Holiday Gift Guide: Edible Gifts

There really is no better gift for a food lover than something delicious to eat or drink. Whether it's a single bottle of beautiful, floral olive oil or a coffee subscription service for a year, these gifts will be well-received by cooks and food lovers of all stripes. See the 2014 Holiday Gift Guide for more gift ideas »

"There's nothing like getting a big box of sweet, juicy pears in December. The ones from Harry and David--who have been growing and shipping pears for 80 years now--are hands-down my favorite." --Karen Shimizu The Favorite Royal Riviera Pears, $29.95 for 5-lb. box from Harry and David

"These oysters turned me into an oyster lover. Cultivated in brackish water in the Chesapeake Bay, the three varieties on offer range in flavor from plump and sweet to deep and briny, depending on how far out they're grown. There's nothing more fun than getting a bunch of friends together, opening some bubbles and eating your weight in fresh oysters." —Laura Sant, assistant digital editor Rappahanock River Oysters, $25 for 25 oysters from Rappahanock Oyster Co.

"We made this bone-in, dry-cured Surryano ham from Edwards the center of a couple of holiday parties! 400 days of aging yields a buttery, bone-in-dry-cured ham to rival Prosciutto di Parma." —Karen Shimizu Bone-In Surryano Ham, $219.95 from Edwards of Surry, VA

"All of Blis's vinegars are great, but I particularly like the sherry vinegar, which is aged in single bourbon barrels. The treatment imparts a complex flavor with vanilla and butterscotch notes, perfect for a using as a finishing oil, like you would a really great balsamic." —Andrew Zimmerman, chef at Sepia, Chicago Elixer Extra Old Fine Solera Sherry Vinegar, $79.95 from BLiS Gourmet

"I love making fresh pasta, but I rarely have the time. This collection of dried pasta from Maestri Pastai is the next best thing; thick, coiled strands of fusilli napoletani lunghi hold sauce magnificently, and whimsical crestes di gallo (rooster's crests) are a superior stand-in for conventional elbow macaroni." --Oliver Erteman, digital editorial assistant Maestri Strozzapretti Pasta, $6.95 from specialty stores and Ideal Cheese

"Chile Crunch is a great food gift. It's a chile condiment that is actually crispy and has a slightly smoky, garlicky flavor with a nice heat. It's delicious on soft foods such as eggs, and as far as I know, you can't get it in stores here in New York, so I buy a whole case online. Last year I handed them out to friends, and everyone has asked for more." —Anita Lo, chef and owner of Annisa, New York City Chile Crunch, $9.95 per jar from Chile Crunch

"I use this coffee subscription service and LOVE them. Every other week, I get a shipment of just-roasted--like, 3 days ago--coffee, sourced from a different location and roasted in LA. I've had some really amazing beans. Last week, it was Las Cuchillas from Jinotega, Nicaragua." --Cory Baldwin Blue Bottle at Home Coffee Subscriptions, starting at $17, ranging from weekly to monthly delivery

"Using quality chocolate makes such a huge difference in desserts. These baking bars from Valrhona have a high percentage of cocoa butter, so they melt beautifully, and they're available in cocoa percentages from milk to super-dark and bittersweet." --Laura Sant, assistant digital editor Valrhona baking chocolate, $12.99 per half-pound bar from Valrhona

"I really like St. Marcellin Cheese. A soft-ripened, earthy French cheese, it's great to eat warm or at room temperature." --Ed Cotton, Chef at Sotto 13, New York City St. Marcellin Cheese, $8.99 per 3-oz. dish from Murray's Cheese

"We're honey-crazed--we consider it to be one of nature's most miraculous gifts. Mellifera's ethically-produced jars of honey, infused with cardamom, vanilla bean, or lemon peel, are simply beautiful and therefore great to give away. We love eating any of them with cheese, and one of our favorite snacks is the cardamom honey, which we drizzle over roasted pears and Greek yogurt." --Lindsay Anderson and Dana VanVeller, Co-Creators of FEAST: An Edible Road Trip Mellifera Infused Honey Gift Box, $28 for 3, 4-oz. jars from Mellifera Bees

"This is a beautiful new gift combo from Lucini: two artisanal spices and a bottle of their incredibly delicious Tuscan extra virgin olive oil. I also love the handsome corrugated box and red ribbon it comes packaged in, which make it instantly holiday-worthy." --Camille Rankin, managing editor Peperita Spice Collection for Lucini, $24.99 from Lucini Italia

"This small batch cow's milk soft rindless cheese is slightly tart, yet incredibly creamy. I use it on pizza, in grilled cheese sandwiches, or simply slathered on freshly baked bread straight from the oven, allowing it to melt ever so slightly from the heat." --Farideh Sadeghin, test kitchen director BelGioioso Crescenza-Stracchino Cheese, $39.99 for 8, 8-oz. cups (4 lbs.) from Artisan Pantry

"I would believe in Santa again if I found one of The Granola Factory's Bethlehem Bars in my stocking this year. The Pennsylvanian artisan bakery behind it found a way to transform oatmeal from a boring breakfast staple to a shortbread crust, or foundation, for roasted pecans, salted caramel, chocolate, and cookie crumbles. Magic!" --Kellie Evans, associate food editor Bethlehem Bar, $20.99 for 4-pack from The Granola Factory

"From the shores of Little Traverse Bay 'Up North' in Michigan, the ripest, most succulent fruit is transformed into spoon fruit, fruit butter, and preserves in the small-batch, artisanal kitchens at American Spoon. A box of the jams makes a beautiful and delectable holiday gift. Don't miss the bags of big, chewy, milk chocolate-covered dried tart cherries from the heart of cherry country, and order some for yourself, too." --Maureen Abood, blogger at Rose Water & Orange Blossoms, the readers' choice pick for Best Regional Cuisine Blog in the 2014 SAVEUR Best Food Blog Awards American Spoon Preserves, $8.95 and up from American Spoon

"I have never been a huge coffee drinker, until I tried Nobletree that is. Its invigorating and fresh, and what I look forward to most when waking up in the morning." --Farideh Sadeghin Nobletree Coffee box, Nobletree Coffee