This story originally appeared in our subscriber-only newsletter, available by backing the Heavy Table on Patreon.
From festive food to servingware to local treats and intoxicating (or sobriety-maintaining!) tipples, our 2022 Local Food Gift Guide has it all. Most of the guide is made locally, and nearly 100% of it can be purchased in local shops, so if you’re looking to impress with a taste of the Upper Midwest, this is a great place to start. Enjoy the journey and have a radiant and joyful holiday season!
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STARTERS: $25 AND UNDER
Teak Flat Paddle Spreader and Teak Pinch Bowl | $5 and $7 | The Foundry
Those lovely and tiny teak accessories can be used while cooking in the kitchen or to grade a holiday table for individual servings. – Amy Rea
Funky Chunky Chip Zel Pop | Starting at $9 | Online
Sometimes, more is more. Case in point: Funky Chunky Chip Zel Pop, an inspired sweet and salty mix of potato chips, pretzels, and caramel corn drizzled with caramel and white, milk, and dark chocolate. Each bite is a unique combination of flavors and textures, and the saltiness of the chips and pretzels keeps the snack from being a sugar overload. Sizes range from a budget-friendly 8-ounce mini canister to a splurge of a 5-pound tin, so you can treat every price point on your gift list. – Stacy Brooks
Nomadic Kitchen Marshmallows | Starting at $10 | Online and Golden Fig Fine Foods
Vermont-based confectionery Nomadic Kitchen creates artisanal marshmallows with a lofty texture and rich flavors inspired by the holiday season, like gingerbread and dulce de leche. The toasty vanilla version is anything but ordinary, made from toasted sugar for a s’mores-like quality straight out of the bag. Whether you add them to an extravagant cup of hot cocoa, melt them into an upscale s’more, or eat them on their own, they’re a nostalgia-tinged treat that lives up to your fondest childhood memories. – Stacy Brooks
Gourmet Toffees at St. Croix Chocolate Company | $13 | Online or at the store
With toffee variants including chili pistachio, bourbon pecan, hazelnut coffee, macadamia coconut, and peanut butter, St. Croix Chocolate Company has elevated this sometimes workaday sweet into something special for the holidays. We tried two varieties and enjoyed them: peanut butter had a profoundly peanut-y chew to it and balanced its salt and sugar levels perfectly, and chili pistachio managed to deliver a gentle but perceptible nudge of chili kick to an otherwise sweetly nutty confection that was pistachio forward in the best possible way. – James Norton
Ooyoo Gift Box | $15 | Online
Ooyoo is a condiment in a category of its own, thanks to the milk-based dessert spread’s incredibly silky, luxurious texture. The bold, beverage-inspired flavors surprise the palate with layers of flavor, created from high quality ingredients and caramelization that occurs during the cooking process. This gift set is a perfect introduction to the product, with 2-ounce jars of the Coffee Moxie and Earl Grey Wonder spread in an easy-to-wrap box. Tip: save on shipping by picking up your order at Ooyoo’s Northeast Minneapolis location or commercial kitchen in Falcon Heights. – Stacy Brooks
Bordallo Pinheiro Cabbage Serving Dishes | $16-$100 | The Foundry
Cabbage often doesn’t get the respect it deserves, but here, it’s elevated to a beautiful set of serving dishes from tiny finger bowls to large platters. The hearty green cabbage would make a most festive holiday table. – Amy Rea
Chouqette Holiday Movie Chocolates | $17 | Golden Fig Fine Foods
Can you beat a set of chocolates themed around holiday movie classics including A Christmas Story, Home Alone, Elf, Christmas Vacation, and The Grinch? Sorry, Die Hard not included. – Amy Rea
Stirsby Stirrer | $17 | Golden Fig Fine Foods
Made in Minnesota by an artisan who needed to find uses for the scrap wood in his workshop, Stirsby Stirrers are sleek and attractive, and can be used the same way a wooden spoon is. No Stirrer is exactly the same, since they’re made out of leftover pieces that would otherwise end up as waste. – Amy Rea
Easy Kebob | $17.50 | Online
