Holiday Gift Guide 2018 | Sweet Pillar Food

This Holiday Gift Guide has you covered for the most unique and beautiful gifts for food and home this season! You will be the star of your friends and family gatherings, guaranteed!

1. Maggie Louise Confections Chocolate Gift Box Sets $38-56

I have been loving these amazingly adorable chocolates for a while now and they seem to get more creative and cute each year! The Austin based creative confections company brings haute couture designs to the world of chocolate. They have reinvented the classic sampler box with color, personality and a unique customization platform making each box of chocolate a fun and memorable experience to both create and gift. While some say the chocolates are almost too pretty to eat, the company is praised for their nostalgic flavor palette, making these bite size confections a celebrated everyday indulgence. Under the creative direction of Le Cordon Bleu trained founder Maggie Callahan, the collection is designed seasonally and takes cues from the fashion and entertaining worlds to create a collection that feels fresh, fun and spirited.

Snow Day set includes two milk chocolate gumdrops with peanut butter; two milk chocolate snowflakes with chocolate caramel and sea salt; two dark chocolate latte cups with hazelnut mocha crunch; two dark chocolate mittens with salted caramel and one white chocolate tile
Happy Holidays set includes two dark chocolate pine trees filled with hazelnut mocha crunch, two white chocolate peppermints, one dark chocolate gingerbread man, two dark chocolate mini cubes, one milk chocolate ornament filled with peanut butter candy, one white chocolate present filled with chocolate nougat and pecans and one white chocolate word tile.
All made from premium, responsibly sourced chocolate from Ecuador and Venezuela.

2. Chateau D’Estoublon Flacon Truffle Flavored Oil $40

Made in France, these super beautiful bottles modeled after special perfume bottles are filled with high quality oils infused with flavors like truffle, my favorite. They look so unique and deserve to be on display.

3. David’s Tea Best of 2018 $26

This gorgeous 12-tea gift set is the perfect way to get a taste of David’s Tea’s most popular loose leaf teas of 2018. From sweet and spicy to fruity and indulgent, it’s got teas for every taste and every mood.

Best of 2018 includes: Frozen Raspberry, Jasmine Crème Brulée, Just Beet It, Lemon Cayenne Cleanse, Peanut Butter Cup, Pistachio Ice Cream, S’mores Chai, Seaberry Spa, Sparkling Sangria, Sunny C, Turmeric Glow and Valerian Nights. They’re all so exotic and beautiful looking, they make it so fun to present this tea to guests…Like look at the little trees below!

4. Bee Raw Cheesemonger’s Honey Flight $48-78

The perfect gift for chefs and food lovers, this collection of four honeys offers pairings for a variety of cheeses. Each vial is hand-corked and wax sealed, then matched with a detailed description of its floral source. A hand-crafted American oak display block completes the collection. Celebrating American, family-owned apiaries, Bee Raw honeys support artisanal beekeepers and the mission to save endangered bees. Since my family raises multiple bee colonies, I very much appreciate this gift! They also have a 9 piece set with more amazing varieties to try.

A kraft box with 4 viles of honey and a wood block to display them

5. Soma Brew Bottle $40

Take your favorite part of your morning routine with you. Pour hot water over ground coffee, put the lid on, and get ready to tackle your day with caffeine in hand. Or go Cold Brew by scooping in coffee grounds, pouring in water, and placing in the fridge overnight — wake up to 12 oz. of delicious cold brew. Or you can even make freshly brewed tea in a snap. Pour hot water over your favorite loose leaf tea and let it steep to perfection while you finish getting ready. It features a flip top lid that’s completely leak proof and provides for a perfect flow rate, hot or cold. A 12 oz. double-wall borosilicate glass keeps your coffee hot and your hands comfortable. And a patent-pending stainless steel filter provides a balanced taste with no sediment. It’s a super cool, convenient and good looking way to get your daily caffeine hit.

coffee filter glass bottle with a kettle pouring coffee into it

6. Brass Pour Over Coffee Dripper Stand with Wood Base $40

To carry on in the spirit of coffee… This cool contraption is crafted with an adjustable, industrial-style brass arm, a rustic wood base and a clear glass cone dripper, this exclusive pour-over coffee stand is a stunning, affordable gift for slow-brew coffee aficionados.

