The Spilled Milk Holiday Gift Guide
I'm here to help with your holiday shopping with some great gifts from around the world of food ... everything from cookbooks to hot sauce to snacks, including my favorite food product of 2025.
Hello, Spilled Milkers! I hope Thanksgiving was wonderful for all of you and that you’re about to have a day full of relaxing and leftovers … and maybe some shopping, too.
On that note: It’s holiday gift guide time! Black Friday and the coming weeks can be overwhelming, whether that’s because you’re not sure what to get everyone on your list or because there are just so many options. If you’re buying for food/cooking enthusiasts, I’m here to narrow down your options with some select recommendations. And if you’re looking for a digital, rather than physical gift for a loved one this holiday season, consider a gift subscription to Spilled Milk!
Want the links? That’s what this newsletter is here for. Let’s start with books! I’ve got a ton of amazing stuff to recommend to fill out every home cook’s shelves … we’re talking cookbooks, food-centric memoirs and more!
The Art of Jacques Pépin by Jacques Pépin
Homemade Ramen by Sho Spaeth
The Deep End of Flavor by Tenney Flynn with Susan Puckett
The King Cookbook by Annie Shi, Clare de Boer and Jess Shadbolt
Nourishing Networks by Ashley Rose Young
Rooted in Fire by Pyet DeSpain
The Bottomless Cup by Kevin Boehm
Dorie’s Anytime Cakes by Dorie Greenspan
Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook, 20th Anniversary Edition
Turtle Island by Sean Sherman, Kate Nelson and Kristin Donnelly
Service Ready by Molly Irani
Think Like a Chef, 25th Anniversary Edition by Tom Colicchio
Phil’s Favorites by Phil Rosenthal
House of Smoke by John T. Edge
Fetishized by Kaila Yu
I’ve also got some great products to recommend, everything from chai to olive oil to hot sauce. There’s something for every taste, including what I consider to be the single best product to cross my doorway in 2025.
We’ve also just launched a new page on my website, dedicated to all of my favorite things. We’ll be adding new items continually every week: old favorites, new finds and more. We’d love to know what you think and what types of products you’d like to see. Let us know!
And if you’re looking for more specific gift recommendations, feel free to leave a comment on this post, and I’ll answer some gift-related questions on Notes over the next few weeks. And thanks, as always, for supporting Spilled Milk throughout the year.
