Food and celebration go hand in hand, especially this time of year. Whether it’s a table piled high with roast meats and vibrant vegetables, a stack of decadent desserts, or a carefully curated cheese board, the holidays are all about sharing food with the people you love.
This guide is your backstage pass to the best in holiday feasting and gifting. From rare cuts of meat and chef-worthy seafood to artisanal chocolates, luscious olive oils, and hand-crafted cheeses, I’ve gathered big splurges, little luxuries and crowd-pleasers to make your holiday meals (and overall cooking) feel effortless, memorable and downright delicious. I’ll share tips from my own kitchen experiments, plus ideas to help you serve, gift or savor every bite like a pro.
Whether you’re planning a big celebration, treating yourself, or gifting to loved ones and friends, consider this your go-to map for elevating every plate this season.
Beef and Venison
Venison Roast
Caroland Farms Picanha – For anyone who loves an intense, deeply beefy flavor paired with tender, relatively lean meat, picanha is a holy-grail cut — made even more special (and less lean) when it comes from 100% full-blood Wagyu. Caroland Farms’ picanha is gorgeous and grills beautifully, whether you cook it whole or slice it into steaks. It hardly needs anything at all thanks to that natural richness. Serve with black beans and rice and a side of sweet fried plantains for a meal you’ll be thinking about for days.
Maui Nui Venison Roast – My wife loves venison, but we don’t have many hunters in our circle, even here in Wisconsin. Maui Nui fills that gap beautifully: they harvest wild invasive axis deer under USDA supervision to help control the population, protect the land, and provide an exceptionally healthy meat source. They take care at every step to ensure the deer are respected, stress-free, and healthy. Maui Nui sells everything from ground venison to tenderloins and sirloin steaks, and once a year they release a 14-day-aged venison roast — a true crown jewel for any holiday table.
Crowd Cow Japanese A5 Wagyu Trimmed Brisket Flat – For the smokers out there, brisket is a classic — beloved in competitions and backyard BBQs alike. Crowd Cow’s Japanese A5 Wagyu brisket flat takes things to an entirely different level. It comes pre-trimmed so you can go straight from fridge to smoker, and the A5 marbling is extraordinary. Brisket with this designation is rare even at specialty butcher shops, which makes this a standout, seriously memorable gift.
Force of Nature Grass Fed Venison Tomahawk Steak – A venison tomahawk is smaller than the beef version you may know, but its flavor is spectacular — leaner, more complex and full of character. This bone-in cut still brings that dramatic presentation, just a little smaller. Given the size, plan on at least one per person; I loved it as part of a surf-and-turf pairing. Whatever you serve alongside it, choose flavors that complement its gamey depth rather than compete with it.
Pork and Lamb
Lamb chops
True Story Kurobuta Pork Bundle – I didn’t grow up eating pork, so it took me a while to warm up to it. It’s still rarely my first choice — especially drier cuts like pork chops and tenderloins. But Kurobuta pork is a different story. This heritage breed is prized for its marbling, tenderness, and genuinely great flavor. I hard-seared the thick boneless pork chops from this bundle — which also includes a shoulder, St. Louis ribs, and a tenderloin — almost like a steak, and wow. It was the first time I absolutely devoured a pork chop. Treat these chops like you would a good steak: high heat, cast-iron press if you have one, and let that crust work its magic.
Crowd Cow Frenched Rack of Lamb – A rack of lamb looks fancy but is surprisingly easy to prepare — as long as you have a meat thermometer. Crowd Cow’s grass-fed, Frenched rack from New Zealand practically begs to be kissed by charcoal. Salt and pepper are truly enough, but I love pairing it with a quick mint–olive oil–garlic sauce brightened with lemon. A quick blitz in the blender and it’s ready to drizzle over the lamb. Serve with grilled asparagus and garlic-confit mashed potatoes and you’ve got a knockout dinner.