Perhaps kofta kabobs aren’t a part of your life, or aren’t a part of your loved one’s life. That’s all about to change, through the magic of … Easy Kebob. Kofta (also known as a seekh kabob) is spiced ground meat shaped into a torpedo, threaded onto a skewer, and grilled up into a delicious, tender, sausage-like culinary missile. The genius of the Easy Kebob system – for it’s really a system, isn’t it, not a mere gadget – is the ease with which your spiced sausage mixture is shaped and skewered by way of its simple-to-clean apparatus. I bought one on a whim, I loved it, and I now use it regularly – as silly as it may seem, it’s a really entertaining addition to the kitchen for any playful or adventurous home cook. – James Norton
Laboratory Porcelain Heavy Handled Pitcher | 50ml, 500ml, or 1L | $18, $30 or $48 | The Foundry
If you or your gift recipient is longing to go metric, these pitchers will take care of that. They’re produced in the Czech Republic and designed to actual laboratory standards, so if you have a yen to make your kitchen a more scientific place, these will help. – Amy Rea
Heartell Press Generous Kitchen Towels | $18 | Golden Fig Fine Foods
These towels are made of 30″ by 30″ double-weight cotton and printed with water-based inks. There are a number of food-based designs to choose from that are cheerful and attractive and would not only make the kitchen itself more agreeable, but could conceivably be used as oversized table decor. – Amy Rea
Jul: Swedish American Holiday Traditions | $20 (paperback) | Minnesota Historical Society Press and local bookstores
Jul interweaves immigrant history, celebratory traditions, and family reminiscences with clearly-written recipes, offering an entertaining encyclopedia of sweet and savory foods and the memories they evoke. Author and ethnic food maven Patrice M. Johnson has wisely decided to include four different recipes for Swedish rye bread – including the fabled loaf from Gustavus Adolphus College – in this fun cookbook of traditional and contemporary takes on Swedish-American holiday eats. Pair with a jar of Swedish cloudberry preserves from Ingebretsen’s. – Jeanne Lakso
HEARTY MAINS: $25 TO $50
Gingerbread 500-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle | $26 | Golden Fig Fine Foods
If building an actual gingerbread house fills you with either angst or ennui at the holidays, consider this less delicate option. You won’t be able to eat it later–but you can save it and re-create it next year. – Amy Rea
Baja Ontario Artisan THC Edibles | $28-109 | Online
In the crazy, gold rush-style cannabis market that exists right now, it can be difficult to nail down a quality product and finding one with a delicious and intentional food story is damn near impossible. Enter Baja Ontario, whose mission is to “…work exclusively with best Minnesota-based businesses to make sure our edibles contain the highest quality ingredients and provide a quality high. Our gummies are vegan and made from all natural ingredients, our gourmet chocolate has high quality freeze dried organic fruit, and we only source from reputable cannabis providers.” – James Norton
Herbivorous Butcher Cookbook | $30 | Online or at local booksellers such as Moon Palace Books
When we cooked and ate (exclusively) vegan for a week earlier this year, the Herbivorous Butcher Cookbook was an invaluable assistant. It’s more than recipes – it’s a collection of pantry-building methods for stand-ins that replace staples like butter and chicken stock, making the building of vegan alternatives doable from the ground up. It’s a thoughtfully written and useful book, and a good read for anyone vegan, vegan curious, or just looking to occasionally step back away from the meat and dairy that so dominate our American diet. – James Norton
True North Cabin Cookbook | $30 | Minnesota Historical Society Press and local bookstores
Media personality and local maker champion Stephanie Hansen’s first cookbook is an ode to her family’s Northwoods cabin, packed with recipes and warm reminiscences. For friends and family with actual cabins or just cabin aspirations, this book will evoke afternoons on the deck with a lake breeze and a juneberry margarita, smelling the pines. Hansen’s recipes are eminently flexible in technique and ingredients, and suitably unfussy – even the Boeuf Bourguignon. Catch Stephanie at one of her in-person events or visit her website for a signed copy. – Jeanne Lakso
Breakfast Pack Shortbread Assortment | $32 | Dueling Grandmas Shortbread
