Home for the holidays? You don’t need to look far to find a unique gift that the foodie in your life will appreciate. We’ve curated thoughtful finds from artisans, distillers, bakers and even candlemakers from across Canada. We know some of these items may not make it under the Christmas tree for December 25, but we promise they’ll be worth the wait! Send an animated holiday e-card to recipients to let them know that a special gift is on its way!
Handmade Mug,
Nightshift Ceramics
These made-to-order coffee mugs are handmade in Hamilton, Ont., and have gotten rave reviews by Etsy buyers. Available in white, lilac or turquoise.
$61 each
BEARFACE 7 Year Old Triple Oak Canadian Whisky,
BEARFACE Whisky
BEARFACE Whisky is a unique single-grain whisky matured for seven years in American oak bourbon barrels, then aged in French oak red wine casks followed by air-dried virgin Hungarian oak. The (bear-proofed) casks are exposed to the elements of the Canadian wilderness during ageing, which amplifies how the wood and whisky interact.
$29.95
Oyster Shucker,
Arbol Cuisine Design
The perfect gift for seafood lovers, this innovative maple-wood oyster shucker is designed to keep hands safe while shucking. Carved grooves keep the oyster from slipping.
$45
4 Pieces Classic Nanaimo Bars,
Northern Bars
Is there a more classically Canadian treat than Nanaimo bars? (Well, maybe butter tarts.) Northern Bars’ take on the famous treat come in bite-size portions and are packed in a giftable box that is illustrated with famous Vancouver landmarks and can be delivered across Canada.
$12
Hole Foods Unisex Hoodie – Pink,
Tim Hortons
In case you haven’t heard, Tim Hortons has a new online merch shop. The Tim Shop opened up just in time for the holiday season, and offers a line of trendy Timmies-inspired clothing items, like this doughnut-inspired hot pink “I only eat hole foods” sweatshirt.
$50
Pinot Gris,
CedarCreek Estate Winery
This crisp Pinot Gris is a blend of grapes from both North and South Okanagan, coming together for a unique blend with apples, pears, spice and a hint of wax and mineral on the nose. Buy on its own or pair with one or two other CedarCreek bottles to make a custom holiday gift set.
$25
Confetti Glass Dessert Cup,
Kingston Glass Studio
Artists Mariel Waddel Hunter and Alexi Hunter’s mouth-blown glass dessert cups have a jewel-like aesthetic. These one-of-a-kind cups are available in lilac, sunflower, rose and sky.
$71
Olive Oil Cruet,
Poterie Bonmatin
This porcelain cruet is handmade in Quebec and is available in a range of colours and patterns. Choose a metal pourer for olive oil or a plastic one for vinegar, dish soap or soy sauce (a metal pourer will carode).
$65
Canada Sauce Trio,
Canada Sauce
Handmade in Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean, Que., using simple ingredients, the trio pack from Canada Sauce includes a relish made with locally-grown cucumbers, a slightly sweet ketchup and mustard that is made with seeds from the Canadian prairies.
$16
2021 Reserve Meritage,
Mission Hill Family Estate
Mission Hill‘s Reserve Meritage is made with Bordeaux grape varieties grown in two of the estate’s Okanagan vineyards. The fresh, juicy red has notes of blackberry, brambleberry and dark cherry, with subtle hints of vanilla – perfect for an indulgent holiday glass.
$31
Prairie: Seasonal, Farm-Fresh Recipes Celebrating the Canadian Prairies,
Dan Clapson and Twyla Campbell
Over 100 recipes inspired by and sourced from the Canadian prairies – like Edmonton Chef Gail Hall’s Raspberry Clafoutis and Stir-Fried Tomatoes and Eggs from Calgary-based food writer Carmen Cheng.
$37.50
Arabica Coffee Bitters,
Bittered Sling
These special-edition bitters were created from a specific blend of Arabica cultivars purchased fair-trade and roasted by East Van Roasters. Great with cognac, brandy, rum, tequila, oak-matured spirit or use as a replacement for vanilla extract in baking.
$26.95
Billionaire Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix,
Maison Zoe Ford
Montreal-based food company Maison Zoe Ford spent over a year perfecting the recipe for its Billionaire Chocolate Chip Cookies. The effort was worth it: The result is a cookie that’s just crunchy enough, just chewy enough and just so delicious that you won’t believe it was made from a bagged mix.
$18
Case of St Brigid’s Butter,
St Brigid’s Creamery
This all-Canadian European-style barrel-churned A2 Jersey butter is uniquely delicious. It comes from one Ontario family dairy, and will add creamy decadence to baking and entertaining. This richly textured, golden butter will make you (or your loved ones) love butter more.
Case of butter – 25 x 250g: $249.75
Taste of Canada Dessert Pack,
Top Shelf Distillers
Top Shelf Distillers, in Perth, Ont., got patriotic with this gift-ready pack of dessert-inspired spirits. It includes Butter Tart, Cream Puff (inspired by the flavours of La Boulangerie bakery in northern Ontario) and Blueberry Grunt (inspired by one of the favoured fruits in Atlantic Canada).
$50
Bright Light,
Lumette!
B.C.’s Lumette! bottles botanical-forward “spirits” so you can tap into your inner (alcohol-free) mixologist whenever the mood strikes. This “Bright Light” spirit is meant to be enjoyed in non-alcoholic cocktails like gin and tonics and sours.
$36
Old Growth Cedar Gin,
Tofino Distillery
This uniquely Canadian gin is distilled in Tofino with a classic mix of botanicals as well as red cedar tips from Vancouver Island’s old-growth forests. You can sip the organic 90-proof spirit solo, or use it to mix up some of SoBo Restaurant‘s Cedar Negronis.
$25