Ho Ho Ho! December has started and by the look of the streets of Dublin the Christmas madness has well and truly started. I'm here today to share a little Christmas gift guide on the suggestion of
1. Sweet by Ottolenghi & Helen Goh (cookbook)
I bought this book when Ottolenghi and Goh came to Dublin on their promotional book tour. I've been waiting for this book to be released and it certainly didn't disappoint. There's plenty of delicious recipes, from cookies and biscuits to cheesecakes, mini-cakes, tarts, pies and more. So far I've used it for three recipes which have all turned out amazing. I can't wait for the Christmas break to use it some more.
2. Ireland's Blue Book Gift Voucher
Mr. FFID and I were gifted an Ireland's Blue Book gift voucher for our wedding and I really thought it was a brilliant idea. We used it for Thornton's because we knew it was about to close, but the list of participating properties is just amazing. You can use it for a Michelin-starred restaurant like Patrick Guilbaud or Chapter One or indulge with a night in a beautiful place such as Gregan's Castle, The Merrion Hotel, the Glenlo Abbey or many more.
3. Butter, a rich history by Elaine Khosrova (book)
Butter has been made for thousands of years, so it's perfectly entitled to its own book, right? Elaine Khosrova explores the fascinating history of this much loved food product. You learn about the role of butter from a historical, cultural, economical and nutritional point of view. The author is a pastry chef and shares some butter based recipes at the end of the book.
4. Riot Rye Gift Voucher (sourdough bread course)
Riot Rye Bakehouse and Bread School is located in Cloughjordan's eco-village in Co. Tipperary. Joe is a real food activist and his passion for sourdough bread is infectious. I've heard him talking at Electric Picnic, he's a brilliant public speaker and educator. I think one of his bread courses would be perfect for anyone who wants to get started on making their own sourdough breads.
5. Grow, Cook, Nourish by Darina Allen (cookbook)
Darina Allen's latest cookbook is a collection of 500 recipes along with the best tips for growing your own food. As a Ballymaloe graduate I'm totally biased but I can tell you there's no better woman to learn from if you wish to start your own little vegetable garden or learn to forage. Darina's recipes never fail!
6. Delicious Dublin Tours gift voucher
Ahem... there's an Irish food tour company called Delicious Dublin Tours which is ran by a French lady and they sell gift vouchers that are perfect as a Christmas gift for all the foodies out there! Just saying.
7. Feasts by Sabrina Ghayour
Persian chef Sabrina Ghayour's cookbooks always contain beautiful pictures and simple recipes full of colours and flavours. What I like about her books is that the ingredients are all fairly easy to find and you don't need too many of them for any given recipe.
8. Finn Lough gift voucher
Finn Lough is located in Enniskillen in Co. Fermanagh. It's at the top of my Irish hotel bucket list because they have stunning looking bubble domes in which you can sleep. It sounds like an ideal romantic getaway, especially if you're looking for something a little bit different.
9. Lakrids salted caramel chocolate coated liquorice
I didn't think I liked liquorice until I went to Copenhagen and bought a few jars of products from Lakrids. These are small balls of pure happiness and so worth getting them shipped from Denmark. They come in different flavours and they also have Christmas gift products but the flavour I absolutely love is their 'Dulce de leche', a salted caramel chocolate coated liquorice. It's very well balanced and delicate and highly addictive!
Happy Christmas shopping!
Disclaimer: This is an independent gift guide based on my personal recommendations.