North Country Smokehouse Bacon Lovers Gift Box – Not all bacon is created equal, and North Country Smokehouse makes some delicious varieties. Their Bacon Lovers gift box is a fun way to stock up, sample a bunch, or gift someone a breakfast upgrade that lasts for weeks. You get 12 packs, including thick-cut, applewood-smoked, Canadian bacon, and even a hard-to-find cob-smoked option.
My favorite way to make thick-cut bacon is slow-cooking it in the oven covered in brown sugar and plenty of red pepper flakes (bonus points for the dark, smoky blend from Flat Iron Pepper Co.). The sugar caramelizes, the heat cuts through the sweetness, and the result is bacon you physically cannot walk away from.
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Meat N’ Bone Pork Rack – Iberico is another special variety of pork, hailing from Spain, where these pigs roam free and are fed a diet of grass, grains, and acorns. This results in a delicious, rich rack of ribs. It’s perfect for slow smoking on my Camp Chef pellet smoker before searing over a ripping fire to crisp up the skin and add that impeccable charred flavor to take things over the top.
Turkey, Quail and Duck
(Manchester Farms ) Grilled quail
Manchester Farms Quail – Quail can be surprisingly tough to track down, even at specialty butchers, but Manchester Farms makes this delicious little bird totally accessible for home cooks. Quail is wonderfully versatile — pan-fry it, grill it, roast it, even braise it if you’re feeling cozy. Manchester Farms offers mostly deboned (or fully intact) whole birds, and they’ll even do the spatchcocking if that’s your preference. You can choose knots, quarters, halves, boneless breasts — marinated or not, with the marinated versions being a bit more forgiving. Quail may be small, but serving each guest their own beautifully cooked bird is a showstopper in a way that rivals any prime rib or turkey.
Joe Jurgielewicz & Son Duck Sampler – You really should try cooking duck. It’s endlessly adaptable, deeply flavorful, and that crispy, crackly skin is a built-in celebration. Joe Jurgielewicz & Son raises and sells a range of duck products, including kosher and halal options, and everything they produce is excellent.
The duck sampler is my favorite place to start, especially for first-timers. You get a whole duck, two quarters, and two breasts — a perfect little playground for figuring out which preparations you love most. Since persimmons are in season this time of year, they’re an ideal pairing: try a bright persimmon sauce or a simple persimmon salad to add freshness and lift to the richness of the duck.
Bear Creek Smokehouse Turkey – Sometimes you want the full holiday spread without wrestling the main event. If you’re already handling the sides, starches, desserts, and salads, a fully cooked smoked turkey from Bear Creek Smokehouse is a gift to yourself. If a full turkey is more than you need, they also offer smoked chickens in a more modest size. All you have to do is warm it through, carve, and serve — zero fuss, maximum payoff.
And if you’re lucky enough to have leftovers, make a sweet potato hash the next morning with peppers, onions, and diced sweet potato, then fold in the turkey (or chicken) at the end. Crack a few eggs into little wells in the hash and serve everything with a thick slice of sourdough while the yolks are still runny.
Chocolate
Delysia Chocolatier Drinking Chocolate – ’Tis the season for hot drinks, and the old powdered stuff simply won’t cut it. Delysia Chocolatier makes all kinds of delightful treats, including an indulgent, velvety drinking chocolate that feels downright luxurious. It comes in a range of flavors — classic peppermint, ruby, lavender, cayenne (my favorite!), eggnog, and more — and all you have to do is whisk it into warm milk for a knockout cup of hot chocolate. Perfect for a snow day at home, or pour it into an Ember Travel Mug 2 to sip as you wander through holiday lights.
Artie Bars – If heaven had a snack list, Artie Bars would be on it. These splurge-worthy millionaire bars are big enough to share — though you won’t want to. The classic starts with a buttery, crumbly shortbread base, topped with a layer of lightly salted gooey caramel, and finished with a lush chocolate ganache. It’s as divine as it sounds. You can also choose from flavors like raspberry, toasted pecan, s’mores and coffee, my favorite!
