Tastemakers Holiday Gift Guide

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Need some delicious gift ideas for your foodie friends and family this holiday season? Whether you’re buying for a dessert connoisseur, a master homecook, a restaurant buff, or someone missing the taste of New England, seek advice from those who live and breathe (and post about) delectable goodies.

Three local Instagrammers — @Hiddenyum, @Brayanmesa & @jqlouise — share their go-to gifts for this holiday season, from dinnerware to cookbooks to beautiful charcuterie boards. While they keep the focus on local small businesses, they’ve curated some great gift ideas for those loved ones who might be a state away. Take a peek at their suggestions below to see how you can spoil your foodie friends. 

Editor’s note: Curious what other influencers are eating (and drinking) around town? Check out the Meet the Tastemakers series to hear the stories of those contributing to the conversation on Boston’s food scene.

@Hiddenyum: Alison Kan

Macarons from Maca Boston Macarons make the perfect shareable, yummy gift that feels fancy but still approachable. Maca’s macarons come in super unique and always rotating flavors, so you’ll always want to try more and there’s something for everyone. It’s easy to choose flavors online and ship as a gift or they also have limited flavors for in-person pick-up. Check out all the flavors on Maca Boston’s Instagram and order through the website.

Pastry Love: A Baker’s Journal of Favorite Recipes, by chef and restaurateur Joanne Chang Pastry Love is an awesome cookbook showcasing some delicious recipes from Joanne Chang of award-winning Flour Bakery + Cafe. If your favorite person loves Flour and wants to try making some of their scrumptious goodies on their own, or maybe isn’t in the area to visit in person, this cookbook will be the perfect treat. Scoop up a copy at one of the amazing local bookshops near you or get a signed copy through Flour’s website here.

@Brayanmesa: Brayan Mesa

Charcuterie Board from BoardsbyMo Sometimes there’s nothing better than a gift you can eat and charcuterie boards from BoardsbyMo are just that. Created during the quarantine by Monisha, these beautiful and delicious charcuterie boards come in all sizes at reasonable prices. I’ve gifted a couple to friends and they were in love! For the holiday season, she’s also offering Build Your Own Board holiday kit including all the ingredients needed, a pre-recorded video with the instructions and a pdf with information on every ingredient along with pairing suggestions. Order a beautiful board online here

Gift Cards to Local Restaurants Another great gift for foodies are gift cards to their favorite local restaurants. Winter is creeping up which means we will be spending a lot more time at home ordering takeout and delivery and what better way to support your local restaurants during this time than by purchasing gift cards to gift family and friends? Be sure to contact each restaurant directly as many run gift card promotions during the holiday season and you might even end up with a gift for yourself to enjoy. Can find on-going gift card deals here or on OpenTable.

@jqlouise : JQ Louise

Runamok Maple Syrup I’ve been a fan of the Vermont-based brand Runamok Maple for years. Their craft infused maple syrups are so delicious and versatile. Beyond pancakes and waffles, I use Runamok in coffee, tea and desserts as a premium organic sweetener. My favorite flavors are Ginger Root, Whiskey Barrel-Aged, and Cinnamon+Vanilla; the bold flavors have made maple syrup the secret ingredient to so many of my go-to recipes. And this season Runamok is selling two gift sets perfect for all the foodies with a sweet tooth in your life. Find a section of gift options on Runamok Maple’s website

Dinnerware from Jono Pandolfi Since we’re all spending a lot more time at home, this is the year to treat your friends and family to some high quality dinnerware. Jono Pandolfi sells handmade stoneware-style dinnerware. Known for supplying top restaurants with modern and funky plates, bowls, platters and mugs, Jono Pandolfi is a brand for the foodie looking to upgrade their presentation for those meals they worked so hard to cook. Find them here

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