Ken Velky’s shortbread recipes are based on ones from his Scottish immigrant Grandma MacKenzie and his mother-in-law, Grandma MacIntyre, the “dueling grandmas” in his company’s name. One of many wonderful things about Scotland is that in some parts it’s traditional to have a dram of Scotch whisky at breakfast to warm you up for your workday. So it doesn’t feel like much of a stretch to eat a couple of buttery shortbread first thing in the morning, especially if they include fruit and nuts. The Dueling Grandmas Breakfast Pack includes three each of the lemon white chocolate, orange cranberry, brown sugar pecan and original flavors. Shipping is $9, and there are free holiday pick-up options on December 10 and 17. – Jeanne Lakso
Olive Wood Salt Cellar and Spoon | $35 | Petek Trading Company
Cooking is meant to offer pleasure to all the senses – not just taste, sight, and smell, but also touch. My sea salt hangs out on the counter in a 4-ounce Ball canning jar that’s a bit sticky with cooking residue, no matter how often it’s washed. There’s always salt lodged in the screw threads of the two-part lid so when I open it, there’s a small but annoying salt spill. By contrast, this beautifully finished olive wood container has a smoothly swiveling lid and a satiny matching spoon that may not improve my cooking skills but feels lovely in the hand. And it’s made by refugee Syrian artisans in Turkey who receive fair wages for their work. Visit Melek Petek’s shop in the Hamm Building on West 7th Street to pick up a salt box and a few olive wood kitchen utensils too. – Jeanne Lakso
At Home by Gavin Kaysen | $35 | Online or at local booksellers such as Moon Palace Books
A lot of cookbooks by top-flight chefs with sleek, cosmopolitan restaurants feature gorgeous photography, mouth-watering concepts, and recipes that don’t work. Worse: The book was never written with the intention you’d actually cook from it – in effect, you’ve just paid $40 for a lavishly illustrated advertising brochure. At Home is nothing like that at all. The recipes are thoughtfully curated, the methods are attainable, the writing is clear, and the photography largely serves the purpose of teaching you how to cook the dishes. It’s a triumph of clear communication, and if you pick it up for a friend, expect to be entertained lavishly in the near future thanks to its secrets. (And if you want to dig deeper, you can read our review on the website.) – James Norton
Tree-Shaped Cake Server | $40 | The Store at MIA
Made in India out of marble and brass, these contemporary tree-shaped cake servers bring some gentle cheer to a holiday table. – Amy Rea
Owl Bottle Opener | $42 | The Store at MIA
Make someone feel wise about their choice of bottled beverage with this bottle opener topped with a complacent owl. Yes, it’s expensive for a bottle opener, but it’s made of cast iron and has more than a little heft. No bottle cap will withstand the owl. – Amy Rea
Minnesota Trivet | $50 | The Store at MIA
Not only is this trivet shaped like the state of Minnesota, it was made in Minnesota, at Dock 6 Pottery. The trivet is made of ceramic, glass, and stone, and each trivet varies slightly, making each one-of-a-kind. – Amy Rea
Great Lakes Potato Chip Company Party Pack | $50 | Online
Made in Michigan from Michigan-grown potatoes, these skin-on super-crisp chips are a fantastic snack. The salt and vinegar flavor is nicely balanced with just a hint of sweet, and the barbecue and buffalo wing chips are can’t-stop-eating-them good. The party pack – twelve 8-ounce bags in nine different flavors – was the most appreciated gift we sent to faraway family members last year. My sister-in-law went crazy for their limited-edition purple potato chips – also available by the case. Shipping’s free. – Jeanne Lakso
GRAND GESTURES: $50-150
Pot Pies by Wise Acre | $52-65 | Order Online by Dec. 20, Pickup Dec. 23 (8am-6pm) or 24 (8am-2pm)
Big, flaky, fantastic-looking pot pies can grace your holiday table if you order online by Dec. 20 from farm-to-table mainstay Wise Acre. We were most intrigued by the Steak Pot Pie, which serves 4-6 and features “thick and rich broth with Scottish Highland Beef Steak and farm vegetables in a flaky pie crust.” – James Norton
Grid Serving Plank | small or large | $52 or $86 | Walker Art Center
These serving planks are made of beech wood. The wood is carved with a grid pattern on the serving side, while the opposite side is flat for carving. There are routed handles on the ends of easier carrying. – Amy Rea
Afternoon Tea at the Lynhall | $55-65 | Lynhall Edina
What do you get for the friend who has everything? How about an appointment to really, truly, seriously connect while daintily scarfing down some of the best sweet and savory pastries being made right now in Minnesota?
