Christmas 2023: 8 gifts for foodies

Soaked in garlic infused extra virgin olive oil and a sprinkle of whole peppercorns, this is the perfect soft cheese to include on cheeseboards or in cream-based pasta sauces. This Marinated Goat Cheese is Meredith Dairy’s richer and more velvety answer to feta. Gain the unwavering adoration of the cheese-lover in your life by putting this under their tree. 

Find in-store.

Qra

Address: A-LG-01, 5th Place @ The Five, Kompleks Pejabat Damansara, 49, Jalan Dungun, Bukit Damansara, 50490, Kuala Lumpur. +603 2011 0952 
 
See also: The art of cheesemaking: How a husband and wife duo craft over 140 unusual varieties of cheese

Good cookery is a crucial tenet of any home cook’s kitchen. Le Creuset’s Signature Round French Oven is fortified by cast iron, ensuring the formation of fond—caramelised bits at the bottom of pans from browning meat or vegetables. Fond adds to the richness, depth and complexity of almost any dish. This gift offers versatility with its ability to bake, stew, fry, roast, and any cooking technique this writer has left out. Artichaut, a deep green reminiscent of pine trees, would be a fitting colour choice for Christmas and supplement any kitchen’s artillery. 

Find in-store.

Le Creuset Mid Valley

Address: Lot LG-075, Mid Valley Megamall, Lingkaran Syed Putra, Mid Valley City, 59200 Kuala Lumpur. +603 2202 2798

Exceptional breakfast indulgences, Spread Cheers’ boozy preserves feature an array of fruit bathed in complementary alcohol and liqueur. They also offer bacon jams with Irish stout for connoisseurs of all things savoury. These handmade jams are made in small batches with cane sugar and pure citrus pectin. From rum soaked raisins in apple jam, peaches stewed in bourbon, crushed pineapple in whiskey marmalade, to plums in mulled wine, Spread Cheers’ offerings would make thoughtful stocking stuffers or celebratory replacements for Christmas cranberry sauce. 

Find online at @spreadcheers on Instagram.

Gift these to the loved one in your life who has pledged to grow their own food each year but hasn’t had the time. Ground Control curates its soils and seeds to propagate viably in tropical climates. Spinach, arugula, and amaranth can be grown in planter boxes on space challenged balconies, while essential cooking herbs like parsley or coriander can be grown right next to a kitchen window.

For more information, visit www.groundcontrol.my.

For the designated bookworm, experimental literature will never go unread. If you know someone who is a bibliophilic epicure or identifies with the movie Julie & Julia, Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata would make a fitting present. Set within a Japanese convenience store or konbini, Murata interrogates contemporary work culture while exploring everyday meals in an increasingly pragmatic and career-focused society. This read is bleakly comedic but frames food—even from a konbini—as being integral to existential purpose. 

For more information, visit www.malaysia.kinokuniya.com.

Don't miss: 6 Cookbooks on Malaysian Cuisine to Level Up Your Game 

It may be bad luck to gift someone knives, but no one said anything about chopping boards. Wooden chopping boards reduce the microplastics we consume and can last a lifetime with proper care. Made with acacia and solid rubberwood, Cantum Design’s boards can be used for food preparation or make rustic serving platters for charcuterie enthusiasts. 

To find out more, visit www.cantumdesign.com.my.

Bildimoo Nensebo translates to red clay soil, housing a profile of unique lactic richness and earthiness. Notes of pomegranate, violet florals, and festive plum make this blend perfect for Christmas morning. Gift this to the caffeine fiend in your life to add a yuletide twist to their usual morning ritual.

Visit www.kopenhagencoffee.com to find out more.

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