Don't know what to give as a gift? 10 delicious products to give this Christmas (and a historical bonus track)

"What do you want for Christmas this year?" "I don't know, I have everything." That's usually the most common answer during the holidays. But there are some things we can never have enough of, and those are healthy, high-quality, and artisanal food products. They're always welcome in the pantry. We've put together a small selection to give you ideas on how to give them as gifts or add them to your Christmas wish list.

If someone gives you olive oil of that quality, it means they care about you. In Catalonia, there are several small producers who make it, and they are true gems. In this case, we've chosen the one from the project. Oil painting Neck of the DawnLocated in Camarles (Baix Ebre), Xavier and Alba left Barcelona a few years ago to produce premium organic extra virgin olive oil. Their varieties, Morruda (with a more intense flavor) and Sevillenca (with a more intense aroma), can already be found in the finest restaurants, and if you wish, also in your home. Yet another example of how craftsmanship, rural life, and excellence can perfectly complement each other.

Rustic Rooster Paté from the Penedès region Mallart Artisans Charcuteros It's wonderful. Cooked in the Catalan style, with dried apricots, raisins, and pine nuts, it's a product made with a local ingredient that has a Protected Geographical Indication (PGI). It's a unique offering, as are the other two pâtés they produce: the La Laguna pâté, made from a revived centuries-old recipe, and the Malvasia pâté from Sitges, which preserves the legacy of a unique grape variety. Besides its outstanding culinary work, Mallart also has a strong social mission, as it's part of the Mas Albornà Foundation.

The Ramats de Foc pastures are one of the best tools we have for preventing and fighting fires in this country. So making their activity sustainable benefits us all. A great way to do this is by buying This sweet lamb stew Prepared by Pibernat. It comes pre-cooked and only needs to be heated. The ingredients are lamb, onion, extra virgin olive oil, honey, garlic, and thyme.

This cheese is lactose-free, but it does have an award—a big one. It has been recognized in Switzerland as the best bloomy-rind buffalo cheese in the world. It's called Sarró de Búfala and it's made by... Montbrú CheesesFrom Moianès. They drain it by hand and mature it for up to four months. The rind is this black fungus that evokes the forest. Buffalo cheeses aren't common in our region, but this cheese factory is always trying to create new products, and this one has turned out perfectly.

It has generated a great ePresumption. And it's because the owners of Gresca Provisions They have a reputation among discerning palates. They are Rafa Peña and Mireia Navarro, the creators of the eponymous restaurant near Barcelona's Eixample district. They have also created a grocery store where they make practically everything themselves in their own workshop: bread, pasta, and especially cured meats. Mortadella with pistachios, black pudding, Catalan sausage, chistorra sausage, pate en croûte either Jamón PersilléThese last two items can grace a fantastic Christmas table. In store, the provisions are accompanied by a wide selection of wines.

From Bell-lloc d'Urgell we receive the Marnuthem Vermouth bottlesMarc Cuenca and Núria Sánchez take pride in their approach to wine, and this dedication has clearly paid off. Their white vermouth has been named the third best semi-dry white vermouth in the world for the third year running. And their rosé has won a gold medal in the semi-sweet category. The base wines they use are Macabeo from the Sanui winery in Lleida and Garnacha Tinta from Carviresa in Tàrrega, both from the Costers del Segre DO. Enjoy these vermouths as an aperitif before the big Christmas meals.

They're an unstoppable vice, and wrinkled ones are never a bad thing. one of El Rosal's star products, The century-old biscuit workshop is run by the Alba Foundation. It's a job placement project for people with disabilities and at risk of social exclusion. They say they've been making "good biscuits since 1920" and will continue to do so for many more years. The "arrugados" (wrinkled biscuits) came about because Lluís's wafer rolls didn't always turn out perfectly. His imperfectly wrinkled biscuits ended up becoming a successful product. They also have boxes that combine the wrinkled biscuits with fans and wafer rolls, which would make a great impression if you're invited to a party and want to bring a small gift.

Everything that Lluc Crusellas, the chocolatier from Osona, makes is of high quality, but at Christmas, he really shines. authentic sweet filigreeWe can see it on the Christmas tree or reindeer. But also on the nougat, where he uses figures that are almost too delicate to break. Because they are so fragile, they can only be found in his shops, the one in Vic (23 Lleida Street) and also in Andorra, at the Pyrénées department store. Besides the figures, the fillings are quite delicious; to give two examples: dark chocolate filled with... ganache 70% chocolate and an apricot gel or milk chocolate, filled with lemon caramel and passion fruit ganache with caramelized white chocolate.

It is a tradition that The best artisan panettone in the country is made in Catalonia.This year, the award went to two fantastic family-run bakeries. Oriol Carrió, from Barcelona, ​​for the award for best traditional panettone, and Jan is neededFrom Torredembarra, for the best chocolate. Without neglecting nougat and shortbread, this Italian sweet has been a regular feature on our tables for years.

Catalonia, land of bubbles. Needless to say, there are many excellent options. We propose a couple. On the one hand, the Maria Bernet 2014 from the winery Julia BernetThis Corpinnato has been considered the best sparkling wine of the year. It comes from a family of farmers who have achieved excellence in a very competitive world. The second option is a birthday cava. Layetano Art (Alta Alella) celebrates the 20th anniversary of the creation of Bruant, an organic, sulfite-free cava. This bottle, made entirely from white raisins, has become an emblem for the Pujol-Busquets family and the industry.

'Bonus track', a historic gift

If you like cooking, it's worth buying (or getting as a gift) this book by the master chef Josep Lladonosa: Catalan cuisine 700 years ago. Recipes that have made history (Vienna Editions). Chef of the Quatre Barres restaurant and teacher of the most renowned chefs, he has reviewed medieval recipes, such as those found in the Book of the Sent SovietAnd she's adapted them so we can imagine—more or less—what our ancestors ate. A fun exercise to remember that we come from a very long time ago.