When we sat down with Lynhall founder Anne Spaeth, and recently hired pastry chef Jeremy Intille to talk about the Edina Lynhall’s afternoon tea program, we weren’t sure that the series could justify its cost. But everything about this parade of bite-sized culinary celebrations was on point, from the ambiance to the servingware to the galaxy of pastries adorning the three-tiered server that hit the table.
“Having our previous pastry chef and now having Jeremy here, and seeing how much fun they have from a creative standpoint…” says Spaeth, “It’s really fun to say to creatives, ‘this is the sandbox we’re going to play in, afternoon tea,’ and give them a runway to play with and see what they come up with.”
The assorted tidbits on the server represented an astonishing range of traditions, from a light, delicate, perfectly rendered German stollen (fruit bread), to a remarkably delicate and delicious sufganiyot (Israeli jelly doughnut), to a coconut macaroon made with meringue that was, consequently, the lightest, airiest and most delicious version of this treat that we’ve ever experienced.
“This is a holiday tea,” says Intille. “It’s based on my experience with holidays, so we have everything from stollen to Beef Wellington which is pretty classic, and latkes with applesauce to acknowledge Hanukkah. And my family’s Sicilian, so at the holidays we always have a lot of cookie trays.”
And the tea? It includes a remarkable variety of choices including a remarkable sugar maple black tea, a hazelnut orange infusion, two intriguing oolongs, and a limited edition Black Jasmine ($5 supplement). “Tea is like coffee, or fine wine,” says Spaeth, who is a former resident of London and a dedicated tea fanatic. “You can really go down a rabbit hole.”
And while the tea program, with its ambitious rotating cast of edible and drinkable characters, might not be strictly traditional, it honors the heart of the British afternoon tea experience – it’s the definition of quality time, a chance for people to relax, unwind, explore, and connect. We’ve had a number of truly memorable culinary experiences in 2022; this one is near the top of our list of favorites.
Lynhall Edina’s Afternoon Tea is $55 per adult and $35 for children 10 and under. Holiday teas (December, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day & Father’s Day) are $65 per person and $40 for children 10 and under.
Heavy Table Gift Subscription | $60-300 | Online
What do you get for the Minnesota food lover who has everything? How about a gift subscription to the Heavy Table? Just shoot us a Venmo (@Heavytable) for $60, $120, or $300 and specify the name and email of the person you’d like to receive a year-long Diner-, Honored Guest-, or Maven-level gift subscription. Diners get the Churn and Tulip and Schooner newsletters; Honored Guests also receive the Tap; Mavens get invitations to special events and other perks. – James Norton
Marieke Gouda Cheese Lover Gift Box | $65 | Online
One of our favorite Wisconsin cheesemakers (woman-owned! Seriously legit European flavor traditions! A roadside trampoline for the kids at their Thorp, Wisc. location!) has a cheese-lover gift box that lets the giver customize by picking through the company’s collection of gouda-forward cheeses, including honey clover, truffle, and even stinging nettle (no actual stinging involved). Giving’s a breeze when you’re sending cheese. – James Norton
Terroir Chocolate Deluxe Gift Box | $79 | Online
Josh and Kristin Mohagen have been making fair trade certified organic bean-to-bar chocolate in Fergus Falls, Minnesota for the past nine years. Their range includes single-origin dark chocolate from Haiti, Belize, and the Dominican Republic, and milk, dark, and white chocolates in creative flavors like cardamom krumkake, smoked maple brittle, and golden milk. Terroir Chocolate’s deluxe gift box offers five 2-ounce bars and six half-ounce mini-bars, a box of maple toffee made with local maple syrup, and a bag of their crackle corn. Since they recently moved from a church kitchen to a 7,000 square foot facility, expect to hear more from the Mohagens. – Jeanne Lakso
Ikai Asai Shallow Bowl With Lid | $110 | The Store at MIA
These black pottery bowls are handmade in India by women using homemade pottery wheels and standing over them to shape the pottery rather than sitting by the wheels. The results are unique clay bowls with lids that are beautiful, but also functional, including in the microwave (but not the dishwasher). – Amy Rea
Farm Stay at an Air B-n-BAWK! | $120 – $300 for a two-night stay (rates vary seasonally) | Wrenshall, MN
Jason and Lucie Amundsen moved from the Twin Cities to a farm in Wrenshall, MN in 2012 to start their own free-range chicken farm, Locally Laid Egg Company.* To celebrate their tenth anniversary, they’ve ventured into agri-tourism with a side of mentoring for folks who aspire to follow in their footsteps. Their two on-farm properties are simple but cleverly-designed tiny houses; rent the Bunkhouse and you’ll share space with the chickens (there’s a pane of glass between your sleeping area and theirs), and just so you know, there’s no indoor toilet. Guest can help tend poultry, gather eggs, and check their romantic dreams of farm life against the real thing. You can purchase a virtual gift card on AirBnB. – Jeanne Lakso
*Lucie chronicled their adventure/saga in her hilarious and charming Locally Laid.
