The Great Taste of Ontario Gift Guide | Ontario Culinary
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IT'S THE MOST WONDERFUL TIME OF YEAR TO SUPPORT LOCAL IN ONTARIO

 

We've brought together the best bottles, the greatest gifts and, as always, the most delicious experiences - perfect for gifting - from across the province. Any of these ideas are sure to knock the locally-made socks off that special someone on your list. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed curating it.

 

Experience the heart of Ontario foodways

These one-of-a-kind experiences will have you making memories that will last far beyond the festive season.

1 Get Udderly Ridiculous

Bright, ON    udderlyridiculousfarmlife.com

Book yourself in for a hands-on experience at Udderly Ridiculous Farm Life in Bright, Ontario. From alpaca picnics to their signature Taste of Farm Life experience, you'll re-discover your sense of childlike wonder.

2 Lunch in the Woods

Kawarthas, ON     rareescape.ca

Enjoy a guided hike through the woods to a beautiful and a secluded location. Here, you'll pop up a camp and enjoy a delicious lunch crafted by Chef Tyler Scott.

3 Yaya's Kitchen Dining Experience

London, ON  yayaskitchen.ca

Run by Maryam and Malvin Wright, Yaya’s Kitchen is a dining experience that offers guests the opportunity to connect through food. Each dish tells a story of Black foodways across the globe.

4 Twisted Lemon Restaurat Boutique & Inn

Cayuga, ON twistedlemon.ca

Winner of the 2024 Culinary Experience of the Year, Twisted Lemon crafts beautiful hands-on experiences in neighbouring town before inviting you to dine and stay with them. 

...or a cozy winter escape

We think you'll like these ones.

5 Heather Lodge Packages

Haliburton, ON.  heatherlodge.com

Enjoy winter bliss at Heather Lodge where you can take in packages that include four-course dinners, dog sledding, snow shoeing, cross country skiing and fires to warm up by.

6 Maison Maitland

Maitland, ON.    maisonmaitland.com

Enjoy a winter weekend getaway for 2 and stay in their villas with fantastic amenities, a on-site spa, Bonjour Breakfast each morning, a charcuterie board for two, two spots in their Saturday Cooking Class at the Maison and much more!

7 Muskoka Holiday Magic Package at Deerhurst Resort

Huntsville, ON.   deerhurstresort.com

Deerhurst Resort is cranking up the winter magic with all kinds of holiday activities like ski deals, holiday meals, kids crafts and so much more. Browse all of their packages.

8 The Couch Potato Package at Elmhirst

Keene, ON.   elmhirst.ca

How does a two night stay on Rice Lake with no planning sound to you? This package takes care of breakfast and lunch- the rest is up to you! Spend your time walking the trails, in the spa or just being a little lazy. No judgement here.

 

 

Treat them to a wicked-awesome meal

Celebrate the flavours of Ontario around the table.

 

7 The Breakfast Pig

Sault Ste. Marie, ON      thebreakfastpig.com

Discover the creative mind of Chef Angela Caputo right on the plate with each delicious breakfast dish here. We love the Peanut Butter and daaamn— think chicken and waffles smothered in PB & local jam.

8 Richmond Station

Toronto, ON    richmondstation.ca

An ode to all things local, Richmond Station is a Toronto staple and long-time member of the Feast On® program. We particularly drool over their burgers made fresh in house daily but trust us, everything is delightful. 

9 The Common Stove

Orillia, ON    thecommonstove.com

With a large open wood grill fire right in the centre of this kitchen, Chef Ben Kersley and his team bring the plate to life with every single bite taken straight from the flame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAVE YOURSELF A SUSTAINABLE CELEBRATION

Looking for ways to keep the holidays sustainable while still making those you love feel loved?
Here are four gifts for food and drink lovers that do just that!

PRINTS FOR PURPOSE

This Trail Loop print by Gosia Komorski for Collective Arts Brewing sends all proceeds to the Balsam Lake Reforestation Project with Ontario Parks.

A WINTER ESCAPE

Discover a beautiful winter night sky, delicious food and more at Long Point Eco Adventures. It makes for the perfect gifted getaway!

MAKE IT B CORP OR BUST

Giving a gift card to a B Corp business - like Park Eatery in Guelph - does double duty. It supports restaurants, while also supporting change.

