COUCOU HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE 2023: FOODIE EDITION

We all know that more than giving, the holidays are really all about food and drink! Whether you’ll be wining or dining (or, let’s face it, both) this holiday season, we have just the thing for you–or the fellow foodie in your life–to indulge in. 

By Alaina Schwartz

 

CHOCOLATES

Starting off with a classic: a box of chocolates! Maison du chocolat has a selection of gourmet chocolate gift boxes that range from 2-144 pieces, so they can be gifted as a stocking stuffer or showstopper. We recommend the 16-piece box, which will give any chocolate lover a taste of the Maison’s huge variety of pralines, ganaches and fillings. For fun holiday-themed chocolate boxes, look to the LA-based chocolate shop Burdick for meticulously handcrafted chocolates. Their adorable and individually handmade (no molds allowed!) chocolate mice will both charm and impress.

• Box of 9 Burdick Chocolate Mice: $38
• Maison du Chocolat 16 pieces Gift Box: $50

 

COOKING CLASSES

Cooking classes are a perfect gift to share with a partner or friend. Sur la Table has in-person and online cooking classes where you’ll learn to make all of the French classics: soupe à l’oignon, coq au vin and more! When you’re ready for dessert, join one of Coucou’s French teachers for a lesson in French baking at Atelier Sucré, where we’ll be learning to make a galette des rois. 

• Sur La Table “French Bistro Favorites” cooking class: $89

 

PÂTISSERIE

For the one whose day hasn’t started until they’ve had their coffee, make their morning with some pastries to go with it! Dominique Ansel, creator of the one-and-only Cronut, can ship their signature menu items anywhere in the US (Cookie Shots, anyone?!). We also recommend a gift card to Levain Bakery, famous for their cookies, Maman for the best seasonal lattes and pastries and Angelina Paris for hot chocolate à la française.  

• Dominique Ansel 4pc Cronut Gift box: $39
• Levain Bakery 4pc Signature Cookie Assortment: $29

 

DINNER RESERVATIONS

If you’re searching for a gift for a New Yorker, a night out in the city during the holiday season is simply unmatched. For excellent food and a meticulously curated wine and spirits list, take them to dinner at Chambers in Tribeca, or just walk in and grab a seat at the bar. The convivial atmosphere is perfect for toasting to the new year. The restaurant is the project of Pascaline Lepeltier, awarded Meilleure Sommelière de France in 2018, so you know the wine is going to be good! For bistro classics from Lyon and a cozy atmosphere, we recommend Le Gratin in FiDi.

 

BOOKS

For the aspiring wine expert, Pascaline Lepeltier’s Mille Vignes : Penser le vin de demain, an all-encompassing, beautifully illustrated guide to wine that includes everything from the vine, soil and climate to tasting, bottle and label. Keep an eye out for the English translation, which will be released in 2024! Planning a trip to Paris? Pick up a copy of François-Régis Gaudry’s Let’s Eat Paris! Described as a love letter to the world’s most famous food city, Gaudry will take you on a journey through the city’s culinary past and present, give you a breakdown of its most iconic culinary institutions, share recipes for its most beloved dishes and more.

• Let’s Eat Paris book: $40
• Milles Vignes book (French version): $45

COFFEE AND TEA

Add some French flair to your morning coffee ritual with a cafetière, or French press. As the name suggests, this is a French invention that was first patented in 1852. Since then, drip coffee and coffee pods have taken center stage, but pressing your own coffee just has that certain je ne sais quoi… For a classic design with colors that pop, we recommend this one from Bodum. If your loved one prefers tea, we can only recommend France’s best, Mariage Frères. 

• Bodum Caffettiera French Press: $22.50
• Mariage Frères Tea Tin or Box: $40

 

COCKTAIL CUBES

Made with real French lavender, add these cocktail sugar cubes from Anthropologie to your drink of choice and be transported to the fields of Provence. They can be paired with anything from margaritas to lemonade, but in keeping with the French festive spirit, we recommend champagne! 

• Lavender Cocktail Sugar Cubes: $20

 

FRENCH WINES

Nobody does wine like the French, so what better gift than a bottle of French wine? For a wide selection of bottles from France’s top wine making regions–Bordeaux, Beaujolais, Loire, Rhône and beyond–we recommend Chambers Street Wines. For an extra-special bottle, head to Henry’s in Brooklyn, which has an exceptional selection of rare French wines and spirits. LA folks, we have something for you too! Vinovore, a women-owned, natural wine shop, has a monthly wine club and amazing gift boxes so you can ensure the wine lover in your life never runs out. 

• Vinovore Wine membership: $45
• Chambers Street’s Domaine de Pajot White Wine: $11.99

Coucou Tip: If you’re hosting a holiday gathering of your own, pick up a few bottles of red wine and impress your guests with a homemade vin chaud, or mulled wine, which will lift the spirits of even your most judgmental coworkers and grumpiest in-laws. Get the recipe in French here!

 

GIFT BOX FROM MURRAY’S CHEESE

Murray’s has been an authority on all things cheese since 1962 and have just about any cheese, meat or specialty food item you can imagine. Perfect for the holiday season, they have a selection of thoughtfully curated gift boxes. The French Connection includes four French cheeses, with some salami, olives and black cherry confit to complete the spread. Add on a cheese knife so that the best cheese is served using the best tools. 

• French Connection Gift Box: $142
• Hard Cheese Knife: $21

 

COOKWARE

Thank the home chef for a fabulous holiday meal by refreshing their kitchen toolset. Known for their high quality and incredible durability, a dutch oven from Staub is the perfect present for French cooking enthusiasts and will last a lifetime. For bakers, Silpat’s silicone madeleine molds and macaron baking mats are essentials. The true classic is a de Buyer crêpe pan–consider adding on a bottle of cider to enjoy your crêpes the Breton way! Finally, some ceramic casserole dishes by Émile Henry, so beautiful kitchen creations can be served in equally beautiful dishes. 

• Silpat Macaron Mat: $32.95
• Set of 3 Émile Henry Ceramic Casserole Dishes: $229.95

 

PARIS FOR FOODIES: THE COUCOU GUIDE

Paris for Foodies is the ultimate travel companion for foodies navigating the City of Lights. Wander food markets, try Parisian street food, take a cooking class and more. With French vocabulary tips, cultural insights, and restaurant recommendations to satisfy any craving, you’ll (re)discover the city through a culinary lens. For the holiday season, Paris for Foodies will be bundled with our Paris by Night and Essential Paris guides. 

• The Coucou Paris Guide Bundle: $40

 

LEARN FRENCH WITH COUCOU

If you know a francophile who’s always wanted to learn the language, give the gift of French! Get them started on their journey with a gift card for French classes at Coucou. If they’re already a student, our interactive and hand-illustrated Flashcards will introduce learners of all levels to over 320 vocabulary words, adjectives and verbs.

• Coucou Flashcards Vocab Pack 1: $55 $44