Top 10: Best Holiday Gifts for Foodies

It's that time of year when the snow and holiday stress starts to mount almost simultaneously, so while the Eatery Expert team can't control the weather, we certainly can help alleviate some of that stress by providing 10 excellent and delicious gift options for the epicurean in your life. All of these gifts are available for purchase online and are still shipping, but not for long...

Place your orders today so your food-loving friends' taste buds will be satiated just in the nick of time!

1. Taste:NY - So we're a little biased, but of course we think our assortment of NYC-made treats is the best out there and completely fit for a foodie. Ten delicious treats are included, like the The Redhead's Bacon Peanut Brittle, Mamoun's Hot Sauce, & Chef Sara Jenkin's Porchetta Salt Rub. Order while supplies last! Bonus: Free pick-up or delivery for residents in New York City and Brooklyn! $91.99

2. City Shuffle Dining Deck: Lead your friends to places they would never try in neighborhoods they would never go by giving them a deck of deals! Some of our favorite bars & restaurants are included like Coppelia, Jimmy's No. 43 & Pure Food and Wine. Every card is a $10 gift certificate. Perfect stocking stuffer? We think so! $19.95- $29.95, Available at Union Square Holiday Market, Barnes & Noble (86th St. & Lexington Ave.), and Bed, Bath & Beyond locations in New York.

3. Hands-On Cooking Classes at The Astor Center 399 Lafayette Street @ East 4th Street Wishing your significant other would learn to make you that romantic lobster dinner you have always dreamed of, or how about an authentic Tuscan feast? Take one of the many diverse cooking classes together at the Astor Center and enjoy hands-on training from culinary experts. Feast on the fruits of your labor while a sommelier tells you which wine pairings go best with the dishes you have prepared. The pairings are usually included with the class! Prices vary; $129-$150 per person


EE Tip: Take a class with Chef Emily Peterson - her Italian pasta making class is our personal favorite!

4. Daniel Boulud: Cocktails and Amuse-Bouches for Her and Him: World-famous chef Daniel Boulud and DANIEL mixologist Xavier Herit put together this two-volume collection of sophisticated drink recipes, making the classics a bit more mod. Each book has 20 cocktails and 10 amuse-bouche recipes to inspire it's recipient to finally throw that cocktail party - of course you'll be the first on the guest list!

5. Fat Toad Farm Caramel: A favorite of Top Chef Master Rick Bayless, this farmstead caramel is made the traditional Mexican confectionery way known as Cajeta in a small, family owned goat dairy farm in Central Vermont. While most caramel sauce recipes are based on sugar and high fructose corn syrup, cajeta is dairy based, making Fat Toad Farm’s variety incredibly silky and creamy. Available in a variety of flavors including Original, Vanilla Bean, Cinnamon and Coffee Bean. Sounds like the forbidden fruit just got a heavenly makeover. $26.95 for 4, Bedford Cheese Shop, 229 Bedford Ave, Brooklyn

6. 508 NYC Craft Beer Growler: The ideal gift for the beer aficionado in your life, 508 NYC offers growlers-to-go of their brewed-on-premises craft beers. Bring along a growler of a new brew from New York's only gastrobrewery and you will be the best guest any holiday host could ask for. Make sure to tell the giftee that they can take their growler back to 508 NYC for a refill anytime. It will cost them $17, but they will always remember that you were the one that got them hooked. $24 for growler filled with special brew. Available for pick-up at 508 NYC, 508 Greenwich Street @ Spring St. 

7. Jonathan Adler Shoes Salt & Pepper Shakers: These stylish shakers just give the foodie in your life all the reason to season! Not only are the shakers pretty snazzy, the shoebox packaging is just amazing as the product. $48.00

8. Edible Manhattan Magazine Subscription: Published six times a year, it is the most delicious reading any city guy or gal can do between bites of their weekend brunch. Everything about up-and-coming local purveyors, chefs, restaurants, markets, shops and tastemakers is included, accompanied by gorgeous food porn-esque photography. You'll probably buy a subscription for yourself - it's only natural. $35 for one-year subscription

9. Hudson Baby Bourbon Whisky: The perfect gift for the man that loves to watch Boardwalk Empire with a glass of something respectable in his hand. A single grain bourbon, made from 100% New York corn. This was the first whisky produced by Tuthilltown Spirits and the first legal pot-distilled whiskey made in New York since Prohibition. How does it taste? Mildly sweet and smooth with hints of vanilla and caramel. Sounds like the holidays to us. $45.00, Yorkshire Wines & Spirits, 1646 First Avenue @ 86th Street

10. Treatful E-Gift Cards: We know, gift cards aren't the most creative gift of all, but when you're redeeming a dinner at Gramercy Tavern or Buttermilk Channel, who can really complain about that? The way you gift a 'treat' is you select a restaurant from a large, quality list, set your gift price, and add a personalized message. Your e-card will be delivered instantly via e-mail. 