NET ZERO CYDER

This little number from Duntroon Cyder House is part of the Duntroon's goal to be carbon neutral! Organic and made using a blend of organic heritage cider apples from their estate orchards, it is incredibly thirst-quenching and looks great under the tree.

 

 

GIVE INDIGENOUS-MADE GIFTS THIS SEASON

 
Supporting Indigenous-owned food and drink businesses is important. Here are four awesome gifts by four awesome Indigenous food makers we want to find in our stocking this year.

 

1 BIRCHBARK COFFEE COMPANY

Ottawa, ON    birchbarkcoffeecompany.com

Mark Marsolais-Nahwegahbow is Ojibwe and a Band Member of Whitefish River First Nation located on Birch Island, Ontario in the District of Manitoulin island and is the founder of the Innovative First Nations social enterprise, Birch Bark Coffee Company. Birch Bark offers delicious Organic, Fair Trade and SPP Certified (Small Producers) coffee.

2 TREETEAS BREWING CO.

Serpent River First Nation, ON    facebook.com

Discover unique Indigenous food and drink fusions through Treeteas Brewing.- a unique collection of infused carbonated teas. We love the cedar and wild mint.

3 GIIZHIGAT MAPLE PRODUCTS

St. Joseph Island, ON    giizhigatmapleproducts.com

Giizihigat Maple Products is a First Nation Maple Syrup company that produces the best maple syrup in Ontario. Giizihigat - which means ‘day’ in Anishinaabe - offers all grades of syrup, as well as a delicious maple candies and butter.

4 SQUARE TIMBER BREWING

Ottawa Valley, ON    squaretimber.com

This small independent craft brewery invites folks to experience the flavours of Ottawa Valley through each brew they create. Three flagships and seasonal small batches make it a great spot for craft beer enthusiasts.

5 RAVEN RISING GLOBAL INDIGENOUS CHOCOLATES

Sudbury, ON   ravenrising.ca

Chef Tammy Maki makes beautiful chocolates with a focus on sustainable and traceable ingredients sourced wherever possible from Indigenous people. Her creative chocolate creations include flavours like Paw Paw and Ghanaian chocolate bonbons and foraged Black Trumpet truffles.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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SIPS TO SAVOUR THE SEASON

The holidays are a time for celebration and nothing says celebration like a little VQA vino or bottle of Ontario-made cider.

2019 Chardonnay
Lighthall Vineyards
Milford (Prince Edward County)

Cider House Rules
Slabtown Cider
Durham Region

2020 Baco Noir
Dark Horse Estate Winery
Huron County

Party!
Revel Cider x Paradise Grapevine
Toronto + Guelph

SMALL-BATCH CHOCOLATES
THEY'RE SURE TO LOVE

 

We are chocolate lovers through and through - especially when they're made with love and local ingredients. These three chocolate makers create beautiful treats that even the most discerning chocolate lover in your life will enjoy!

 

1 HUMMINGBIRD CHOCOLATE MAKERS

Ottawa, ON    hummingbirdchocolate.com

What started out as a globe-trotting mission, helping farmers wherever they landed turned into a passion for owners Drew and Erica. They decided one way to do this from home would be to open a chocolate shop where they could source beans from famers in the countries they'd visited and create amazing chocolate creations here in Ontario.

 

2 CENTRE & MAIN CHOCOLATE CO.

Warkworth, ON   centreandmainchocolate.com

Crafting small-batch, artisan chocolate out of Warkworth, Ontario, Centre & Main Chocolate is no newbie on the block. These folks have won loads of International Chocolate Awards and mix loads of tantalizing flavour into their chocolate from black currant to espresso and cinnamon.

 

3 ANNIE'S CHOCOLATES

London, ON    annieschocolate.com

Using recipes passed down from her great grandma, Annie followed in the family's candy-making traditions and opened Annie's Chocolates in the 90s. Today, Annie's Chocolates is a full-fledged facility and they churn out some truly delicious treats like their chocolate-covered licorice, chocolate velvet cherries and almond bark.

MAKING SPIRITS BRIGHT


Gone are the days of badly made Boulevardiers and sad Sazaracs at your holiday party. Show up in style with a sixer, something pre-made or something to make together this holiday season from some brilliant Ontario distillers. 

