and tear on your wrist.
I ran the first ever sale on this knife for Black Friday as a “Thank You”… you all cleaned me out 😂
More are on the way and I’ve got an automatic 15% discount applied when you check out so you can have your blade delivered before Christmas
Don’t miss this last price break to get the sharpest blade in town into your kitchen 🤝
Japanese Mandoline
This has long been the secret weapon for professional chefs to get even cuts and thickness on vegetables… quickly. From radishes and apples to onions and potatoes, this razor sharp blade can be adjusted to get the exact thickness you desire. Whether potatoes for a gratin or thinly shaved vegetables for a salad.
You can choose between the standard size width, or the “Super” wider version which I recommend since it will handle larger vegetables like sweet potato, butternut squash and daikon.
It comes with a variety of blades (the Super has 4), a hand guard, and is also less clunky than the european versions (which also don’t have near the sharpness on the blades).
A no-brainer to speed up prep, cutting and slicing at home.
Apron
I don’t mention this much, but it’s the perfect stocking stuffer.
No one wants to get messy and clothes stained when you’re cooking. Having a comfortable and stylish apron is an underrated luxe while you’re cooking
The Octopod “Best Chef” Apron is comfy and makes the perfect statement while you cook.
For the Pantry 🧂
A well stocked pantry is a cooks secret weapon. Ingredients that can add a twist or just bursting with quality make cooking fun. Here’s just two to consider.
Cider Vinegar with Seaweed
This is one of my favorites. A French vinegar, made by marinating seaweed and marine herbs in a cider vinegar with Fleur de Sel, shallots and a touch of spice. Perfect for anything seafood.
I always have a bottle of this on hand 🤝
Dried Blenheim Apricots
I have a love affair with apricots… it’s one of my favorite preserves to make. The folks at Apricot King in CA are growing and drying one of the most coveted apricot types: Blenheim
In addition, they have an un-sulfured line which is absolutely ethereal… since it is sulfur free, the dried apricots turn a brownish color, the trick is, the darker the apricots, the sweeter and more intoxicating they are.
Whichever you decide to order, these dried apricots will bring a huge step up in flavor to one of my fave fruits on earth 🌎
I’m actually dropping a recipe about dried fruits later this week so keep an eye out 👀
You should now be good-to-go for all things Holiday Gifts!
This is a free post so share it with all your friends so everyone has the tastiest and best quality gifts this holiday season 🙌