Handcrafted Chocolate Bonbons – I tried a lot of chocolate in preparation for this guide, and Handcrafted Chocolate was hands down my favorite. Their hand-painted bonbons are beautiful, but more importantly, absolutely smashworthy. With flavors like smoked blue cheese, mango passionfruit, Vietnamese coffee, and calamansi meringue pie, every single bonbon is a flavor explosion and worthy of celebration.
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Handcrafted Chocolate offers multiple-size gift sets, from 9 to 24 pieces, but be sure to grab a Mango Passionfruit Black Sesame Bar for yourself. The mango passion fruit vanilla caramel plays so well with black sesame praline that you’ll wish you got a few, because one certainly isn’t enough.
Norman Love Confections 25 Piece Holiday Gift Box – Norman Love’s chocolate boxes are already beautiful, but their holiday collection kicks things up with seasonal flavors like eggnog, candy cane, s’more, gingerbread, cinnamon hot chocolate, and spiced caramel. Each 25-piece box includes 10 holiday flavors and 15 signature selections across dark, milk, and white chocolate, all in striking shapes and vibrant colors. Every bite is delicious — it’s one of those gifts people remember.
Zabar’s Chocolate Babka – Trader Joe’s babka? Cute — but it’s got nothing on Zabar’s. A truly good babka is surprisingly hard to find — lots of chocolate but not too much, layered in lightly sweet, tender yeasted dough — and Zabar’s nails it. Babka also freezes beautifully, so go ahead and stock up for year-round treats. Warm a slice in the microwave for 30 seconds and enjoy with a hot cup of coffee. If you want something seasonal, Zabar’s apple pie babka swaps in apple-cinnamon filling, and I’ve gotta say, it’s pretty great (but not as good as the chocolate).
Unique Snacks Chocolate Covered Prezels – I never thought I’d have a favorite chocolate-covered pretzel. Unique Snacks changed that. Their version starts with a unique pretzel, called a split, that’s designed to split open while baking, creating delicious grooves and crispy bubbles. Once enrobed in dark chocolate, it becomes a sweet-and-salty snack that’s irresistible.
Sushi
(Kayanoya ) Double-aging soy sauce
Yama Seafood Uni – The first time I tried uni — sea urchin — was at Shiro’s in Seattle. It was my first real sushi experience, at a restaurant I learned about while watching the Travel Channel with my grandmother. I’ll be honest: it wasn’t love at first bite. But it grew on me, and now it’s the kind of indulgence I reserve for special occasions because of the cost and rarity.
Yama Seafood carries an incredible selection of premium uni, from multiple grades of Hokkaido to more local options like Maine and Santa Barbara. It’ll instantly elevate any sushi spread, but it’s just as lovely dolloped over sushi rice, spooned onto bibimbap, or smeared over warm toast.
And don’t forget the nori if you’re making sushi. You’ll be forever ruined for grocery store nori after indulging in the “real” deal, and by that I mean Miyabi Premium nori. Just add it (and maybe their Bluefin o-toro and cooked and devained shrimp) to your uni order for pure deliciousness.
Nobel Fresh Cart Chirashi Set For 4 – Nobel Fresh Cart ships high-quality fish, seafood, and curated bundles that take the guesswork out of planning a meal. Their chirashi set includes two cuts of bluefin tuna (akami and chutoro), king salmon, sweet shrimp, 100 grams of grade-A uni, extra-large scallops, and steelhead trout roe. Grab a pack of broiled unagi to reheat and serve alongside — it takes the whole experience up a notch and is so damn good I might need to splurge on a few packs to stock in my freezer.
You can turn this into the intended chirashi bowls, of course, or make an incredible handroll dinner. Just don’t pre-roll anything. Nori should stay crisp, which makes this a fantastic interactive dinner-party setup: lay out the fillings, rice, and sheets of nori, and let everyone build as they go.
Cut the nori into quarters, season your sushi rice, and set out scallions, avocado, and cucumbers. The uni, roe, and shrimp are ready to serve. For the fish, cut the salmon into strips; chop the chutoro finely and mix it with scallions; and turn the akami into spicy tuna with sriracha, kewpie, and a touch of sesame oil. Fold the nori almost like a taco, add the fillings, roll or plop it right in your mouth.
