The big Cork foodie gift guide

It’s Christmas, which means it’s time for the return of my Big Cork Foodie Gift Guide!

This year it is once again filled to the rafters with lots of fantastic gifting ideas for the food lover in your life. If that person is you, slide this under the nose of whoever needs a nudge in the right direction for nailing your perfect gift. Pair this catalogue of wonderous things with my feature on the best seasonal cookery books, and you’ll have all you need to be the best Santa ever!

From gadgets and gizmos to dips and sips, crafting and classes, and funky little stocking fillers, there’s a little foodie gift for everyone…

Chocolate heaven

Chocolate is always a good idea, and playing with chocolate is an even better idea!

Praline Pastry & Chocolate Shop Classes, from €85 www.praline.ie

Mitchelstown-based chocolatier and pastry mavens, Praline, has released a series of pastry and chocolate classes, new for 2026, ideal for gift giving. Classes range from Back to Basics with scone, bread and muffin baking, to gluten-free pastries, to crafting your own Chocolate Heart for Valentine’s Day and creating Easter Desserts and Easter Eggs in March.

Home Chocolat, Craft Your Own Chocolate Kits, €25 www.homechocolat.com

Great for adults or kids who love to play with their food, the Craft Your Own Chocolate Kits from Cork-based Home Chocolat feature 300g of CocoaBlox chocolate couverture for melting, made from single-origin Ecuadorian cacao in either dark, milk or white blend, an easy-to-follow instruction card, a Christmas-themed silicone chocolate mould, and a surprise gift.

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

As far from the traditional pudding as you can get, Niamh Cosgrove’s exquisite handmade chocolate and biscuit-based puds are award-winning for a reason. Each comes wrapped in jewel-hued velvet in flavours as divine as Coffee Liqueur with Fudge & Nuts, Dubai Dark Chocolate, Spiced Arancello and Cardamom and more. Gorgeous for gifting.

Dip it

Who doesn’t love having a bunch of delicious things to dip other delicious things into?

SAGE 12 Dips of Christmas, €60 www.shop.sageproducts.ie

A fabulous selection of SAGE’s signature sauces and exclusive festive creations, all collected in a presentation box with serving suggestions, that’s perfect for gifting. Festive specials include Hot Port & Cranberry Sauce, Winter Spiced Plum Sauce and Ranch & Rose Cocktail Sauce. SAGE classic dips in the box are Buttermilk Ranch, Hot Honey Ranch, Roasted Garlic Aioli, Red Chilli Chimichurri, Peanut & Chilli Rayu, Beetroot & Orange Relish, 12 Spice Seasoning, Tartare Sauce, and Truffle & Pecorino Mayo.

BRAZEN Chilli, Challenge Pack, €32 www.brazenhotsauce.ie

The incredible tasting small batch all all-natural ingredient-led hot sauces from BRAZEN are the chilli-lovers’ dream! With each new creation driven by flavour and the perfect balance of heat, zing and tang, the Challenge Pack pulls together five of creator Ken Wade’s favourites. Line up the bottles, grab some wings, and see who can handle the heat without tapping out. Promising fiery fun craic, but who will make it to the end...?

Folláin 12 Days of Christmas Cheese Pairings, €14 www.follain.ie

The new 12 Days of Christmas Cheese Pairing from Folláin is just the thing for any cheese fan weak for things in miniature. The box contains 12 unique miniature chutney and relish pots behind every window with suggested pairings with the best of Irish farmhouses cheeses. Flavours include Hot Honey & Pepper Jelly, Mulled Wine & Plum Chutney, Fig, Kimchi Relish, Spiced Apple Chutney and Caramelised Onion with Black Garlic Relish. Folláin have teamed up with The Simon Communities of Ireland again with #TheGiftOfHome campaign where 50% of all proceeds from online sales go towards supporting their vital work. A win-win!

Hamper pamper

To gift a hamper is to gift a little taste of joy!

Sheridan’s Cheese Hampers, from €14-€65 (add a wine hamper, €39) www.sheridans.ie

Available online or from any of the Sheridan’s Cheesemongers concessions at Cork’s Dunnes Stores Food Emporiums, these are brilliantly curated cheese hampers that blend the best cheese from Ireland and Europe with Cork-made crackers, charcuterie and more. Available in a range of prices, the hardest thing is what to choose! Add a Sheridan’s Wine Set to any cheese hamper for a tasty gift. Add a virtual cheese tasting as an added extra gift, (€70).

Mannings Emporium Hampers, from €45-€195 www.manningsemporium.ie

The Festive Celebration Hamper (€185) is a showstopping collection of artisanal food. Irish cheese, sweet treats (Hadji Bey, Mella’s Fudge) and savoury dainties (Seymour’s Cheese Sable, Forest Feast), Lorge chocolates and Irish preserves are paired with fine wines and sparkling Crémant presented in a lined wicker basket evoking the warmth and generosity of the season.

Sip sip hooray!

Boozy sips to bring a warming glow of festive glee…

Kinsale Mead, Barrel-Aged ‘Miskey’, €35, www.kinsalemeadco.ie/gifting

The ideal gift for drinks connoisseurs with an interest in unique and unusual whiskey gifts is Kinsale Mead’s Dark Forest Honey Mead. This semi-sweet sipping mead was made from dark, smoky honey and aged in American oak casks from Midleton Distillery. The catchy and aptly named Miskey meads are just 12% ABV. Loads of vanilla, baked apple, coconut and cocoa notes with a lingering Bourbon and Irish whiskey tingle.

