Valentine’s Day Gift Guide: The Best Global Gifts For Foodies

This selection of ten gifts, from around the world, for those who love to cook or just eat, range from the best olive oil, chocolate and cheese to cooking kits and pretty ceramics.

1.Japan: Sushi Set from Made in Japan

Made in Japan Tableware UK sources and sell beautiful Japanese tableware, mainly from small, family-run kilns in Gifu on the central island of Honshu, with the rest of their collections sourced from the length and breadth of Japan. Selected at the Utsuwa Workshop in Gifu prefecture, Japan this pretty ceramic Sushi set consists of two sushi plates, two sauce dishes and two pairs of wooden chopsticks. It’s ideal for serving a variety of sushi rolls, from classic California rolls to more unique creations. The plate is large enough to hold a generous amount of sushi, while the chopsticks and soy sauce dish are the perfect size for dipping. The blue and white geometric flower pattern is a traditional Japanese design that adds a touch of elegance to any meal.

2.Wales: Quintessential Cheese hamper, £45

Snowdonia Cheese Company’s award-winning cheeses are a must. Their classic hamper is filled with their most popular cheeses, chutneys and crackers. The award-winning Black Bomber and Red Storm; Green Thunder with roasted garlic and garden herbs; and Red Devil red Leicester with Habanero chillies, peppers and spices, this is the ultimate gift for cheeselovers. Carefully selected to complement the cheeses are a pair of their bestselling chutneys – Balsamic Caramelised Onion and Pear, Date & Cognac – plus a box of crunchy buttermilk crackers.

3.England: Couture Chocolate gift box, £20.90

Award-winning chocolatier Maison Samadi-London has strong Lebanese roots. It builds on a long standing family tradition started in 1872 by founder Maria Chehab’s great grandfather Muhieddine Samadi who became a leading sweets and chocolate maker. This box of delicious, assorted hand-crafted chocolates consist of Milk and Dark Chocolates filled with Gianduja, Praline (pieces of nuts) and Ganache. Even better is the extra large box with 36 pieces of assorted milk and dark with praline and nuts.

4.Panama: Ron Abuelo rum, Gift Trio £73

Ron Abuelo, a luxury rum brand based in Pesé, Panama, produces stellar sipping rums, ideal for gifts. The Ron Abuelo Finish Collection Gift Box includes three rums that have been aged for fourteen years and then a further year in different regional casks: the Oloroso in Spanish Sherry Casks; Napoleon in Cognac casks and the Tawny in Port casks. With a diverse range of tasting notes, the collection makes the perfect gift to explore and savor.

5.Portugal: Sardine gift boxes

Quality tinned fish that’s sustainably caught and canned the same day has similar health benefits to eating fresh fish and it can be super tasty. As a gift, Portuguese sardines have also long been admired for their colorful tin designs. The Three Range is a showcase of artfully-prepared tinned fish, packed in fine olive oils and sauces. The flavors grow richer with time too. Sardines with chilli, Sardines in tomato sauce and tuna fillets in olive oil, each in brightly colored tins. London’s Tinned Fish Market ships to the United States too.

6.France: Ladurée, Boite Mon Chou 12 macarons £35

French pâtisserie extraordinaire, Ladurée’s signature green gift box has been completely redecorated by hand for Valentine’s Day. Handpick your loved ones’ favorite flavors to create the special ‘Mon Chou’ gift box of twelve mouth-watering macarons – available until 15 February.

7.Greece: Aegean Hamper, £68

Maltby & Greek are a leading supplier of premium Greek produce who work directly with a network of small artisan producers to source the finest quality foods, wines, spirits, and beers from across Greece. This hamper created by Chef Marianna Leivaditaki features the island cuisine of her native Crete. As well as her cookbook, Aegean: Recipes from the Mountains to the Sea, it’s packed with some key Greek ingredients like Psaltiras Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Trikalinos Natural Sea Salt and Rizes Sweet Red Pepper and Aubergine Paste.

8.Spain: Deluxe Pella kit, £29.99

For anyone remembering a recent trip to Spain, this deluxe paella kit from the brilliant online kitchen shop, Sous Chef, includes traditional flavorings such as paprika and saffron. It also includes ingredients for making regional specialities, with fideo noodles for Valencian Fideuà, and squid ink for Arròs negre.

9.Italy: Flavored Olive Oil selection from Seggiano £50

The Seggiano story started out with olive oil when Peri and David saved up enough to buy an olive farm in Tuscany and started producing their own oil. Now, in addition to their superb range of classic olive oil they offer flavored oils too, all produced by a family-run mill in Puglia. High quality extra virgin olive oil is infused with five very unique flavors.

10.Austria: The Viennese Kitchen: 10th Anniversary Edition Tante Hertha’s Book of Family Recipes £22.52

For anyone who has enjoyed Viennese sweet treats in one of the city’s beautiful cafes, this cookbook is the ideal gift. Based on an original notebook and recipe journal of a 1900s baroness, it’s also a fascinating history of fin de siècle Viennese high society. Anecdotes and personal stories, gathered by mother and daughter authors Maria von Baich and Monica Meehan, accompany over 100 original recipes, all of which have been tested and brought up to date for the modern cook.