Kayanoya Double-Aging Soy Sauce – If you’re looking to truly level up your at-home sushi, stop grabbing whatever soy sauce’s on the grocery shelf. Kayanoya’s double-aging soy sauce isn’t just “better” soy sauce — it’s deeper, more complex, and packed with rich umami far beyond the dark soy you’re used to. A little goes a long way, and once you try it, there’s no going back.
Fish and Seafood
Tempus Seafoods Intimate Seafood Sampler – The Tempus Seafoods Intimate Seafood Sampler isn’t just dinner; it’s an experience — one that starts from the moment you open the box. Everything inside is beautifully arranged, thoughtfully packaged, and genuinely feels like a gift. The lineup is spectacular: scallops, mussels, snow crab leg meat and claws, cod, lobster tails and claws — all pristine, fresh, and ready to be devoured. Tempus even tucks in recipe cards, an apron, sea salt and scallop shells to make indulging as easy as can be.
Legal Sea Foods Boston’s Best Lobster Roll Kit – Lobster rolls without the drama of sourcing, cooking, and shelling live lobster? Yes, please. This kit includes everything you need to make eight luxurious rolls: two pounds of Maine knuckle and claw meat, eight open-top buns, a half-pint of lemony mayo, and the butter to toast the rolls in. Slice a little celery for crunch and dinner’s done. The lobster meat is also sold on its own if you’d rather bring your own buns or fold it into pasta, risotto, or any number of cozy dishes.
Hog Island Oyster Co. Pro Shuckers Kit – I’d never shucked oysters before and was honestly a little stressed — but it turns out to be so much easier than expected. I invited friends over, and we all took turns learning together. Hog Island’s Pro Shuckers Kit includes everything you need: a wood-handled Olympia oyster knife, a pair of shucking gloves, hot sauce, Hogwash mignonette, and 36 gorgeous oysters. It’s perfect as a festive starter or a casual, just-because hang with friends.
Citarella Tasmanian Trout – Citarella’s Tasmanian Trout is a complete showstopper, versatile enough to prepare in countless ways. Mine arrived butterflied with the head on — a beautiful fish, and far too big for just the two of us to finish in one go. I grilled one side (and the head!) over charcoal, then divided up the rest: the thickest portion for cured lox, the remaining pieces for sushi handrolls.
To make the lox, lay the fish in a tray and coat it with a curing blend of two parts salt to one part sugar. Cover with plastic wrap, weigh it down with whatever jars you have in the pantry, and refrigerate for two days. That’s it. Slice thin and serve on bagels with cream cheese and tomatoes, or however you like. I don’t smoke mine after curing — I prefer the mild, silky, slightly salty result as is.
Vital Choice Wild Alaskan Snow (Tanner) Crab Leg Meat – Don’t do all the hard work of cooking and shucking crab because Vital Choice tanner crab leg meat is ready to eat and delivered right to your door. Add some to an omelet; make a crab roll with mayo, lemon, and celery (cold, of course); or even whip together a simple pasta that won’t be simple as soon as you add the crab. It makes a great gift for hosts, seafood lovers, and don’t forget, yourself.
Smoked and Tinned Fish
(Russ & Daughters ) Smoked salmon
Fishwife Tinned Fish Sampler – Tinned fish has been all the rage for a while now, but selecting quality tins, especially for newer tinned fish connoisseurs, can still be confusing. Fishwife, with its colorful tins and wide variety, stands out for its quality and for its availability in supermarkets across the country. The smoked rainbow trout and slow-smoked mackerel with chili flakes are my personal favorites, but Fishwife’s selection includes salmon, tuna, mussels, sardines, and even beautifully packaged caviar.
Russ & Daughters Gaspe Nova Smoked Salmon – Cold-smoked salmon, sometimes called lox, is a delicious indulgence. The salmon is cured with salt and sugar, then slowly cold-smoked to preserve the texture and delicate nature of the fish, before being hand-sliced paper-thin and shipped right to your door. Serve up on a toasted bagel for a classic preparation, top deviled eggs, or add to a seafood pasta. Fun fact: Russ & Daughters has the distinction of being the first known business in the United States to be called & Daughters, despite the popularity of the & Sons moniker.