 

1 GINGERBREAD GIN 

WILLIBALD DISTILLERY
Waterloo Region, ON     drinkwillibald.com

Not overly sweet but still enough to be a treat, this gingerbread gin uses an array of gin botanicals alongside a heaping helping of cinnamon, clove and ginger. Best enjoyed by an open fire, we love mixing it into a holiday mule or drinking  it with a bit of tonic and a sprig of rosemary. You can also get it pre-wrapped or enjoy it in one of Willibald's pre-made gingerbread mules.

bottle of spruce tip vodka in front of spruce tree

 

SPRUCE TIP VODKA

CROSSCUT DISTILLERY
Sudbury, ON   crosscutdistillery.ca

While spruce tips are generally harvested in the early spring, we can't think of a better combo than sipping on a spruce tip vodka cran while looking at your own tree lit up for the festive season. If that doesn't scream holly jolly, we're not sure what does! 

 

3 HOT TODDY COCKTAIL KIT

DILLON'S SMALL BATCH DISTILLERS
Lincoln, ON      dillons.ca

Can we give it up for the warm holiday cocktail? An underrated superstar in our opinion, the hot toddy is perfect for warming your hands on a chilly winter walk or enjoying a relaxing evening in watching your fav holiday flicks. This kit comes with a tea mix from Ontario's own Pluck Teas and it makes the perfect gift under the tree.

4 WINTER CIRCLE GIN

PARADIGM SPIRITS
London, ON      paradigmspirits.com

Meant to replicate the feeling of standing in a forest in the middle of winter and staring at the starry sky, Winter Circle Gin is named after a natural phenomenon that only happens on the coldest days of the year. While juniper and spruce tips are at the forefront, you'll also notice a smooth finish of warm baking spices, cranberry, and bitter orange, supported by rosemary and thyme.

THE GIFTS THAT KEEP ON GIVING

 

Foodie subscription boxes are truly the gift that keeps on giving - think wine club, but with all things edible. Here's five food subscription services we're giving our friends and family this year.

RAMEN

craftyramen.com

Love ramen but sick of just dumping out the stuff from a plastic pack? The oh-so-popular Crafty Ramen now offers ramen subscriptions delivered right to your door with fresh ingredients. Happy slurping!

COFFEE

hatchcrafted.com

Know somebody who needs their coffee before functioning each morning? The Roastery Select Subscription from Hatch sends a curated set of coffees to their door each morning including the newest blends AND a Third Wave Water packet so they can try the coffee with different water profiles. Cool eh?

CIDER

shaleridgeestatewinery.com

Sent out quarterly, this subscription box for cider lovers follows the cidery's seasonal releases and gives priority access to members. Plus, they'll receive a complimentary tasting or glass when they visit the cidery IRL and some other tasty perks.

CHEESE

nonnaspantry.ca

Based in Prince Edward County, this subscription box offers up a variety of cheeses made by the cheesemakers over at Fifth Town Artisan Cheese. Each box includes a monthly selection of four cow, goat, buffalo or mixed cheeses, a condiment and a cured local meat.

PRODUCE

leeandmarias.com

Support Ontario farmers with this subscription box that ships across the province! Lee and Maria's gives you the opportunity to customize your box to reduce food waste and has four tiers of size options for smarter holiday shopping.

LEGENDAIRY GIFTS
THAT COULDN'T BE FETA

Cheese. It's a gouda gift idea and when it's crafted right here in Ontario? Even cheddar. Get them something legenDAIRY this holiday season- the gift of cheese. Keep in mind, many of these cheesemakers also ship gift packs and baskets of cheese!

 

1 CUMIN + CLOVE GOUDA CHEESE

THUNDER OAK CHEESE FARM
Thunder Bay, ON     thunderoakcheese.com

Experience a taste of the north through Thunder Oak's extensive selection of Dutch-inspired Goudas. Their cumin and clove Gouda uses the fenugreek herb which is the perfect way to festively spice up your next cheeseboard.

