The holiday season is the perfect time to spoil the foodies and spirits lovers in your life. From tasty treats to imbibe-able gifts, you can check off your list with these fabulous options. A special bonus? All these gifts come from LGBTQ+-owned businesses or creators.
Tasty Treats
Mushrooms are back in a big way this year, and The Chaga Company celebrates fungi by incorporating the antioxidant-rich superfood into their products. Savory lovers will want to check out MycoSalt made with chaga and various other umami-forward mushrooms, while those with a sweet tooth may enjoy the Gold Standard Chaga Hot Chocolate.
Chef Sam Butarbutar and Wenter Shyu are partners in life and love whose signature mochi muffins have taken the Bay area by storm. These chewy muffins, made with sweet rice flour and a variety of carefully sourced flavors, like sesame seeds from an 11th-generation family farm in Japan, are available to be shipped nationwide. Add a bag of ceremonial-grade house blend matcha and you have a unique gift for your favorite foodie.
Owners Stephanie and Stephani, known as “the Stephs” are based out of Redmond, Oregon, but ship their handmade chocolate treats all across the country. Classic chocolates, truffles, plus vegan and sugar-free options are available. If you’re looking for a real showstopper for the chocolate fan on your list, sign them up for the Chocolate of the Month subscription and keep the holiday vibes going all year.
Founded by Cason Crane, the first openly LGBTQ+ person to successfully climb Mount Everest, Explorer Cold Brew makes organic, fair trade cold brew concentrates in several caffeine strengths. Pick up full sizes or fill a stocking with super-concentrated TSA-compliant travel-size versions for the brew for the explorer on your list.
In the holiday spirit
This Brooklyn, New York-based shop is known for its curated gift boxes. Their Booze Box features all New York-crafted cocktail accouterments, like a Camp Craft Hot Toddy Kit and the “New York Cocktails” book written by Amanda Schuster. Slip a bottle of your recipient’s favorite spirit into their stocking and you are set.
Remy Drabkin isn’t just an innovator in Oregon wines; she’s also the first openly LGBTQ+ mayor of the wine-country city McMinnville, Oregon. With a focus on Italian and French-style wines, wine packages can ship to most states. The “Black and Gold 3-Pack” has something for everyone – a sparkling wine, a Super Tuscan and an Oregon specialty, pinot noir.
Republic Restoratives is a small-batch, women-owned and queer-led distillery in Washington, D.C., known for its community-driven approach to spirits. Now shipping to 32 states, you can order spirits like Dissent Gin and Borough Bourbon or one of their pre-made bottled cocktails like the Negroni or Black Manhattan.
Queer-owned and operated Supergay Spirits makes Supergay Vodka, an organic, small batch spirit with no additives and glycerine free. Perfect for mixing or on its own and a percentage of Supergay’s profits are donated to LGBTQ+ organizations.
The library is open
The third cookbook by James Beard Award finalist Nik Sharma puts vegetables front and center. Sharma, an openly queer chef and International Association of Culinary Professionals trailblazer, is also a professional photographer and “Veg-Table” contains over 100 photos by Sharma himself.
“Baking Yesteryear” by B. Dylan Hollis
B. Dylan Hollis garnered a massive following on TikTok for trying out recipes he found in vintage cookbooks. That unique spin led to “Baking Yesteryear,” a glossy cookbook filled with Hollis’ favorite recipes like Cornflake Macaroons and Tomato Soup Cake. It is pretty enough to be a coffee-table book but approachable enough to enter the cookbook roster of the baker on your list.
“Simply Julia: 110 Easy Recipes for Health Comfort Food” by Julia Turshen
New York Times bestselling cookbook author Julia Turshen has put together a collection of delicious and nutritious meals for home cooks of all levels. Turshen, the host of the podcast “Keep Calm and Cook On,” has contributed to several award-winning cookbooks and was named to Epicurious’s “100 Greatest Home Cooks of All Time” list. A must-have for the home cook in your life.