I decided to gather together the best Christmas gifts for people who love food and drink, with a clear focus on helping local, independent businesses through this tough time.* So ditch those socks! Forget that perfume! Bin the Chocolate Orange! This is what any discerning foodie will want in their Christmas stocking.

(*Since first drafting this post, another national lockdown has been announced. Sigh. Even more reason to support these small businesses, and a good opportunity to get started with your Christmas shopping online).

Cookery school gift voucher

A friend bought me a voucher for a sushi masterclass at Bournemouth cookery school Flavours, and it was the best present. From the facilities and the skills we picked up to the amount of food we took away with us, it was a brilliant experience. Chef Des, who trained under Albert and Michel Roux and the renowned Anton Edelman before working with John Torode, is a knowledgable and patient teacher. Flavours run sessions for kids, teens and adults, beginners and more experienced cooks, as one-off classes or longer courses. You can buy a gift voucher for one of 30 specific classes (breads, souks of Marrakech, Caribbean soul food, classic Italian, posh desserts or knife skills, among others) or you can buy a monetary voucher and let the recipient choose themselves. Available here, from £20 to £420.

Artisan coffee with a conscience

Searching for a gift for the environmentally-friendly coffee lover in your life? Look no further than Forest Edge Roasting Co. Based in the heart of the New Forest, they roast your coffee to order in small batches to ensure the best blend. The company puts a great deal of work into traceability of beans, fair prices for farmers and sustainable farming practices. As well as selling single origin beans and blends online, they also sell environmentally-friendly brewing tools, reuse cups and storage tins. Or you could buy a subscription or a gift set, starting at just £11.99.

Shop online here, or once lockdown is over pop into Christchurch stockists Two Rivers Refill where you’ll undoubtedly find loads of other gifts and goodies too. Then head to Crow Spotter a couple of doors down, where the boys will fix you up the best coffee you’ve had all year - made with Forest Edge Coffee!

A private chef

Poole-based private chef and chocolatier Christian Ørner runs SALT Cø. He specialises in cooking modern French, British, Mediterranean and Scandinavian foods, and brings the complete fine dining experience to the comfort of your own home. Christian creates seven-course tasting menus using top quality, local, seasonal ingredients. So why not book him in to cater a Christmassy date night for your other half, or for a group of up to six friends. Or purchase a voucher for dinner, classes or chocolates.

Makes and bakes in the post

Baking and crafting her little heart out in Highcliffe is Mrs Goo’s Makes & Bakes. Handmade cards, personalised framed pictures and a whole range of sweet treats designed to fit through letterboxes. How lovely would it be to receive a box of heart-shaped cookie kisses, a package of Dorset coastal fudge or a selection of gooey cookie pies? Or the Comfort Box - consisting of banana and cinnamon cake, cookies and hot chocolate with marshmallows and other delicious toppings - sounds pretty darn comfortable. Just add PJs! All orders are sent with a handmade and handwritten card, and it’s this attention to detail that smaller businesses are able to do so well - especially when prices start at just £12 including postage. Mrs Goo is just starting to take orders for Christmas Eve boxes, containing cookies for Santa, magical reindeer food and a letter from the North Pole. Follow her here, until her Etsy store goes live very soon.

Wonderful wine

“Wine is, perhaps, the closest thing the planet has to an elixir of life,” said someone wise (or tipsy) once. And what better gift to give or receive than the elixir of life? Head down to Christchurch wine bar and merchant Bodega (after lockdown, obvs) to tick a few gifts off your list. Choose from around 150 low-intervention wines - including a growing number of British wines. They also do gift vouchers, books and monthly blind subscriptions. Have a tipple and a cheeky nibble of cheese or charcuterie while you choose (the knowledgable staff will be on hand to help), and I promise you it will be the best Christmas shopping trip you’ve ever had. Find out more here.

Fruit and veg art

I’ve written about Bournemouth-based Maja Barker Art before, and I’m sure I’ll write about her again, because her fruit and veg paintings are truly joyful. I own four of her original works, but sadly we have run out of wall space. So imagine my delight when I discovered she was printing cushions, tea towels, coasters and tote bags just in time for Christmas. These would make wonderful gifts for anyone with a love of colour (me!) and pattern (me!) The products will be listed on her Etsy store very soon, but in the meantime go check her out on Instagram.

All things biscuity

Biscuits by Sarah B is a Southbourne-based business making, yes…you guessed it…biscuits. Unlike some larger biscuit companies that shan’t be named, Sarah’s biscuits look AND taste amazing. Just look at these swashbuckling pirate biscuits she made for my son’s 4th birthday party! A lot of Sarah’s trade comes from running classes and attending events and parties, so 2020 has thrown her a bit of a curveball. But instead of packing her pinny away, she has gone from strength to strength. First, she took the business out of her home kitchen and into a newly-built “cookie shack” (where I’d like to live). She then developed online tutorials and DIY cookie kits - everything you need to decorate 12 delicious biscuits. I bet you know someone who would appreciate a dinosaur, unicorn or woodland animals kit, or perhaps a Christmas kit to get the festive feels flowing? Or how about attending her Advent Calendar Class via Zoom at the end of November, where you’ll learn how to decorate 25 delicious biscuits (one spare to nibble on)? Her gift boxes of biscuits for special occasions (new baby, new home, wedding, etc) can be personalised with the colour and wording of your choice. She can even make them gluten-free and dairy-free because she’s basically a biscuit wizard. Find out more and shop online here. For 15% off the DIY cookie kits, enter the code GLUTTON15 at checkout. This is valid for one kit per customer until 31st December 2020.

Grazing boards and boxes

The Ginger and Pickle are a Poole-based grazing company who caught my eye on Instagram. We eat with our eyes first, and their grazing tables, boards, boxes and letters are things of beauty. Packed full of all things delicious: cheese, charcuterie, antipasto, seasonal and dried fruits, seasonal vegetables, pretzels, nuts, crackers, chutney and accompaniments, they would make a marvellous gift. They use local produce and can offer vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options. The Christmas range is coming soon, so keep your eyes peeled on Insta and/or The Ginger and Pickle website.