Olive Oil
Durant Olive Mill Garlic Fused Oil – Most garlic olive oil, frankly, isn’t great. Heating the oil to infuse garlic usually destroys the qualities that make a good olive oil shine. Durant Olive Mill’s Garlic Fused Oil is the rare exception. They mill whole garlic cloves with the fresh olives, creating a deeply garlicky oil that still tastes vibrant and alive. I tore through half a bottle in a week—drizzling it over salads, spooning it onto seafood, and, of course, dunking torn-up hunks of crusty French bread. It comes in a 200 ml bottle, as part of a gift set, or—if you’re smarter than I was—a half-gallon tin.
Canaan Palestine – Canaan Palestine’s extra-virgin olive oils are made from olives grown on ancient trees tended by more than 2,400 artisan family farms across 52 villages in Palestine, each carrying generations of knowledge. Their lineup includes Rumi, a robust and peppery variety; Nabali, smooth and gently fruity; and Jenin, a heritage blend from farms surrounding the city of Jenin. Buy one or grab the full set. These oils are gorgeous drizzled over hummus, whisked into salads, or stirred with za’atar for a simple, perfect dip.
The Mediterranean Dish Everyday EVOO Bundle – If you’re shopping for an olive-oil lover—or want a gift that feels thoughtful without being fussy—The Mediterranean Dish Everyday EVOO Bundle is a lovely pick. It includes four oils from four countries, covering a spectrum from mild to full intensity. Nocellara is stunning in a citrus olive-oil cake, especially for Chanukah or any winter citrus moment; Hojiblanca brings a peppery lift to big crunchy salads with just a squeeze of lemon. It’s a great way to explore the range of what olive oil can taste like.
Caviar
Island Creek Oysters Caviar – Caviar might be the ultimate splurge-worthy food, but it’s a little less of a splurge if you get it shipped to your home instead of letting a restaurant pop that lid and make it look pretty. Island Creek Oysters offers quite the selection, including kaluga, white sturgeon, Siberian, and osetra varieties. While caviar bumps look intriguing in TikTok videos, it’s just one of the many ways that caviar can be enjoyed. My favorites? Right on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream, on a bed of soft scrambled eggs, and on a piece of crusty French bread with a thick shmear of butter. Build your own sampler of three varieties, and if you’re feeling generous, maybe gift a tin.
Imperia Caviar Trout Roe & Salmon Roe – My favorite caviar variety isn’t technically caviar, it’s salmon roe, which you might know as ikura. Much more affordable than its famous counterpart, salmon roe has bigger pearls that burst with briny goodness as you eat them. Imperia Caviar offers a beautiful set of 250 grams of smoked trout roe and 250 grams of wild Alaska salmon roe (which is a lot) for $140, just slightly more than the cost of 30 grams of caviar. There are a million ways to enjoy it, but my favorite is on a fresh latke with a smear of sour cream or with cold butter on a thick slice of Russian black bread.
Cheese and Charcuterie
Murray’s Cheese Decadent Gems – Murray’s wasn’t exaggerating with the word decadent. This box really is a treasure trove: Epoisses, Noord Hollander Gouda, 5-Year Parmigiano Reggiano, Cypress Grove Truffle Tremor, and my personal favorite, Rogue River Blue — a superstar with 20 awards to its name. The accoutrements make it even more fun: a honeycomb box, spiced cherry preserves, and fig-and-olive crisps. If you round things out with a French baguette, grapes, dried apricots, olives, and a bowl of spicy walnuts or pecans, you’ve got an easy spread for 10–15 people. And while you’re shopping, toss in a block of Beecher’s Handmade Cheese — it’s a secret-weapon cheese for mac and cheese.
Fra’ Mani Salami Trio – There’s salami for quick sandwiches, and then there’s salami you linger over. Fra’ Mani sits firmly in the latter category. Founded by Chef Paul Bertolli — yes, the James Beard Award winner behind “Cooking by Hand” — the company uses humanely raised pigs from family farms and has racked up 12 Good Food and 4 sofi awards. This trio showcases three of their standout dry-aged salamis, each one worthy of its own moment. Serve them on a charcuterie board, snack on slices straight from the package, or tuck them into an omelet. Either way, you’re in for a salami treat.
Portugalia Marketplace Manjar da Quinta Cheese – Manjar da Quinta, whether sheep’s milk or cow’s milk, is a quiet showstopper on any splurge-y cheese board. You’ll find it at Portugalia Marketplace, a haven for Portuguese specialty goods ranging from tinned fish to salt cod, olive oil, and cured meats. The cow’s milk variety is delicate, buttery, and lightly cured, with a creamy, spreadable consistency that’s dreamy on hunks of sourdough. The sheep’s milk version is similar, but the thistle-flower rennet gives it a unique aroma and a slight edge.
Fruits and Veggies
The Chef’s Garden Best of the Season Box – The Chef’s Garden is a family-owned regenerative farm that supplies some of the country’s best restaurants, including Eleven Madison Park and The French Laundry. If someone on your list loves the farmers market as much as I do, they’ll appreciate the goodness of a seasonal farm box, especially if they live somewhere where farmers’ markets have concluded for the season. The vegetables are simply perfect, delicious, and can easily be used in your favorite meals, from big green salads (I like mine topped with pine nuts and craisins) to vegetable stews (tomato paste and eggplant levels these up) served over rice.
Harry & David Deluxe Fresh Fruit Basket – Sometimes fruit makes the best gift, and Harry & David is known for their gourmet fruit gifts. The Deluxe Fresh Fruit Basket includes quite the assortment, from Royal Riviera pears to mangos, pineapple, kiwi, apples, baby bananas, and even an avocado. It’s beautifully packaged in a woven hyacinth basket and ready for gifting.
Treats, Snacks and More
(Bougie Gougies) Bougie Gougies
Zabar’s 18 Assorted Bagel Bundle – Zabar’s can be considered an iconic New York City bagel shop, having been around since 1934. They ship their crispy-on-the-outside, chewy-on-the-inside bagels nationwide. Bagels freeze beautifully (slice them first so you can just pop them in the toaster) and make a great gift for your future self or your favorite foodie. Pair the bagels with hand sliced nova salmon, cream cheese, and a slice of tomato for a true feast. Or, mash up some avocado and swap it in for the cream cheese, untraditional, but oh so yummy.
Jamie’s Farm Granola – Quality granola can elevate just about anything, and Jamie’s Farm Granola is no ordinary mix. Go classic with vanilla bean and sour cherries, or get adventurous with rosemary and currant, or even aged cheddar and black pepper. Enjoy it straight from the bag, sprinkle it over yogurt, add texture to oatmeal, or use it to make a crunchy, flavorful crust.
Bougie Gougies – Sometimes you just need an easy, impressive appetizer ready at a moment’s notice. Bougie Gougies are exactly that: French-style frozen cheese puffs, made with gruyère and comté, that bake to golden perfection in just 20 minutes straight from the freezer.
Double Rainbow Ice Cream – Sure, grocery-store ice cream has its place — but then there’s the magical creaminess of Double Rainbow. What started as a Coney Island cart became a San Francisco scoop shop 50 years ago, offering 9-pint build-your-own bundles in dairy and non-dairy options. Favorites include Mississippi mud pie, ultra chocolate, and mint chocolate chip (which, delightfully, isn’t green!).
N/UM Benguela Sea Salt Flakes – Hand-harvested, mineral-rich sea salt flakes make a great budget-friendly gift for your favorite baker, home cook or food lover. Sourced from South Africa, Benguela sea salt flakes are paper-thin and have a lovely texture, especially when used as a finishing salt. Top chocolate chip cookies or fudgy brownies with this beautiful sea salt to balance the sweetness and amp up the flavor, or use it in place of table salt on a tomato sandwich (open face, of course).