Fruit Company Fruit Subscription | Starting at $129 | Online
Is this a local choice? Not really. But is it convenient, stylish, and something we will happily vouch for? Absolutely yes. The Fruit Company sends out reliably tasty, sometimes surprisingly exotic fruit in peak condition, meaning that your recipient gets not just one gift, but 3, or 6, or even 12 gifts over the course of a calendar year. There are a variety of different subscription themes to choose from, and the subscriptions we’ve given and received have turned up in good condition with delightful contents. – James Norton
$150 AND UP
Alessi Trinity Basket | $150 | Walker Art Center
This basket was designed by Adam Cornish to represent the spiral structure of the nautilus mollusc. It can act simply as a piece of art on a holiday table, or it can hold anything from bread to fruit to sweets. – Amy Rea
Nosh Menorah | $160 | The Store at MIA
Bagel lovers and modern design aficionados alike will appreciate this flashy, funny menorah, which comes in brilliantly finished brass or chrome. It’s a fabulous present for the festival of lights or a December wedding. Candles and schmear not included. – Jeanne Lakso
Reality Banana Bowl by Harry Allen | $190 | Walker Art Center
Harry Allen is a designer known for unexpected and often comic takes on household items. This resin bowl awaits a new batch of fresh bananas, which it will hold tenderly until consumed. – Amy Rea
Ichimatsu Sake Glass Set | $195 | The Store at MIA
These gorgeous glassware pieces are carved in the traditional Japanese Ichimatsu pattern, described as an infinitely connected pattern representing the prosperity of descendants. Whether or not it guarantees prosperity, receiving such a lovely set as a gift would certainly feel prosperous. – Amy Rea
Reality Candy Dish by Harry Allen | $200 | Walker Art Center
This glittering candy dish is literally made of candies from around the world, preserved in resin, and just waiting to serve more candy. It’s functional while also being a conversation piece. – Amy Rea
Chen Chen & Kai Williams Stone Wave Stacking Trays | $340-$1,400 | Walker Art Center
Chen Chen & Kai Williams create limited edition items like these stacking trays made of marble and corian that are intricately carved to be interlocking when in a complete set. The trays are available for purchase individually or for the entire set of three. Within the set of three are black, red, and gray variegated marble, which makes the set even more visually appealing when the trays are separated. – Amy Rea
SPIRITED AND OTHERWISE SIPPABLE GIFTS
Keychain bottle opener | $3 | Any local brewery
OK, so mine is from New Glarus. On my 25th birthday I bought a cheap keychain bottle opener. A couple months ago when I was in the Cities and stopped at Ombibulous for beers, someone had bought food at the BBQ food truck outside and then a soda inside. But no bottle opener. “Let me get that for ya.” The decade-old New Glarus bottle opener comes in clutch. This thing comes in handy a lot, and not just for beer. Worth an investment if your key ring isn’t already overloaded. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Rabbit Bottle Stoppers | $8 | Online
I don’t always want to wait to open a big bottle of beer, but I don’t really enjoy finishing them by myself. These bottle stoppers have been effective: carbonation is kept high, and a bottle tastes good the next day or so later. Just something nice to have in case you feel like you don’t want to finish a barrel-aged stout by yourself. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Mini Enamel Mug | $10 | The Foundry
Adorable and functional, these little mugs are great for young diners wanting hot cocoa or for grownups indulging in campfire cocktails. These are safe for the oven or dishwasher, but not the microwave. – Amy Rea
Japanese Seltzer Glass | 5-ounce or 8.5-ounce | $12 or $14 | The Foundry
There’s a lot to be said for simplicity. These sleek glasses could be used for sparkling water, but they can also be used for cocktails and cold brews, winter or summer. – Amy Rea
Bingley’s Teas Jane Austen Tea Series | Starting at $12 | Online
