8 Great Gastronomic Gifts For Father's Day
He's cooked hundreds, nay, thousands of meals for you, from fluffy pancakes to perfectly moist burgers to savory moussaka. He thoughtfully selected that Ruinart Blanc de Blanc when you finished grad school. He even taught you how to make an Old Fashioned that stands up to the best that any suspenders-wearing mixologist can muster. How to repay such culinary wealth this Father's Day? Here are some ideas: a selection of gifts that will show how much dad's gastronomic passions have inspired you throughout the years — and, hopefully, inspire him to keep on sharing the goodies with you, too.
Oenophile Dad
For the father who loves rolling wine over his tongue, furrowing his brow, then jotting down tasting notes—on a napkin, which remains in his pocket, only to go through the wash later. Help him stay organized with this wine tasting notebook published by the Wine Appreciation Guild. Now, he'll be able to refer back to his notes from the Bordeaux tasting to remember whether he preferred the 2010 or 2011 Left Bank vintages—thank goodness. $27; rakuten.com
Hot Sauce-Obsessed Dad
This artisanal hot sauce set from NW Elixirs, a collaboration between a chef and a waiter with a focus on bold-flavored sauces, will remind your father over and over how much you appreciate him. With eggs at breakfast. With Bloody Marys at brunch. With tacos at lunch. With barbecued chicken wings at dinner. With homemade bacon. Etcetera, etcetera. $24 for three sauces; nwelixirs.com
Salty Dad
What would home cooking be without a healthy dose of fresh salt? An exotic salt set from will provide the salinity he needs. But, if he's really passionate, you might gift him a Himalayan salt block, too, an artful and unique way to cook all sorts of things, plus a true crowd pleaser when it comes to food presentation, from Portland's the Meadow. If he needs a little (or a lot of) guidance, throw in the "definitive text on salt blocks," Salt Block Cooking, by James Beard award-winning author Mark Bitterman (not to be confused with Bittman). $62 for salt block and cookbook combo; uncommongoods.com
D.I.Y. Dad
For the guy who wants to serve his homemade goodies at dinner parties, or maybe just never got past the joy of high school chemistry experiments, there are options. Treat him to the homemade bacon curing kit ($23), the make-your-own-bitters kit ($48), or the make-your-own hot sauce kit: $35; food52.com
Coffee Snob Dad
Help him start his day in a good mood with the latest in aesthetically and functionally smart coffee brewing, the Kalita Wave Style Set. Pair that with a coffee club subscription from organic and handcrafted provider Counter Culture (starting at $14.75 per shipment) or one curated by the coffee geeks at Tonx (starting at $12 per shipment), and his mornings will be forever brightened. The subscription is a good choice for someone who's interested in exploring new coffee varietals and locations, but maybe not a dad who is passionately loyal to his one regular brew. $69.95 for brewing set; prima-coffee.com
Nightcap Dad
He'll appreciate a special bottle of bourbon like the small-batch Hudson Baby Bourbon ($40), part of a family of whiskeys that were the first to be (legally and officially) distilled in New York State since Prohibition. This smooth, caramel and vanilla fragranced bourbon is made from 100% New York corn, American Oak-aged. Plus the bottle is attractive, a classy addition to any bar. $40; acespirits.com
Cutting-Edge Dad
Nothing says "I love your cooking" like a shiny new blade, or two. For a father whose tastes lean toward the repurposed, check out R. Murphy's exclusive set at Food52 (made to order, allow 1-2 weeks), boasting high-carbon steel blade knives with handles of wood reclaimed from an old Chrysler plant. $115 to $249; food52.com
BeerBuff Dad
Dad's mouth will water each time he receives his delivery from the Original Craft Beer Club. Various kinds of microbrews made by small-production, independent brewers arrive each month. Talk about easy drinking: there's no membership fee, and you can cancel anytime. $39 per month; craftbeerclub.com
Check out more gift ideas on Food Republic: