What do you look for when you choose a gift? Do you think of the person your buying it for first, and try to come up with something that they will like? Do you just randomly go shopping and hope that something strikes your eye for your loved one? Or are you intent on combing lists of unique products online and never stepping foot inside an actual store this holiday season? No matter what your shopping style is, giving a gift is personal.
With bits and pieces from around the web, I think we have come up with a few great options that represent some old things as new, some libations and a few interesting products that you might not have known existed before.
Falcon Enamelware
Suddenly trendy, and very sturdy, enamelware has become very synonymous with a rustic elegance seen in many houses, design stores and restaurants. A great gift for those looking for a bit of functional elegance in their kitchen, these are heavy gauge steel that is smooth, chemically resistant and can assume a brilliant, long lasting color. Dishwasher and oven safe up to 530F/270C, they can handle just about anything you throw at them. If you drop it, it might chip, but won’t break (chips just add to the character). Falcon has been an icon of British home life since the 1920’s and has now been revitalized for the 21st century.
Available in pillar-box red, pigeon grey and the classic white and blue from www.falconenamelware.com
Craved London
Local Goods with a touch of greatness, Craved was grown out of a love for the locally produced. Craved curates a selection of small batch food and drink made in London and then deliver the tastiest independently produced treats to your doorstep. They believe in flavour, simplicity, and supporting the people behind the products.
3 things that are true about everything that they select for Craved:
1. It’s All Small Batch
By small batch we mean handmade by people who care about their craft and use high quality ingredients, without adding anything strange or taking short-cuts that affect the quality of the product.
2. It’s All Made in London
Everything we sell is made in London. Super local. Most things are made right in the middle of the city itself (see our map of producers) and a few things are made just on the outskirts – the closer the better.
3. It’s All Tasty
We have searched long and hard for the tastiest food and drink made in the capital, and though taste is subjective, we are optimistic that you will love them as much as we do.
Various gift hampers for the holidays including some fantastic stocking stuffers. http://cravedlondon.com
Caorunn Gin
Launched in November of 2009, Caorunn Gin (Pronounced ka-roon) is a handcrafted, small batch distilled Scottish gin from the Speyside region infused with five handpicked Celtic botanicals. It’s named after the fabled rowan berry, which has inspired Celtic medicines and recipes for generations. Caorunn is aromatic, dry, clean and crisp with fruity floral notes, best served with a slice of red apple (perfect for a pre-Christmas drink). It has a distinctive deep, spicy note, which makes it a perfect winter gin.It’s great just over ice or mixed into a dry G&T. Definitely a step out of the normal for gin lovers.http://www.caorunngin.com
Persiana
If you haven’t heard of Sabrina Ghayour yet, then you probably will soon. Her wit and wisdom has not gone overlooked, and hercookbook Persiana is full of fantastic and relatively easy to cook Persian inspired recipes. Sabrina is the host and cook of a very popular supper club in London and her book has been voted best new cookbook of 2014 by the Guardian Cook (where she recently had a residency). Take a look and cook up some lovely Persian inspired recipes at home.http://www.sabrinaghayour.com/#welcome
English Saffron
A small family business that has been growing Saffron in the heart of England since 2004, David Smale is reviving an English tradition. Through his passion and dedication he isrestoring the lost art of Saffron growing back to England. In the early 14th century, Saffron Walden in Essex emerged as England’s main area for saffron growing and trading, and in keeping with tradition our main garden is based close to Saffron Walden in the Essex countryside. Alongside the Essex garden, they also have a second garden in Devon, overlooking the picturesque river Exe.http://englishsaffron.wix.com/english-saffron
Berti Knives
Coltellerie Berti began crafting knives in 1895 in Tuscany. It was founded by David Berti and has for four generations been uninterruptedly producing hand crafted knives…first at the hands of David then Severino his son, then Alvaro, Severino’s son and up to the present day with Andrea, Alvaro’s son – the Berti family continues its tradition in the same place with the same, almost religious observance of the craftsman art handed down from father to son for more than 100 years. With a long history of production, Berti knives are forged on tradition. An Italian family who carries on a tradition into the modern day, these knives will stay with you for as long as you allow.http://www.coltellerieberti.it
Coravin
Do you have a bottle of wine that you aren’t sure you want to open? Or perhaps, you want to see how that fantastic bottle has developed with a few years in the cellar. Coravin is a solution to a lot of wine connoisseur’s problems. With their new technology, the cork stays in the bottle and the oxygen stays out. With a unique needle design that punctures the cork, Coravin is an exciting new way to taste and try wines. For the home consumer, the Coravin System allows you to sip, share and enjoy fine wines without wasting a drop.http://www.coravin.com