Mother In Law’s Kimchi $20 at Essex Street Market, 120 Essex St. (betw. Rivington & Delancey Sts.), 212-777-3844
Why give sweets when you could give the spicy, delicious gift of pickled Napa cabbage or daikon? Everyone brings wine to holiday parties, but the gift of kimchi—especially when paired with one of the recipes on Mother In Law’s website—is truly priceless.
Heartbreaker Espresso $15 at Café Grumpy, 224 W. 20th St. (betw. 7th & 8th Aves.), 212-255-5511 Socially responsible and Greenpointroasted, Café Grumpy’s Heartbreaker Espresso will help give your loved ones just the kick start they need to put up with your bullshit every day. Also a perfect gift for a crush who needs that extra nudge.
Wafels & Dinges Spekuloos Spread $7.95 at www.wafelsanddinges.com
Invited to a super-precious holiday cookie party? Skip the red and green tubes of frosting and bring this cinnamon-gingerbread spread to give the whole affair a Belgian twist. Somehow, the treat is vegan, so it also makes a top-notch gift for anyone with an alternativeeating lifestyle. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Almonds & Sea Salt Dark Chocolate Bar $10 at Mast Brothers Chocolate Factory, 105A N. 3rd St. (betw. Berry St. & Wythe Ave.) Brooklyn, 718-388-2625
At this point, Mast Brothers chocolate is about as ubiquitous in Williamsburg as taxidermy or drop-crotch harem pants. Still, this bar, featuring California almonds roasted in olive oil and sea salt scattered across single origin Dominican Republic dark chocolate, is undeniably perfect, down to its nautical-themed wrapper. We suggest buying a stack of these and doling them out whenever you receive an unexpected present from a coworker, acquaintance or fuck-buddy neighbor.
Brooklyn Brine Pickles $10 at Cool Hunting’s Pop Up Store, 680 5th Ave. (betw. W. 53rd & W. 54th Sts.), no phone
These are not your average bodega pickles. Brooklyn Brine pairs lavender and asparagus, curry and squash in a quest to uniquely pickle any vegetable that can be found seasonally and locally. Expand your pickle horizon with whiskey sour pickles, chipotle carrots or kaffir lime garlic scrapes. In 16- or 24-oz. jars, these surprisingly flavored veggies will bring a fresh angle to any host’s table. And there’s the added bonus for Manhattanites of not having to borough hop to get them.
Beer & Pretzel Caramels $13.25 for a dozen at Liddabit Sweets, Brooklyn Flea, 1 Hanson Pl. (at Flatbush Ave), no phone
Upgrade your beer buddy’s gift this year with these caramels from local and organic candy makers Liddabit Sweets. Brooklyn Brewery’s Brown Ale and East India Pale Ale are infused into chewy caramel with salty chunks of Martin’s pretzels for an irresistible morsel of melt-inyour-mouth goodness.