7. Agate Serving Utensils, Set of 2 $48

Since stones are healing, beautiful and super on trend, these utensils made of natural agate stones with natural variations trimmed in brass plated stainless steel are a great way to serve that amazing Sweet Pillar Food dish you, or someone you know, made!

8. Juliska Stonewood Striped Serving Board & Spreaders $150

There are so many cutting boards and cheese boards out there but this one is so different! Stripes of hand-marbled resin add artisanal refinement to the dappled, rustic textures of a distinctive three-piece serving set crafted from full-grained Acacia wood.

9. Vintage Vogue Linea Coasters $29

These West Elm coasters are made by designer Charlotte Cannon, who creates modern, functional items that blend spontaneous patterns and artfully crafted, minimalist shapes. She hand paints each of these coasters in her Baltimore studio. They are made of wood, white/pink/black emulsion, and gold leaf. Not your ordinary coasters!

10. Wusthof 8 piece Steak Knife Set in Presentation Box $49

This knife set is a thoughtful gift for the entertainer on your list this year. Each serrated knife is carefully crafted for precise heft and balance. Truly capable of complementing the finest table setting, these knives are durable enough to be used for every day occasions too. This set comes in a lovely rosewood-colored box perfect for presentation and storage.

11. Miyabi Kaizen II Nakiri 7″ $129

I’m back with more knives. This time a Japanese-style vegetable cleaver that features a unique blade shape that’s great for slicing and dicing vegetables, mincing herbs and cutting fruit or cheese. But this isn’t an ordinary knife. It’s very special. Miyabi knives are crafted in Seki City, Japan, a city with a legendary tradition of bladesmithing dating back to the 13th century. 150 skilled artisans work to produce each heirloom-quality knife using the best materials available and requiring up to 151 rigorous production steps. Here are some highlights…I don’t understand them all but I do appreciate them!

Core of advanced FC61 super steel features fine carbide distribution, for a Rockwell hardness of 61 and excellent edge strength and retention
Blade holds an incredibly sharp angle, yet remains remarkably durable—with no risk of chipping during normal use
Each blade is hand-honed to a blisteringly sharp 9.5 to 12 degrees (because each blade is sharpened by hand, exact angle may vary slightly)
49 layers of stainless steel Damascus provide added strength and protection as well as beauty
Double Friodur hardening improves the microstructure of the steel for improved cutting performance, corrosion resistance and astonishing durability
Larger, redesigned bolster perfectly balances the blade for additional comfort while cutting
D-shaped pakkawood handles rest easily in the hand for a secure, comfortable grip.

12. The Adia Planter $65

This planter from Citizenry is handcrafted by a group of 15 woodworkers in the Nakawa region of Uganda, made exclusively in a fair trade environment. In the spirit of sustainability, the cooperative replants trees to replenish this precious resource for future generations. It is hand carved from rich Mugavu wood, and is a sculptural work of art. Paired with a tiny cactus or air plant, it makes the perfect accent for your desk or shelf.

13. Uma Pure Calm Wellness Oil $85

On a personal note, this blend naturally alleviates feelings of stress by promoting tranquility from within. Roman chamomile essential oil calms tension while grounding vetiver essential oil centers the wearer. This formula is punctuated with beautifully scented lavender essential oil, for enhanced feelings of relaxation and calm—and is especially beneficial at the end of a busy day. During this time of year, it sounds like this oil will be useful every day!

14. Diptyque Carousel Candle Set $125

Last but certainly not least, this is one of my favorite things this season! Candles have become home staples and this is the most whimsical addition to any candle. This set features an elegant candle pairing featuring a carousel that rotates thanks to the heat released by the flame of the candle, revealing a beautiful dance of light. How cool is that!?