Rebel City Distillery, Maharani Gin Aged in Beer Barrel, €50 www.rebelcitydistillery.com

One heck of a Pure Cork creation! Rebel City Distillery paired with microbrewery Elbow Lane to create a limited edition version of Maharani Gin aged in French Oak barrels pre-seasoned for three months with Elbow Lane’s Amber Ale. As the beer came out, the gin went in and had a party in the barrel for five whole months! The result is a complex spirit with the signature spice and sweetness of Maharani Gin with a rich, malty character and hints of vanilla and caramel from the beer barrel.

Eight Degrees Brewing, All The IPAs Mega Pack, €79.60 www.eightdegrees.ie

Is there someone in your life for whom the IPA is an unparalleled beverage of choice? If so, the beer brewing heroes at Eight Degrees Brewing have you covered with the ultimate IPA selection pack. Featuring six cans each of their four bestselling IPAs - Seisiún IPA, Full Irish Single Malt IPA, Citra Single Hop IPA and Howling Gale Irish Pale Ale – it’ll be one amazing surprise under the tree for the IPA aficionado.

Salt & honey

When it’s a staple, but you make it gourmet…

Salt of Kinsale, €10 www.saltofkinsale.ie

Nothing but pure sea water and sunshine go into making this sea salt that’s a taste of Cork’s Atlantic waters. A gourmet sea salt for home cooks who understand that good salt is worth its weight in gold. Available in an attractive two-piece tube, or in handy 40g tins for seasoning on the go.

Hanna’s Bees, Nectar of Ireland Gift Set, €75 www.hannasbees.ie

Five honey seasons in one collection; an exquisite medley of the Irish landscape. Explore how raw wild Irish honey changes flavour and texture throughout the year from spring to late autumn as the bees work hard to collect nectar from flowering wildflowers, herbs and trees. The set contains Spring Soft Set Honey, Summer Wildflower Honey, Honeycomb Chunk Honey, Mountain Heather Honey, and Autumn Ivy Honey in a gift box with a wooden honey dipper.

Cuppa joe

Give the gift of get up and go!

Badger & Dodo Coffee Roasters, Christmas Blend, €13.88 www.badgeranddodo.ie

It’s back! Full to the brim with notes of rum, raisin and orange, this limited edition whole bean festive blend is the ideal gift for the coffee fan looking for something different for their Christmas morning brew. Made up of a carefully curated blend of Washed Guatemala El Morito (40%), Natural Ethiopia Lalesa (30%) and Washed Ethiopia Chelbesa (30%). Limited edition packaging available on 250g pouches only.

Fzin Mokador Diva Espresso Coffee Machine & Compostable Coffee Capsules www.fzin.ie

Love coffee? Want the convenience of a pod machine but concerned about their environmental impact? The Fzin Mokador Diva Espresso Coffee Machine can do it all thanks to their innovative fully compostable coffee capsule solution for a flavour-forward, sustainable coffee experience. Capsules can be used with this good looking machine or with any Nespresso machine to deliver pro-level espresso in the comfort of your own home. Available in black, white, red and blue, the espresso machine is €180 with 100 capsules of their award-winning Sophia blend for €50.

Stocking fillers

Funky li’l things that’ll bring a smile to your face.

Mindful Maker, Tapas Serving Board, from €104-124 www.mindfulmaker.ie

Making beautiful and functional wooden pieces from Irish elm, sycamore, ash, oak, beech and yew trees, Paul Murphy offers a Tapas Serving Board in two sizes in a choice of elm, spalted beech and ash. Designed to last a lifetime while creating memories around the table.

Charlie Mahon Ceramics, Trio of Stacking Bowls – Mackerel Fish Design, €115 www.charliemahonceramicspottery.com

A hand-spun, painted and glazed trio of ceramic stacking pottery bowls by Charlie Mahon, designed to be as practical as they are beautiful. Each piece is unique with subtle variations that reflect the artistry behind Charlie’s work. The iconic mackerel fish design creates a connection to the wild Atlantic that wraps its way around Cork’s coastline.

Blasta Books Fridge Magnets, €4.75 www.blastabooks.com

Do you abide by the gospel according to the chicken fillet roll? Are crisp sambos life and Coddle king? If so, the quartet of foodie-themed fridge magnets from Blasta Books is for you, available in Chicken Fillet Roll, Crisp Sambo, Dublin Coddle and Batch Loaf. Perfect for pinning your shopping list to the fridge door.

Stanley Notte Pure Cork, Langer Coaster Set, €20 www.stannottecreations.ie

Whether you’re a northsider or a southsider, chances are you’ll know a feen who’s some langer! Give them a place to put their cup of Barry’s with this cheeky four-set of coasters.

Go go gadget

If it must be a gadget this Christmas, give something that makes summer feel a bit closer…

Ninja Swirl by CREAMi 13-in-1 Soft Serve & Ice Cream Maker, €409 www.harveynorman.ie

Who knew there were 13 different types of frozen dessert? The Ninja Swirl knows how to make every single one from soft serve to classic ‘Scoop’ serves including ice cream, sorbet and milkshake. It even allows you to add in toppings such as chocolate and nuts. Perfect for the person who absolutely must have the latest gizmo in their kitchen.