Need a gift for the people in your book club who always choose the Jane Austen novel? Local tea sommelier and lifetime member of The Jane Austen Society Julia Matson has created a selection of teas inspired by Austen characters and settings. “Mr. Knightley’s Reserve” is a tasteful Earl Grey, and the “Mansfield Morning” herbal tisane blends once-exotic lemongrass, citrus peel, and basil. The website makes it easy to choose a tea that represents a favorite Austen novel or character. – Jeanne Lakso
B&E’s Trees Bourbon Barrel-Aged Maple Syrup | starting at $17 | Lakewinds, Linden Hills, and Wedge Co-ops, Clancey’s Meats
Wisconsin maple syrup aged for two years in bourbon barrels will definitely elevate your Old Fashioned or take a bowl of vanilla ice cream to another level of deliciousness. B&E’s Trees is located in magical Viroqua, Wisconsin, and they make their aged maple syrup in collaboration with Central Waters Brewing Company. $17 for the 8-ounce bottle or $32 for 17 ounces. – Jeanne Lakso
Coppa Cocktails Mojitos | 30 proof | $17 for 750 ml | Local retailers
Creating a good bottled cocktail is a bit of an art, and you don’t see too many bottled mojitos out there because of the cocktail’s dependence on things like the brightness of fresh mint and lime and the effervescent finish of sparkling water. Coppa’s bottle mojitos do a fine job by controlling the sugar (nothing worse than a candy-sweet mojito) and really frontloading the mint and lime, which are bold and clean. – James Norton
Barrel-Aged Stout and Selling Out: Goose Island, Anheuser-Busch, and How Craft Beer Became Big Business | $20 | Local book stores such as Moon Palace, or as an eBook or Audiobook
Josh Noel is a proper newspaper journalist from the Chicago Tribune. This book may or may not have gotten him off of Goose Island media lists for at least a year, which means a job well done. Noel covers the story of Goose Island’s Bourbon County Brand Stout, the first beer in America to rest in bourbon barrels, the brewery’s purchase by Anheuser-Busch, and where it led the brewery to. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
The Beer Bible: Second Edition | $25 | Local book stores such as Moon Palace, or as an eBook or Audiobook
Jeff Alworth writes the popular Beervana Blog. He’s based in Portland, Oregon, but spent time studying at UW-Madison, and approaches beer in a fun, informational, in-depth manner. The Beer Bible is a book I recommend to beer newcomers who want to learn more about it and have a firm grasp on styles and its history. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Duluth Cider | Pack of 12 mixed 12-ounce cans | $27 | At local liquor stores or Duluth Cider
I can tell you that I love Duluth Cider, but their medals also speak for themselves. Las Lajas Coffee Cider is my favorite cider in this bunch, but in case your cider lover might find the apple and coffee combo jarring, this comes with a semi-sweet cider, one with strawberry and basil, and one dry-hopped with Minnesot-grown Crystal hops. Duluth Cider is my favorite cidery because they do regular cider very well, and then more experimental stuff equally well. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Copper Crow Whey Vodka | 750 ml, 80 Proof | $30 | At local liquor stores
Whey, a byproduct of cheese, is used to make this vodka. It provides a sweet pear, subtle citrus, and mild sweetness that is great for cocktails and by itself as a sipper. Plus, Copper Crow is a Native American-owned distillery, which is unique and we need more of it. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Vikre Amaro | 750 ml, 60 Proof | $34 | At local liquor stores such as Elevated or Zipp’s
If you’re a home bartender looking to introduce complexity and depth to your drinks and looking for a local story to tell, Vikre’s Amaro is a terrific spirit to taste, enjoy, and experiment with. Taking the place of bitters like Cynar or Campari, this liqueur has it all: sweetness, spice, bitter bite, citrus, and herbaceous depth. – James Norton
Kopke 10 Year Old Tawny Port | 40 proof | $35 for 750ml | Local retailers
Any fan of port or after-dinner drinks in general would dig a bottle of Kopke 10 Year Old Tawny Port. Hailing from the oldest operating port wine house, this bottles offers a delicate nutty, plum-y sort of complexity and a pleasantly dry finish. – James Norton
The Cider Farm Apple Brandy Maple Syrup | 750 ml | $35 | Online and in select stores
