The Big Cork Foodie Gift Guide

Is there any better feeling than the anticipation of watching a gift being unwrapped? Is it what they have always wanted? Yes, it is, because you are a gift ninja matching the perfect gift with the perfect person!

Foodies are easy to buy for. We love anything to do with food. Hampers have been big in the festive gifting scene of late, fabulously ready-made gifts to slide under the tree. But maybe, this time around, you might want more of a say on what goes in.

So, this year’s gift guide is designed with you in mind, with lots of small gifts and interesting things to fill a box or basket with for a more curated gift idea that feels a little more personal.

We have sweet things and drinky things, experiences, and a couple of cool things I’ve come across in my search for lovely Christmas foodie gifts.

SWEET THINGS

Mella’s Fudge, €8.50, www.mellasfudge.com

The original and only all-butter handmade fudge recently had a whole new revamp, unveiling gorgeous new packaging and a bevvy of new flavours. It’s all about the toppings and the craveability factor, but in the process Mella and her team have breathed new life into an already stellar confectionary. 

The new 170g bars come in five flavours: Madagascan Vanilla + Butter, Sea Salt + Caramel, Passionfruit + Coconut, Sticky Toffee Pudding and Chocolate, Sour Cherry + Nibs and are perfect for sharing (or not!).

Second Street Bakeshop, from €5 www.secondstreetbakeshop.com

Claire Keane’s chocolate toffee brittle has been described at utterly addictive, and I entirely agree!

Made with all natural ingredients, every piece of brittle is handmade with care right here in Cork.

This year, new products have been added to the range: two plant-based brittles in Old-Fashioned Oat and Roasted Hazelnut flavours - both fantastic, and bags of Gourmet Toffee Popcorn.

Cocoa By Judit, from €15-35, www.cocoabyjudit.ie

Waterford-based patisserie chef, Judit McNally, is the creative mind behind Cocoa by Judit, making hand-painted indulgent chocolates that are a feast for the senses!

Flavours include Milk Chocolate Salted Caramel, White Chocolate Blackwater Gin & Strawberry, Dark Chocolate Waterford Whiskey & Honey and White Chocolate Pistachio & Cherry.

In boxes of 6 or 16, and also available online.

Shandon Sweets, from €3, www.shandonsweets.com

Cork’s iconic maker of boiled sweets and confections always has a fabulous range of sweets and jellies in festive jars perfect for slipping into a hamper or as stocking fillers.

Personalise a hamper and get 10% off when ordering online, and be sure to include a tub of Clove Rock – still their most popular sweet. Pop into the shop on John Redmond Street and take part in another Cork tradition, the Shandon Sweets Chocolate Cups. Buy individually or make like a true Corkonian and buy a box of 36 for everyone to enjoy over Christmas!

CAKES

Alternative Christmas Puddings, from €25, www.alternativechristmaspudding.ie

Niamh Cosgrove makes beautiful cakes! Using the best quality ingredients, including homemade liqueurs, she has developed a technique that elevates these puddings from a humble chocolate biscuit cake to something decadent and luxurious and all wrapped in jewel-coloured velvet. This year, Niamh has launched a version that is vegan and gluten-free.

Brack Club, €60, www.thecupcakebloke.com

Graham Herterich is the master of Irish tea brack and puts his own spin on things with inspired flavour combos. A three-month Brack Club Membership will keep you in limited edition tea bracks with a new one arriving each month.

Include a copy of his Bake and Cook books for the ultimate gift for anyone who’s pure weak for a bitta brack!

WINE & CHEESE

Ballymaloe Wine Tasting Weekend, from €1,190 (up to 2 people), www.ballymaloe.ie

Beat the February blues by gifting ahead with this incredible-sounding Wine Tasting Weekend in Ballymaloe, February 21-23.

Explore exquisite wines and farm-to-table dining in the countryside for this experience, hosted by Samuel Chantoiseau, Head Sommelier at Ballymaloe House, and Colm McCan, Wine Teacher at Ballymaloe Cookery School.

Kinsale Mead, €72, www.kinsalemeadco.ie

Mead is a good idea any time of year and a great alternative gift to the usual bottle of wine. Take advantage of Kinsale Mead’s web-exclusive festive deal for three Signature Series meads for only €72. 

Atlantic Dry Mead is honeyed and crisp, Wild Red Mead is smooth with blackcurrants and cherries, and Hazy Summer Mead is fruity - great with turkey or cold meats.

Sheridan’s Cheese Gift, www.sheridanscheesemongers.com

A by-word for quality cheesemongery in Ireland, Sheridan’s are offering a range of festive gift ideas including hampers, virtual cheese tasting classes and their fabulous Cheese Club.

Vouchers for virtual cheese tastings take place January and February next year, and include a selection of specially selected cheese, accompaniments and two specially selected wines sent to participants a few days before the event. The selection is suitable for one to four people, making it a perfect gift for a post-Christmas get together. Hampers from €14-250, Virtual Cheese Tasting €70, Cheese Club from €50.

Folláin #GiftOfHome, from €14.99, www.follain.ie

West Cork-based Folláin present their festive range of jams, chutneys, caramels and curds, with 50% of proceeds from all online sales going to support the work of The Simon Community. Large boxes include a selection of six Folláin preserves presented in a fetching box with specially designed jam spoons, gifting, recipe and pairing cards to make the most of it all.

PURE CORK SIPS

Rebel City Distillery – Craft Spirit Enthusiast Collection, €110, www.rebelcitydistillery.com

A trio of rebellious and award-winning spirits, Maharani Gin, Citrus Vodka and Ireland’s only Absinthe, makes for the perfect addition to any craft spirit enthusiasts’ drinks cabinet! Pair it with a voucher for a cocktail masterclass (€45) to learn how to use all three in inventive and delicious cocktails.

BKultured Sparkling Water Kefir, €19, www.bkultured.com

Demand for Lo/No drinks is on the rise. From BKultured in East Cork comes Sparkling Water Kefir bottled in a 750ml (wine) bottle size, designed to give a champagne experience without the alcohol but with all the flavour and subtlety that BKultured is known for. 

It’ll be a lovely gift to bring to a party, or a thoughtful gift to anyone looking to avoid alcohol this festive season. Available online as a double pack at €38, or individually via local stockists (see online).

Loose Leaf Tea – Adventurer’s Gift Set, €26, www.looseleaf.ie

Cork’s premier tea merchant, Loose Leaf Tea, has a wonderful array of specially selected and blended tea gift sets. The Adventurer’s Gift Set contains four different teas in 50g bags - black, green, herbal and fruit – all nestled inside a gift box together with a teaspoon and a choice of either an owl, black kitty, ginger kitty, or curly sheep cutesy tea infuser. 

Add a selection box of seven gourmet honey blends for sweetening the tea (€18).

SCENTS-ATIONAL!

Hanna’s Bees, Beehive Beeswax Candles, €36, www.hannasbees.ie

Using only all-natural Irish beeswax, this set of six ‘beehive’ candles burns with a gentle flame, releasing a sweet and comforting scent of honey and beeswax. Presented in an egg-carton (compostable packaging), it’s a cute little stocking filler!

Kildare Candle Barn, from €15, www.kildarecandlebarn.com

Master Chandler, Jackie Sweeney, makes beautifully scented candles presented in copper tins and etched glass that sparkle and shine. Orange & Chili Pepper, Fig & Cassis, Hot Whiskey, Caramel Latte, Blackberry, Thai Lime & Mango, Cinnamon & Apple – just some of the candles perfect for the foodie obsessive in your life!