Great gifts for people who love to eat, drink and be merry!
I always find it hard to narrow down my selections for this annual gift guide. There are so many new useful, attractive kitchenware items and delicious food products launched each year that it’s tricky to choose just a few. The items below are all ones that I enjoy regularly, or wish that I could.
Gees Bees honey gift basket
Local honey products are sure to be appreciated by everyone, especially when they come in a ready-for-gifting basket ($59). For serious honey aficionados, consider a gift certificate for a Gees Bees beekeeping course or even a subscription to their innovative hive share program. Read more and shop at www.geesbees.ca or visit their retail store (check website for hours) at 538 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario.
Space-saving cookware collection
The new Ingenio Essential Collection by Lagostina Canada is perfect for compact kitchens (think condos, cottages, RVs or boats) – and it does triple duty as you can cook or bake, store and serve all in one vessel. Sturdy, with detachable handles and interchangeable glass lids, Ingenio cookware is functional and versatile. Resealable covers make storing and transporting dishes a breeze. Ingeniously (hence the name) designed to fit together into one small, space-saving stack, the entire 14 piece collection takes up 50% less space than conventional cookware sets. It’s currently on sale for $249.99 (regular price $599.99) at homeandcook.com.
Pascale’s all natural ice cream gift card
A dream stocking stuffer for any Ottawa resident who knows their gourmet ice cream, Pascale’s new gift cards are available in denominations of $15, $25 or $50 and can be purchased 24/7 at www.pascalesicecream.com. They will be good for purchasing Pascale’s products at Pascale’s & Co. take out retail window (re-opening at 571 Gladstone next spring), at a fun pop up on December 21 plus other events where she appears around town. The cards can be used to order pints (with regular, dairy-free and vegan options) as well as treats, and ice cream cakes.
Beavertails-themed KOMBI ‘snack-and-go’ mittens
Celebrating winter fun and delicious BeaverTails pastries, these flip mitts are intentionally designed to give you the dexterity you need to enjoy a sweet treat while keeping your hands nice and cozy. The red fleece lining adds warmth and a great reminder of all things Canadian. Available online for $24.99 at https://shop.beavertails.com/ and https://www.kombicanada.com/.
A ‘best of both worlds’ coffee maker
If your house is a ‘single cup one day, whole pot the next’ kind of place, this is the solution for you. The Cuisinart 2-in-1 Coffee Centre combines a fully automatic 12 cup coffee maker and single-serve brewer in one sleek machine. Comes with a reusable filter cup so you can use your favourite ground coffee instead of purchasing pre-filled pods. Available at various retailers including Best Buy, Bed Bath and Beyond and cuisinart.ca, $266.99 (regular price 279.99).
Main and Local mugs, poutine socks and foodie tote
Main and Local is a Canadian brand with a fun line of almost 2 dozen products that reflect iconic Canadian companies, traditions and humour. Some of my favourites include the Ottawa Tulip Mug ($4.99), the Curling Rock Mug ($18.99), the Poutine Socks ($12.99) and the Five Roses Flour tote bag ($19.99). These and other Main and Local products are available in Ottawa at Irving Rivers, The Bay Rideau and Bayshore, Mrs. Tiggy Winkle’s, Made in Canada Gifts, Hogline Curlers Proshop, the Ottawa Civic Hospital Auxiliary store and Westboro Pharmasave. You can also browse and shop at https://mainandlocal.com .
Poach Pods
These heat resistant silicone pods make it easy to cook eggs cleanly and consistently. Apply a little butter or oil, then crack an egg into each pod and place them a pan of boiling water. In less than 5 minutes, you’ll have perfectly poached eggs (increase time for solid yolks) that you can easily pop out of the pods. Each pod easily holds any size egg up to extra-large. They are also very convenient size for melting chocolate or preparing small batches of custard. Sold at Lee Valley Tools; $14.90 for a pair.
For more suggestions, check out the 2018 Gift Guide here.
Constantly Cooking with Paula Roy 
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