An Ina Garten-Coded Gift Guide, Ranging from “Good” Olive Oil to Quality Knives

Last year, Garten revealed her go-to host gifts—and they don’t include likely suspects like wine or cheese. “I don’t bring something that the hostess feels…that they need to serve,” she said, before recommending homemade granola, chocolates, good tea and high-end coffee.

Upon researching, I found a 2014 interview in Bon Appetit where she said she favors small-batch coffee from Dallis Bros., a NYC roaster that’s been around for more than a century. There are dozens of bean varieties to choose from, and they’re purchased directly from farmers without the involvement of middlemen. As a former barista, I suggest starting with the New York medium-roasted espresso blend, equipped with notes of chocolate, nougat and caramel, if you’re not sure of your giftee’s preferences.

Garten famously calls for “good” olive oil in many of her recipes, and she’s been doing it since her early Food Network days. But what does she really mean by that pseudo-catchphrase? Someone wanted an answer and took to the Ask Ina page of her website to find out. “I use Olio Santo extra-virgin olive oil and highly recommend it,” Garten replied.

Cold-pressed in California and produced without herbicides or pesticides, Olio Santo is famous for its buttery, mild flavor that makes it versatile enough to cook with, yet approachable enough to use as a finishing touch. Each bottle as the harvest date on it, so you can see how fresh it really is before gifting it—or keeping it for yourself.

If Ina says, “jump,” I say, “how high?” And if she says, “I only use Wüsthof kitchen knives,” you can bet your perfectly roasted chicken that I have my eyes peeled for a sale. If you’re looking for a splurge-worthy gift that’s going to last your giftee for the long haul, this German cutlery brand is just the ticket.

The Contessa has gone on the record multiple times to recommend Wüsthof, knighting them as “good knives” online and IRL. Forged from high-carbon steel and designed with full tang (meaning the back of the blade extends all the way into the handle for optimal leverage and durability), they’re easy to wield and reliably efficient.

“The one ingredient that most people use wrong is salt,” Garten told Bon Appetit in 2018. “It’s really important in every dish, both sweet and savory. You have to use the right one for the right occasion…When I want to finish with salt, I use fleur de sel, which is a French sea salt.”

I did a side-by-side comparison of Garten’s favorite salts: Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, Maldon Flaky Salt and, most elegant of them all, Le Saunier de Camargue Fleur de Sel. It’s used for finishing and tastes especially divine on caramel and chocolate desserts. (You can also use it to top salads, grilled meat and fresh fruit.) It’s surprisingly crunchy, despite the crystals’ small size. Its flavor is more complex than you’re used to, due to the salt’s higher mineral content, as well as a bit briny. I found it to be impressive looking to boot, and I think it’d make a great addition to a gift basket or holiday stocking.

“I’ll bring maybe chocolates, like Fran’s caramels, that everybody likes. I love Fran’s caramels,” Garten raved when discussing her favorite host gifts. When she name-drops a brand, you know it has to be exquisite.

ICYMI, Fran’s Chocolate is an American artisanal confectionary that’s been slinging drool-worthy treats for more than four decades. There’s no shortage of deliciousness to peruse in the online shop, but I’d recommend following Ina’s lead with these smoked salt caramels, enrobed in milk chocolate and finished with sea salt that’s been smoked on Welsh oak.

Garten likes giving good tea and coffee as a gift because it’s something the host can use in the future. It doesn’t go stale or bad in a flash, and they won’t feel pressured to incorporate it into the meal or event they’re hosting in the present. That said, you can do better than a cheap supermarket brand, and I have just the thing.

Take this varied collection of organic black, oolong, green, white and herbal tea blends, complete with 40 pyramid tea infusers. The Insta-worthy box is refillable too, so the giftee can use it again and again to store their favorite brews. Options include ginger lemongrass, white ambrosia, lemon sorbetti and African solstice, to name a few.

Real ones know that the Food Network star sells a variety of her signature desserts via Goldbelly, meaning you can order them to your doorstep with the click of a button. I’ve tasted her ready-to-bake cookie dough (the chocolate white chocolate chunk was my favorite), but since we’re talking gifts, this layered masterpiece is my ultimate rec. It was inspired by the Barefoot Contessa shop’s beloved coconut cupcakes.

The coconut cake has a secret ingredient—almond extract—that played a powerful role when I sampled it. It was the first thing I smelled when I unwrapped the cake, and it flooded my senses once I took a bite. The coconut and vanilla were subtler, and the tang of the cream cheese was only strong if the bite as heavily frosted. Overall, I thought it was moist, balanced and easy on the eyes—not to mention worth buying for a loved one.

Garten calls for “good chocolate” in many baking recipes, and according to Tasting Table, Lindt, Callebaut and Valrhona all qualify. As far as gifts go, an assortment of truffles fits the bill better than baking bars, IMO. So, I recommend a tasty assortment from Valrhona, ideally one that features milk, dark and white chocolates. Made in France, the truffles honor five different French pastries: millefeuille, tarte tatin, crème caramel, chocolate fondant and Paris-Brest.

If you’re eager to spend more in this category, consider swanky Belgian chocolate from Callebaut, or alternatively, save on the more affordable 26-piece box from Lindt.

OK, this is more a gift I would recommend than the Contessa herself...although I’m sure she wouldn’t discourage you from buying her well-received memoir. PureWow VP of editorial Candace Davison read it and found it to be well worth the hype. It’s a no-brainer for any Ina fan on your list.

“Her fairytale wasn’t a fairytale; Garten was living in the real world, full of ups and downs,” Davison wrote in her review. “That’s the secret to Ina’s success—when the bad breaks happen, she tries to turn them into good ones. And trusts that good is coming, even if it’s not here yet.”

FYI, Ina’s signature chambray shirt, which is a medium-wash blue with buttons down the front and long sleeves, is custom-made for her. (Color me not surprised.) But rumor has it that she settles for an uncanny Talbots number in a pinch. Whether you’re aiming to spruce up someone’s fall wardrobe or want to be as much like Garten as humanly possible, this piece would be a welcome addition to anyone’s closet. My favorite features about the indigo night wash shirt are its cozy-yet-sleek fit and that it comes in a number of sizes and variations.