Gifts for the gourmet
Appeal to the food lovers and culinary enthusiasts on your holiday shopping list with these unique ideas from local food artisans and entrepreneurs.
The holidays are the best time to indulge in delicious food and drink, and to share the gift of special food with family and friends. Foods that have been lovingly created by local artisans and entrepreneurs come with a wonderful story and make them that much more appealing to gift to your loved ones. This selection of gift ideas has many different locally made products, and many of them are available through Hamilton and Burlington businesses that curate their shelves with a variety of local makers – supporting two local businesses with one purchase.
Personalized set of 4 oil & vinegar, $24
Where to find it: The Urban Vine, 22 King St. W., Dundas
IG: @the_urban_vine
Create a personalized set of high-quality olive oils and balsamic vinegars, choosing from a variety of flavours like herbs de provence olive oil and all-natural-aged black cherry balsamic vinegar. The independently owned, family-run business has a tasting boutique in its Dundas shop where you can sample different flavours before deciding on the perfect combination. The set is packaged in a beautifully presented sampler pack and includes four 60ml bottles. Shop online or in store.
Handcrafted bonbons – box of 9, $23
Where to find it: Madam Bonbon, 165 Locke St. S., Hamilton
madambonbon.ca
IG: @madam_bonbon
For the lover of fine things on your list, Madam Bonbon’s exquisite bonbons are just the thing. Each handcrafted chocolate is like a delicate jewel, almost too beautiful to eat. The centre of each bonbon is very thoughtfully created with flavour combinations that delight the taste buds. Flavour rotations occur often around the seasons and availability of fresh local fruit. Festive flavours make an appearance during the holiday season, but these treats are a hot commodity as December progresses, so order ahead if you need a few boxes. Shop in store only.
Nutty Hero 5 Variety Pack, $77
Where to find it: Village Boutique Foods, 2049 Pine St., Burlington
nuttyhero.com
IG: @villageboutiquefood
You can buy Nutty Hero seed and nut butters by the single jar at retail locations such as Village Boutique Foods in downtown Burlington, but we also recommend the variety pack that you can order on the Nutty Hero website. Why not gift the pleasure of tasting every flavour of this incredible product that is manufactured in Burlington? It’s impossible to pick a favourite and many fans report eating directly from the jar with a spoon. Made with 12 nuts and seeds including almonds, cashews and pecans, plus natural ingredients like cinnamon, maple sugar, cocoa powder, and coconut. Shop online or in store.
Cheese box subscription, $25/$40 month
Where to find it: East Hamilton Cheese Co., 205 Ottawa St. N., Hamilton
IG: @easthamiltoncheeseco
A cheese box subscription reminds the cheese lover on your list of your generosity every month, all year long – the ultimate holiday gift. The subscription is available in two sizes. The 454-gram (one pound) cheese box is $40 per month, while the 300-gram version is $25 per month. Both include three gourmet varieties of Ontario cheese that are available exclusively in the subscription box, along with tasting notes and recipe cards. Cheese boxes must be picked up at the shop on Ottawa Street each month, so this gift is best given to someone in the Hamilton area. Subscriptions can be purchased for as many months as you like, a full year is not required. Shop in store or call/email to order.
Delusional Sauce’s Miso Chili Crunch, $15
Where to find it: James North General Store, 95 James St. N., Hamilton
Hamilton Farmers’ Market, Upper Level
jamesnorthgs.com
IG: @jamesnorthgs
This is the gift that keeps giving because once you’ve tasted Miso Chili Crunch you will have instantly developed a new habit. Bursting with flavour, this sauce elevates virtually everything from veggies to noodles, tofu to pizza. It has a delicate blend of crispy chilies, garlic, and shallots, enhanced with the rich combination of miso, soy, and toasted sesame. Grab a jar for everyone on your list, and don’t forget to get one for yourself. Find it at James North General Store’s two locations, or order directly online from Delusional Sauce Co.