 

2 MOO BREW

GUNN'S HILL ARTISAN CHEESE
Woodstock, ON     gunnshillcheese.ca

This creamy little cow's milk cheese is modeled after the Swiss-style, Mutchli. Mild with buttery milk, is it rubbed with an espresso blend from Early Bird Coffee in Woodstock and aged for 3 months.

 

3 WILDWOOD

STONETOWN CHEESE
St. Marys, ON     stonetowncheese.com

This zesty little award-winner is a must-try for cheese lovers made in the Swiss Appenzeller style. With an aromatic rind and a rich and creamy texture, any cheese lover will be gleeful when this shows up under the tree.

 

4 PECORNIO FRESCO WITH FRESH HERBS

SECRET LANDS FARM
Proton Station, ON    secretlands.ca

Crumble this over pretty much anything. The fiery mixed of herbs on top give a modern kick to a classic cheese.

 

5 HIGHLAND BLUE

BACK FORTY ARTISAN CHEESE
Mississippi Station, ON    artisancheese.ca

Named for the Lanark Highlands, this blue cheese celebrates the area's rich Scottish heritage in all its creamy, stinky, delicious glory.

 

MORE GREAT GIFTS FOR FOOD LOVERS

 

These CHOCOLATE COVERED CHERRIES straight from Niagara Benchlands.

This CAMP SAUCE from Heartbeat Hot Sauce that will make you feel like you're sitting fireside.

This COFFEE CONCENTRATE from Backroad Coffee Roasters will hype up your morning coffee game.

The creamiest handmade SHEEP MILK GELATO from the folks at Secret Lands Farm. 

This FOREST GARDEN CIDER from Heartwood Farm and Cidery offers a taste of local terroir using a blend of six apples and a light touch of maple syrup from their farm.

The DOUBLE HAPPINESS COOKBOOK by Trevor Lui inspires readers to get into the kitchen and try some of the recipes that connect Trevor to his heritage and make him "double happy".

These unreal GINGERBREAD CARAMELS made in Merrickville.

This HOUSE BLEND SEASONING from Zule Eats in Windsor brings the flavours of Ghana to your pantry. 

The HARVEST ALE from Mackinnon Brothers Brewing that uses ingredients exclusively grown right on their farm. 

This RED WINE SALT infuses kosher salt with red wine from Blueberry Hill in Norfolk County.

This EMERALD CUP is made right in Prince Edward County by Cylinder Studio. 

This FUN BEER GLASS is perfect for the craft beer lover on your list.

This  CRANBERRY + BLOOD ORANGE GIN from Beattie's Distillers.

These JAMAICAN COCONUT DROPS from Brampton will make you feel like you're on vacay.

This CAUGHT IN A SNOWSTORM Cider Pack from West Ave. has all the essentials. 

Discover Mother Nature AND great food at Madawaska Kanu Centre.

This Vodkow EGGNOG CREAM LIQUEUR is sure to make you feel holly jolly. 

A collection of fantastic cured meats find home in this SEED TO SAUSAGE BOX out of Ottawa.

Grab a gift card for COMMON STOVE and you'll get dinner and a show at this open-fire restaurant. 

A relaxing morning paddle, cozy eats and more await you on Six Nations with this romance couple for CHIEFSWOOD PARK.

Eating your weight in MINT SMOOTHIES from Rheo Thompson is one of our fav hobbies. 

FINBARR'S HONEY from Springfield Farm Organics gives you all the terroir-produced flavour of Apple Hill, Ontario. 

WHITE ELEPHANT POPCORN from Snack City Popcorn combines white cheddar and dill into one delish combo. 

This romantic package from Old Firehouse Confectionery in Vaughan is perfect for your sweetie. 

The caesar-lover on your list needs this 1858 DILL PICKLE CAESAR RIMMER. 

For The Bear fans in your life, this Beef Barn RINGER TEE from Matty Matheson should be a home run. 

A handmade LEATHER KOOZIE from a Feast On® brewery? We're into it.

There's a subtle nod to the brewing at RED BARN in this grey hat.

A Niagara Falls WONDER PASS gets you into several attractions. Follow it all up with a meal from Table Rock House. 

These FEASTING PLATES are a beautiful addition to any holiday meal. 

Enjoy a GASTRO EXPERIENCE from the folks at Forest City Culinary. 

A cocktail class in beautiful Elora

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