» » Holiday Gift Guide 2019: The Best Items To Stock Their Pantry - Forbes

Holiday Gift Guide 2019: The Best Items To Stock Their Pantry - Forbes

Holiday Gift Guide 2019: The Best Items To Stock Their Pantry - Forbes

A home cook is only as good as their tools and ingredients. If someone on your gift list really loves mixing flavors and trying the latest celebrity chef recipes, a great gift idea would be stocking their pantry with spices, seasoning, and ingredient essentials.

Spicewalla Kitchen Essentials 18 Spices Gift Set

A home pantry is only as good as the flavor inside it. This gift set ($95) has all the essential spices and seasonings: Garlic, Kashmiri chili powder, crushed red pepper, cinnamon powder, smoked paprika, cumin seed, oregano, rosemary, cloves, turmeric, granulated onion, dark chili powder, ground yellow mustard, green cardamom powder, coriander seed, herbs de Provence, fennel seed, and ground ginger. Whatever they are cooking, whatever recipe they are researching, they will have what they need!

Porcini Mushroom Rub

We love mushrooms but it’s one of those things that isn’t always fresh, or in the fridge. Dried porcini mushrooms are super rich in flavor and these ($12) are blended with spices like cumin, mustard, Chinese five-spice, brown sugar and garlic. The porcini mushroom rub that results will be great for everything from grilling to marinating. 

Kim’C Market Gochujang + Doenjang + Ganjang

Spice things up with a bit of Korean flavor, with this gift set ($59) that includes Gochujang (red chili paste), Doenjang (soybean paste) and Ganjang (soy sauce). These come from the valley of Jookjang in southeastern Korea, where local farmers grow ingredients and get together to ferment in winter. Who doesn’t love a spicy gift that also has a story?

Chosen Foods Simmer Sauces

Available in exotic varieties like Muhammara Red Pepper ($8) this lets any home cook pretend they have a way better grasp of layering flavors than they actually do. They are also incredibly easy to use and versatile (also a beneficial gift to an amateur home cook!).

St Pierre Bakery Chocolate Chip French Brioche Swirls 

Something sweet for someone who sweetens your life via vanilla custard brioche swirls, with added chocolate chips. In this package ($19/6-pack) each swirl is wrapped separately on its own for added freshness. Think outside the box and use these to elevate French toast or as a base for a cupcake. Or just as a great snack!

Brooklyn Roasting Company Espresso Three Tin Sampler

Some believe there’s nothing more important to someone who loves to dine and entertain than great coffee. While an espresso is a perfect way to start or end a day, it can also be used in cooking, from baking to a homemade rub for a roast. This set from Brooklyn Roasting Company ($40) will be appreciated for months to come. (Until they are ready for a refill!)

Salts of the World Gift Collection 

Salt is a lot more than the box they get off the shelf at the local grocery store. The right salts can elevate a dish and be a beautiful finish. These six delicious salts ($30) have been carefully sourced from the four corners of the earth, and includes hand-selected artisanal salts in flip-top jars. 

Bono Extra Virgin Olive Oil 

As a kitchen ‘must’ for those who love to cook, Bono (starts at $15) is the exclusive house purveyor of EVOO for the James Beard Foundation. Another cool feature is that each individual bottle has its own tracking number to the land –that’s how everyone knows exactly where their oil came from!. Prices for the EVOO start at

Palo Alto Firefighters Pepper Sauce

Some like it hot, right? This hot sauce ($29) was previously available only to firefighters in Palo Alto but now it’s being sold to everyone. The Variety 2 Pack includes the Original Pepper Sauce as well as the Scovie Award Winning XX Habanero Pepper Sauce. (This will be really hot, no wonder it’s a favorite of fire fighters!)

Choose Your Own Artisan Mustard 4 Pack from Arcangeli Grocery

Mustard is more than yellow or brown. For the true mustard lover, from spicy to sweet, this is a nice selection ($45) of artisanal mustard. They can stock their pantry with four varieties of their own choosing!

Verve Culture Thai For Two Organic Curry Sampler Kit

With colder weather, there’s a growing desire to prepare spicy and hearty curries and stews.  These Thai kits ($35) are organic, vegan, gluten-free, and sustainably-made. Each kit comes with green curry, red curry, and Panang curry, and are easy to follow, so even the beginner chef can give them a try!

Fly By Jing Triple Threat 

Another great choice for anyone who loves to pack some flavorful heat is Fly By Jing’s Triple Threat ($46), which includes a trio of sauces: Sichuan Chili Crisp, Zhong Dumpling Sauce, and Mala Spice Mix. These are made of traditional Sichuan ingredients and can be used on everything eggs to noodles (but see what they come up with when they invite you over for dinner!).