Gastronomic gifts for your gourmet loved ones

Surely everyone has a friend, a colleague or a relative who finds a good vintage red wine or a premium beer a hit. For those whose hearts are more inclined towards sweeter Tokaj wines, the award-winning wines of Holdvölgy Estate in Mád could be a good choice. The excellent items can also be purchased in stylish festive packaging, but if you would rather give the gift of an experience, treasure-hunting tasting tours are also held in the more than 500-year-old, nearly 2-kilometre-long historical cellar system. The Etyek–Buda wine region is also rich in terroir: the Anonym Cellar, run by Áron Szövényi and his family, is also located here. The grapes grown on approximately 5.5 hectares are used to make white and red wine and champagne, which can also be purchased in creative packages – we recommend the Mindenünk Etyek (All the World to Us, Etyek) and Nagyon Etyek (Particularly Etyek) wine packages.

If you are looking for gift ideas from the latter of the “wine” or “beer” categories, we warmly recommend the offerings of the Helka Brewery in Balatonföldvár. Among the high-quality small-scale breweries named after characters from the Balaton legend, you can find Bavarian wheat, fruity cherry beer, light Kölsch and, of course, IPA. In addition to the festive selection, you can surprise your recipient, who is of Belgian origin in his/her heart, with a brewery tour combined with a tasting, which can be a unique experience on the shores of Lake Balaton in any season.

If you want to bring tears to the eyes of your gift recipient this Christmas, do not leave it to chance! Csaba Csordás's chilli farm in Alsópáhok grows no less than 35 types of chilli peppers, some are slightly hot, but there are also varieties that attack with the power of Greek fire. The peppers are also used in jams, dressings, pastes and sauces in the Csabichili empire, which can be used in almost any dish according to taste.

In another corner of the country, not far from Debrecen, you can find Sándor Bogár's chilli farm, the Sárréti Chilli Farm. In Tetétlen, the award-winning creams, grists and sauces are made from a wide variety of peppers, based on unique recipes. For beginners, we recommend the Kívánchili product selection, and for advanced users, feel free to choose the Christmas chilli sauce selection, which contains a wide variety of Sárréti spreads, from Tetétleni Fantom to Csak Norris.

Those of your loved ones who are not the biggest fans of early darkness and cool weather will certainly jump for joy if you bring the flavours of summer under the tree. The Benedictines of Pannonhalma have been growing and processing herbs since 996, and their homemade products are not only healthy but also incredibly delicious. The product range of the Pannonhalma Abbey also includes wines, jams, liqueurs, honeys, syrups, beers and teas. For example, Benedictine teas, lavender syrup from Pannonhalma or sour-cherry liqueur made according to a centuries-old recipe are excellent choices, even in a festive version.

In Vigántpetend, in the Balaton Uplands, Ivett and Attila Farkas make heavenly jams and syrups. The family business, which has been operating since 2011, the Kapolcsikum, produces its products with a “field to table” approach, from crop production to processing and bottling. Whatever you choose from the range, from citrus lemonade syrup to white chocolate raspberry jam, you will encounter real flavours.

Attila Molnár, a coffee expert and multiple barista champion, produces high-quality speciality coffees in his roastery. The One Eleven coffees in Sopron are for true coffee lovers, those who expect not only refreshment but also an experience from their morning black coffee. The roastery’s batches are characterized by carefully selected, sustainably farmed ingredients and expert precision. The coffees range in flavour from fruity fresh filter to characterful, chocolatey espresso, so there is the perfect package for any taste.

Besides Sopron, you can also order excellent speciality coffees from Pécs. The factory of the Crackerjack Coffee Roasters receives coffee from the world's leading coffee-producing countries, from which, in addition to the bestseller items available all year round, there will be a cool, varied selection. The coffee packages decorated with exciting designs can look great under the tree.