2025 Holiday Gift Guide: Laura’s Favorites Edition

I’ve a deep collection of cookbooks, ranging from cuisine-specific tomes to short-and-sweet single subject cookbooks on salsas and dips. Before I add a new cookbook to my shelves, I let things simmer a bit. I research what it’s about, read reviews and then add another to my collection. As a result, I find that my cookbook collection is a usable collection that provides me with an ongoing array of recipes, insights and all-around cooking inspiration so things won’t get too boring around here. That’s why I believe The Bean Book by Steve Sando (with Julia Newberry) would be the perfect gift this holiday season. It’s filled with a bean primer, how to cook beans and how best to enjoy them – along with one hundred recipes using all kinds of beans. In a time when we are worried about rising food costs, choose healthier proteins and are attempting to make more sustainable food choices, Sando’s bean book is perfect for anyone looking to expand their love for healthy and flavorful beans. You can purchase it here.

For any true food lover, a great tasting, high quality olive oil is essential for so many recipes in your kitchen. My choice is the Lucero EVOO collection from the American Olive Farmer. The collection of olive oils is produced from olives grown in Corning, CA, resulting in several delicious bottled varieties: Arbequina Extra Virgin, Olio Novello and Ascolano EVOO, in addition to several flavored lemon, basil or garlic olive oils. In fact, Lucero Olio Novello is on its way! Crafted from Mission Olives, which are scheduled to be harvested at first light and milled immediately on November 26th (that’s today!), they represent the Lucero brand’s first bottling of California Mission olives in over a decade. Right now, you can save up to 25% off with a Novello trio! An don’t forget to grab a gift from the collection of balsamic vinegars or one of the various assorted olive oil dipping bowls. Head on over to American Olive Farmer, Home of Lucero Olive Oil for all your flavor-filled gift-giving needs.

Whether you’re skiing in the Mountains of Switzerland, or cozying up at home with friends, fondue is the social meal of the season. The communal pot, when filled with delicious Emmentaler and Gruyere cheeses, which are then sublimely melted in a caquelon (the pot), make for a delicious dip for veggies, potatoes and more. The ritual beckons you to slow down from all the hustle and bustle of this time of year, so you can embrace the convivial spirit of the season. The Kuhn Rikon fondue and raclette offerings bring a bit of Switzerland’s tradition to your table this season. The fondue pots vary in styles, sizes and what they’re made of, but all help you easily bring this longstanding tradition to your own table this season. For those times when you want something quick, and more portable – perhaps to bring with you to the sunset, date night, or as a hostess gift, try the individual mini raclette set, powered by candlelight, for an unique raclette experience.Take it with you and enjoy.

There’s a lot of excitement surrounding matcha these days. It’s taken over TikTok and can be found in numerous hot and cold beverages at your favorite coffee shop. I encourage you to go back to its roots, and give a gift that evokes tradition and healthfulness, while embracing the ideal of slowing down in our daily lives. Not only will matcha provide us with its health benefits, but the process of preparing the drink in its traditional manner adds to the special-ness of the tea. Give the gift that embraces tradition, healthfulness and healthy habits, with the Helen’s Asian Kitchen Matcha Tea Gift Set. The set includes everything you need to enjoy this time-honored tradition – except the tea: Matcha Tea Bowl , Whisk and Stand, Scoop and Tea Sifter. If you’re looking for quality matcha tea, try Harney & Sons Organic Matcha.

Nostalgic recipes and flavorful one-pot meals are on the table, and the Emile Henry Sublime Dutch Oven lets you prepare it and serve it in style. I’ve had this beauty in my kitchen for over a year now, and it remains one of my favorites. Made from a new ceramic technology designed to do all kinds of cooking. It is extremely versatile, handling the high heat of searing, frying or barbecuing on the grill and also softly cooking on low heat so that sugars in a caramel sauce or a custard are gently heated without burning or over cooking. The Sublime ceramic distributes heat smoothly across the whole pot better than any metal, including cast iron or stainless steel and it is 50% lighter than those other materials. You can find it here.

The Point Reyes Farmstead Cheese Company has curated cheese collections that showcase the best of their farmstead offerings. The Cheese the Moment Cheese Board features a delicious array of their handcrafted cheeses, including classics like Original Blue, Toma, and Bay Blue, paired with artisan accompaniments (like honey and crackers), then packaged (with all eco-friendly materials) for a memorable unboxing experience. A perfect hostess gift . . . if you don’t eat it all yourself!. The Point Reyes Cheese the Moment Cheese Board can be found here.

The Blendi Pro+ is the blender I never knew I needed. For years, I’ve been living with a full size blender – for smoothies, blending soups, sauces and more. But this portable blender adds so much function to my kitchen – and takes up no space at all! (OK, just a smidge of space). The blendi Pro + is guaranteed to crush your ice resulting in perfect consistency. It’s cordless design and extra container for ingredients, means you can take (and blend) your smoothie post workout at the gym. It is also great for meal prep, chopping nuts, and blending a delicious salad dressing. This portable and powerful blender is definitely making waves in my kitchen, making it a great gift for just about anyone – from college kids to your workout buddies, and friends. You can get it here.

’m a lover of aprons and have a pretty big collection handed down from my grandmothers (mostly handmade, several holiday-related), and then a few new ones. But, as I always say, one can’t have enough aprons! One of the most recent additions to my collection is a Hedley & Bennett apron. It is definitely built to last and is also quite stylish — with so many options to choose from, you’ll certainly find the perfect one to gift this season. You can find the collection here.

Finally, it’s The College Kid’s Guide to Cooking. I created this guide using the Family Eats Four Pillars method I created years ago, which focuses on breaking down the steps needed to overcome the overwhelm when it comes to mealtime. This version has the college student in mind and walks the reader through essential steps of creating a budget, how to find recipes to fit their lifestyle as well as how to meal plan, shop and prepare food while staying on budget. The book focuses on making the process simple and doable for a busy college student. The Guide also includes 50+ recipes. The perfect gift for any current, or soon-to-be college student. You can purchase it here.