The Gifts SAVEUR Editors Are Giving This Year

Ellen Fort, Senior Editor

Making pizzas at home has long been a fun, family-inclusive activity, though one undertaken with the knowledge that the result would in no way compare to the charred, crispy-chewy crust of the pies from a real pizzeria. That is, until the Ooni burst onto the scene, bringing screaming hot temperatures to the interior of its compact, portable oven that’s powered by gas, wood, or pellets. It’s not a cheap gift, but it’s one that will bring endless delight to pizza lovers, particularly the obsessives who are constantly tweaking and tinkering with dough recipes, toppings, and techniques. For the rest of us, it’s a brilliant way to make weeknight pizza quick and easy, charring crusts and bubbling cheese in about 60 seconds. 

Kat Craddock, Editorial Director

Sure, you could make a batch of traditional Christmas stollen for everyone you know this year. All-in, the classic German holiday cake takes about eight hours to prepare, then must be aged for two to four weeks to allow the flavors of bittersweet marzipan, rum-soaked fruit, almonds, and warm baking spice to meld and the texture to “ripen” to just the right buttery crumble. But for those of us who just don’t have that kind of time on our hands, the wonderful Katja Haecker has done all the heavy lifting. 

The German-born baker moved to New York City for her work in advertising in 2007 and quickly found herself homesick for her mother and grandmother’s old-school German cakes. She started riffing off the family recipes, tweaking the formulas to more modern tastes. Haecker’s experiments were a big hit with her friends Stateside, so in 2015, she started Sweet & Salzig, a Queens-based business selling cakes and cookies inspired by the flavors of home. Haecker’s exquisite stollen is only available through the month of December, but it’s well worth the wait. Order yours directly through her online store or through Murray's Cheese. (Heck, order an extra or two; in Germany, the baker explains, holiday stollen are frequently enjoyed up until Easter.)

Benjamin Kemper, Senior Recipes Editor

When my accountant reminds me to live within my means, I nod my head—and then blithely go and buy overextravagant items for myself like these sleek, gorgeous goblets that can hold an entire bottle of wine each (or, alternatively, an ocean of tears when the credit card bill arrives). 

Ask any seasoned somm—wine just hits different in a Zalto. There’s something about the vanishingly slender stem. The paper-thin rim. The bowl with ravishing, Michelangelesque contours that—you can’t make this stuff up— are mouth-blown to mirror the “inclination angle of our earth or its multiple.” Whatever the heck that means, you’ll certainly be feeling the Earth’s tilt after a night spent swooning over your favorite wine in these babies.  

Laura Sampedro, Managing Editor

I always recommend looking to European cottage design when it comes to dealing with spatially challenged kitchens (think: pot racks teeming with antique copper cookware, large stone mortar and pestles, and weathered butcher block countertops). I’ll be gifting these woven baskets with that spirit in mind so that even my friends with the tiniest of cooking spaces can feel like they’re peeling potatoes in the heart of Provence.

Brit Ashcraft, Design Director

I love to gift things people wouldn't normally buy for themselves because it may feel like an indulgence. Most people have an ice cream scoop, but a beautiful gold one? It's fun for hosting but it's also a little sparkly luxury that brings joy with everyday use.

Jess Hothersall, Photo Editor

Every holiday season my sister and I exchange a new condiment we love to cook with, so this year I'll be giving her Graza's "Drizzle” Extra Virgin Olive Oil. It gives an amazing pop of flavor to all of my favorite dishes. My personal favorites? Vanilla ice cream or a dirty martini!

Megan Zhang, Senior Culture Editor

A day without some sort of chocolate isn’t quite complete in my book, so I like to tick that box early in the day. This chocolate hazelnut spread might seem like Nutella, but it’s made with olive oil, which lends the condiment a beautifully earthy aroma, and also goes a little easier on the sugar for a more balanced flavor experience. The sweet-toothed recipients on your gift list can slather this on their morning toast, drizzle it over pancakes and crepes, marble it into snack cakes and pastries, or enjoy a spoonful straight out of the jar. 

Kate Berry, Chief Creative Officer

You can never have enough napkins, and they’re my go-to gift for any occasion, especially the holidays. These are a great play on an oversized gingham and perfect for anyone from my cousin moving into their first apartment to my most seasoned hostess friend.

Kim Gray, Art Director

Mandy’s first cookbook totally upped my salad game, and I’ll be gifting their newest edition to my dad’s girlfriend, who is always on a health kick after the holidays.

Alex Redgrave, Executive Editor

I’m stocking up on this garum from noma projects for gifting season. There’s a reason it keeps selling out immediately: the “umami-packed liquid seasoning” is a crowd pleaser for anyone on your list—from the fermentation geek to the casual cook to even the most kitchen-averse holdout in your life. Our team has been using the fungi-filled condiment as a marinade in earthy salads, as a stock enhancer in brothy soups, and as an all-around MVP secret ingredient in sauces and stews. 

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