This combo is a little pricier than just buying the syrup at a store, but the syrup is so worth it. I’ve enjoyed barrel-aged syrup here and there, but this one shines with the sweet apple brandy lying beneath the maple. I would skip using this for pancakes, though it is good on there, and use it in your coffee and matcha lattes. It is the perfect complement. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Spiegelau Tulip Glass | $35 for 4 | Online and local chains like Total Wine
Forget Back Channel’s beer bowl, Spiegalau makes the best beer glassware, and the tulip is the one ring to rule them — err, the one glass you need in your beer glassware cabinet. It seems to keep a beer’s carbonation intact, pushes aroma upward for a perfect smelling experience, and is a joy to hold (and to deftly flick it to hear the glass ring). This has been the staple in my beer glassware collection for a decade. It is the glass you want for just about any style. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Monday Alcohol-Free Spirits | Mezcal $46, Gin $48, Whiskey $54 | Golden Fig Fine Foods
Alcohol-free cocktails have been rising in popularity in recent years, and this Californian distillery is going to the next level by creating higher-end, non-alcoholic versions of popular spirits. Golden Fig has cocktail recipe cards on hand with the bottled goods. – Amy Rea
Ombibulous Gift Card | $50 | Northeast Minneapolis
There are a number of good beer stores in the Twin Cities, but I really like Ombibulous. There are so many beers to choose from, and everything can be bought as a single can, meaning your beer friend can sample a number of beers. Plus, it’s a pretty chill spot, easy to get to, and not super busy when I’m there. I like a mellow shopping experience with nice people, and this is that. I often visit Ombibulous for beers to review on the Tulip & Schooner. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
The Drink That Made Wisconsin Famous: Beer and Brewing in the Badger State | $50 | University of Minnesota Press | Local book stores such as Moon Palace or online
Author Doug Hoverson is the acknowledged master of Upper Midwestern brewing lore and breweriana, and he followed the success of his Minnesota beer tome (Land of Amber Waters) with this masterful hardcover telling the tales of Wisconsin’s storied brewing industry. A terrific gift for anyone with Wisconsin roots, and/or regional beer drinkers with a thirst for knowledge. – James Norton
Wollersheim Ice Wine | 375 ml | $54 | Order online at Wollersheim
I think this special wine is an absolute treat to share. It kind of tastes sweeter and feels thicker like mead, full of sweet grape, honey, and subtle honeydew flavor. And while the bottle seems small, the high ABV makes this something meant to be sipped in small quantities. For two years now we’ve had this and some mead for holiday post-dinner treats, and everyone is always amazed that this is wine, or wonders, “is this mead?” since it’s the best thing to compare it to. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Ullr Crowler Cooler | $65 | Little Thistle Brewery
Little Thistle isn’t the only place to have one of these coolers (Bent Paddle sells one for $89, pictured above), but it’s one of the cheaper ones I’ve seen. While I’ll bring a small cooler to a beer share, sometimes a smaller, softer, easy to carry one makes more sense. I have a very small bottle and can koozie carrier (think basket), but the Ullr is a step above. I don’t usually use mine for crowlers, but shove a bunch of cans and bottles into it like an awful Tetris player on Gameboy. It keeps things cool, totally works to bicycle with, and is just so much easier than a hard cooler. Bent Paddle also sells a variety of sizes if you do indeed want something just for a lot of cans. – Louis Livingston-Garcia
Dabbler Depot’s Ultimate Cocktail Kit | $275 | Order Online for Store Pickup
St. Paul’s Dabbler Depot’s selection of beer, wine, and spirits is driven by their staff’s expertise and passion, and their holiday gift baskets showcase their knowledge. The deluxe Ultimate Cocktail Kit comes with nearly everything your aspiring mixologist friend needs, including one each of a well-chosen gin, rum, and rye, two vermouths and a bottle of Bordiga Aperitivo (“an artisanal spin on Aperol”). There’s also glassware, a cocktail shaker, and a downloadable Ultimate Cocktail Kit Recipe Book. An impressive gift that could also result in better martinis for you. – Jeanne Lakso