Meat and beer crate gift basket, $145
Where to find it: Denninger’s, multiple locations
denningers.com
IG: @denningersfoods
Meat and beer. Can you think of a better combination? This crate is FULL of tasty snacks from a variety of salami, to cheese, and pretzels, popcorn and chocolate, and much more. Accompanied by two tall cans of Nickel Brook’s Easy Going Lager and all packed in a stamped wooden crate that will be perfect for holiday decorating. Beer type may vary. Shop online or at one of the four Denninger’s locations in the Hamilton/Burlington area.
Comeback Snacks, $6.99
Where to find it: Strathcona Market, 460 York Blvd, Hamilton
shop.mrktbox.com
IG: @mrktbox
A sweet treat like salted caramel popcorn is what the holidays are all about. Each kernel of caramel corn is luxuriously coated with a rich, salted chocolate drizzle for that delicious contrast of salty and sweet. It’s the perfect stocking stuffer, or add it to a DIY gift basket of local goodies. Comeback Snacks has a great backstory that starts in prison and ends with a successful Hamilton-based enterprise. You can add the delicious popcorn to your online grocery order, or throw a few bags in your cart when shopping for groceries at Strathcona Market. You can also order directly online on Comeback Snacks’ website.
Garden City Heritage Mead, $22.95
Where to find it: Backed By Bees, 6214 Appleby Line, Burlington
backedbybees.com
IG: @backedbybees
Perfect for gifting and celebrating the festive season, Garden City Heritage Mead is a truly unique and artisanal creation, combining the finest local honey with the crisp, fresh flavours of Halton apples, creating a delightful harmony of sweetness and fruitiness. Enhanced with a warming blend of spices, each sip of this mead evokes cozy comfort. Limited edition and available exclusively at Backed By Bees, a honey farm and meadery that also grows pollinator-friendly produce. Shop the market and mead bottle shop on site or find the products online.
Monarch Tea Co. & ChocoSol chocolate pairing, $31
Where to find it: Dundas Chocolate Shop, 50 King St. W., Dundas
dundaschocolate.ca
IG: @dundaschocolate
There’s no pairing like tea and chocolate, especially when the tea is a superior loose-leaf chocolate mint blend and the chocolate is stone ground, bean-to-bar. Organic cranberries and mint add a festive flavour to these two rich bars of 65 per cent cacao. This is the perfect gift for anyone on a vegan or gluten-free diet. There is a vast selection of ChocoSol and Monarch Tea Co. flavours, as well as other locally made gift items, at Dundas Chocolate Shop. Shop in store for this pairing, or shop online for each product on the Monarch Tea Co. and ChocoSol websites.
Jolly Cut Cocktail Syrups, $16
Where to find it: Cherry Birch General, 219 King St. E., Hamilton
cherrybirchgeneral.ca
IG: @cherrybirchgeneral
Jolly Cut Cocktail Co. was founded in Hamilton and its cocktail mixes make the perfect gift for the cocktail lover on your list: Juniper & Cedar Tonic Syrup makes a delicious non-alcoholic G&T or pumps up your favourite gin with foresty, botanical flavours. Smoked Old Fashioned Syrup is the Scotch lover’s mix with a dose of peat smoke from single-malt Scotch bitters. Old Fashioned Syrup makes a perfect old-fashioned in a snap – just add ice and your favourite whisky. Organic Sumac & Cranberry Syrup is made with wild-foraged sumac flowers with a hint of cranberry for classics like cosmopolitans and crantinis. Shop online or in store.
Diablo Maple Pepper Praline Spiced Pecans & Cashews, $10
Where to find it: The Platter Company Gourmet Market, 175 Plains Rd. E., Burlington
theplattercompany.ca
IG: @theplattercompany
A diabolically good snack made locally in Burlington with pure Canadian organic maple sugar blended with peppers, spices and organic cane sugar to create a sweet crunch of premium pecans and cashews, with a bit of seductive heat. Small-batch artisan made, these spiced nuts are perfect on their own, great in a salad, and an ideal addition to your holiday charcuterie board. Shop in store only, but it’s worth the trip to The Platter Company to grab some nibbly appetizers for your upcoming holiday gatherings from its vast selection of prepared foods.
