Foodie Gift Guide 2016: Holiday Booze, Food Baskets, Cooking Classes And More

Searching for the ideal gift for your foodie friend does not necessarily mean you have to treat them to a five-star dinner at their preferred restaurant. From delicious snack baskets and cooking classes to tequilas and cheese subscriptions, there is no shortage of creative ways to surprise a friend or family member with the gift of food and drink.

Here are 10 potential gifts to bestow upon any self-proclaimed foodie. Bon appétit!

1. An Eataly Food Basket: For the lover of fresh, homemade pasta and all things Italian, any one of Eataly’s food boxes is the perfect gift solution. For the assortment of products that are included, the prices range anywhere from $30 to $225.

2. Cowgirl Creamery Cheese Club Subscription: The San Francisco Bay Area-based Cowgirl Creamery boasts some of the freshest artisan cheeses in the U.S. Shoppers can sign up their foodie friends for a three month, six month or 12-month cheese club subscription, which then delivers an assortment of cheeses right to their doorstep.

3. Williams-Sonoma Peppermint Bark Tins With Williams-Sonoma S’mores Cookies: Williams-Sonoma’s famous holiday Peppermint Bark is back! Wrap up a tin with a cylinder of the S’mores Cookies for the ultimate sweet gift.

4. The Barman’s Candle Set from Basil Hayden’s Bourbon: This is the gift for the true bourbon lover. The company has launched a limited-edition collection of “Sipping Companions,” or accessories inspired by, and created for, the perfect bourbon. All items are available only through Dec. 25, and each one is created in partnership with local artisans across the U.S. The Barman’s Candle Set is an unexpected, unique gift that promises the heavenly profile scent of bourbon. The rest of the items are available on huckberry.com.

5. Deluxe David’s Holiday Gift Tower from Harry & David: A Harry & David’s treats tower is the perfect fallback gift for a foodie, as each of the brand's famous baskets offer a little bit of everything. This Deluxe Gift Tower was rated one of the best options on its website.

6. Blue Nectar Tequilas: We surely all have that friend or family member who is a true tequila devotee. You just need to determine the recipient’s preferred flavor – Reposado, Silver or Anejo.

7. A Cooking Class from Sur la Table: This gift invokes the teach-a-man-how-to-fish parable. Purchase a class from any one of Sur la Table’s offerings. There’s one for a New Year’s Tapas Party and even one for sushi-making.

8. The Fare Trade Holiday Box: Leave it to the professionals with this gift. Purchase a box, or spring, for a monthly subscription of your choosing. Fare Trade delivers boxes of curated, artisan ingredients selected by award-winning chefs.

9. A Field Company Skillet: Every cook and food-lover should have a cast-iron skillet in their kitchen, but this model is going to blow them away. The Field Skillets are lightweight and naturally non-stick, two things regular cast-iron skillets lack (unless you season the cast-iron accordingly). Preorders are only available through the brand’s Kickstarter, but we guarantee that this will be well worth the wait.

10. Any Nice Bottle of Wine: If you know wine, a good bottle from a great vineyard will make the perfect gift for any connoisseur. Read up on your years, vineyards and grapes and select accordingly. A good bottle of Silver Oak will almost always win you points.