When I had my baby, after fifty hours of unbelievable labor, I came home to a kitchen that was not quite through a remodel and a pretty empty fridge.

Blissed out and hungry, we assumed there would be a parade of lasagna and casseroles — isn't that how it goes in the movies? — but alas, the goods never arrived. After that, I swore that from then on I would always cook for my friends when they had babies and that is how my famous Taco Box evolved.
More

Q: I need help from Kitchn readers! We have a great Asian grocery store near us and I would like to put together healthy, Asian food/gift baskets for family members for the holidays.

What ideas do you have for yummy and affordable Asian staples or delicacies that are light, cheap, and portable for shipping? Thanks!

Sent by Lynne More

Judging by all the festivities I see happening around me, I reckon we are smack bang in the middle of the holiday season. Perhaps you are looking for a special wine to offer as a gift? Or, a simple easy-drinking wine to drink at a holiday party? To help navigate the myriad of wines on offer I've put together a tidy selection of wines that I tried over the past year, and found particularly tasty. More

We like to think of gifts for good causes as magnificent three (or more!)-way presents. When a donation is made, the benefits stretch from the giver to the honoree to the organization receiving the support and all the individuals and communities it helps. For food lovers, it's only fitting to support charities and groups involved in work like farming, gardening, food justice and security. Here are some to consider… More

Thanksgiving is over, and so the holiday season is upon us. I love books, all books — but particularly wine books. Not just the technical academic books, but especially the wine books that tell stories, that recount history, that give us insights into the people and passion behind the wines.

If you are looking for some good book ideas for your wine-loving friends, here are some of my favorite reads this year. More

Beer lovers are by far the easiest people to shop for. Trust me, the gift of good beer will always be received with exuberant and completely unfeigned delight. But this year, several newly-released books, special brewing kits, and other beer-nerd-tastic things make giving these folks something they'll love even easier. More

Have you ever noticed that our friends and families are almost scared to give us anything food-related, when in fact those are the things we most want? But then again, we've shopped for enough fellow foodies that we understand the dilemma. Does she already have this? Would he really like that? Is this something they'd even use? Here are a few sure-win gift ideas for any foodie in your life. More

Every month, we look forward to our dose of beer geekiness in the form of the Beer Advocate magazine. This is a casual magazine written by beer lovers for other beer lovers, and every issue is chock full of reviews, news from the beer world, and brewer interviews.

If you're looking for one more subscription to round out your food magazines this year, we definitely recommend this one. More

Q: I want to make my friend a food gift, but she's on a "sweets ban." But I don't want to make her pesto or hot sauce or any sauce type of things.

What should I make her?

Sent by Julia More

The absolute deliciousness of homemade marshmallows was one of our favorite discoveries this year. Wouldn’t a copy of this book on making marshmallows, along with a few homemade marshmallows as inspiration, make a great present for a fellow food-lover? More