Top 10: Pumpkin Dishes

10. Ice Cream Sandwich with Pumpkin – The Meatball Shop

(64 Greenwich Ave. @ Perry St.)

 Imagine this, homemade pumpkin ice cream wedged in between your choice of homemade cookie.  Many associate The Meatball shop with having the best balls around.  It's true - they do, but what most people fail at  is saving room for dessert.  You can choose from a selection of their homemade cookies, but we highly recommend their seasonal pumpkin ice cream wedged between their chocolate chip cookie .  Perfect amount of spice combined with a creamy and sweet finish!  Or if you are feeling adventurous, mix and match the top and bottom cookie.  It's hard to go wrong!

9. Japanese Pumpkin Pancakes – Clinton Street Baking Co.

(4 Clinton St. nr. Houston St.)

They serve pancakes in the morning, in the afternoon and at night which makes us believe they know what they are doing.  In fact, they do!  Pumpkin makes everything just a little sweeter and these pancakes are proof.  They're adorned with a pumpkin seed streusel, warm maple butter and topped with pumpkin puree.   

8. Pumpkin Pizza – Forcella

(334 Bowery St. nr. Bond St.)

Forcella is a newcomer to Manhattan and they've already proven themselves with their pumpkin pizza.  Pumpkin once again steals the show as the key ingredient.  It is topped with smoked mozzarella, and speck from Alto Adige.  It's not too sweet, not too smokey, and not too meaty.  I bet Goldy Locks would think it's just right!



7. Pumpkin Pie – Good Enough to Eat

(483 Amsterdam Ave. @ 83rd St.)

Pumpkin pie - a staple at Thanksgiving dinner.  But we think it should be served year round.  In our quest to find the perfect pumpkin pie, it was a no brainer.  Take a look, you'll know why.  The crust is flakey and delicious and the pumpkin heavenly.  

6. Candied Pumpkin and sugared "Hay" – Prune

(54 East 1st St. nr. First Ave)

The most interesting  pumpkin dish we found.  Gabrielle Hamilton is well known for a number of reasons and this really should be one of them.  We're still not entirely sure how she makes the hay, but we don't care - it's delicious!  Add to that the candied pumpkin,  Greek yogurt and honey and you've got one heck of a dish.  

5. Pumpkin and Goat Cheese croquettes – Casa Mono

(52 Irving Pl. @ 17th St.)

Casa Mono is consistently one of the best restaurants in New York due to their ability to create exciting dishes.  This is one of those dishes.  Within the tapas style menu, the perfectly fried croquettes with a creamy and flavorful center truly standout!

4. Pumpkin Eggnog Pudding– Sugar Sweet Sunshine

(126 Rivington St. nr. Essex St.)

The pumpkin eggnog pudding is a ray of sugar sweet sunshine at this bakery in the LES.  The layers of pumpkin cake only add to the depth of flavor and the eggnog pudding and whipped cream add to it's fabulosity.  The Nog is served five different ways, A shot 10 oz, 12 oz, 16 oz & the grandaddy 64 ounce tub.  We recommend the grandaddy -  It's pumptastic!

3. Bergère– Buvette

(42 Grove St. nr. Bleecker St.)

 Ever wonder what a Bergère is?  Me either!  But now that I do know, I never want to forget! A Bergère translates to shepherdess in French so this is essentially a shepherd sandwich.  It's filled with brie, radicchio and roasted pumpkin on toasted French bread.   If shepherds eat this well then sign me up! 

2.  Pumpkin Coppetta - Otto

(1 Fifth Ave. @ 8th St.)

Otto may be known for their pizza, but their desserts deserve a lot of credit too!  This is a great example.  The rum ginger cake, cassata crema, coffee bourbon sauce, candied walnuts & cranberries make for a special combination with the pumpkin.  It's a no brainer - save room and order the coppetta.  

1.  Seasonal Pumpkin Doughnut- Doughnut Plant

(379 Grand St. nr. Essex St.)

"Mmmmm, Seasonal Pumpkin Donut."
        -Homer Simpson


I don't think we can put it any better.