20 Food & Drink Gifts For Father's Day
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Father's Day is just around the corner — it lands on Sunday, June 16 this year — so you've probably started thinking about gifts. Ties and books and ballgame tickets are fine and all. But chances are, your dad really wants something food and drink related. Like a Himalayan salt block or a plancha for the grill or a nice bottle of Kentucky brown. Here are 20 products we stand behind. And, hell, maybe Dad will even offer you a nip.
Tactical BBQ Apron
Own the grill? Check. Look like a badass while doing it? Check. This cotton tactical BBQ apron – emblazoned with the title CHEF in all-caps lest there be any doubt – is equipped with two large pouches and three smaller ones to hold all your grilling needs. Cut out the messiness commonly associated with barbecuing by keeping all your utensils in one (baller) place. Extra props to the website for pointing out that the apron is "not intended for use in combat against anything other than a grill." $35, thinkgeek.com
Beer Making Kit
We're having trouble thinking of a better – or tastier – way to bond with your old man than by kicking back and creating your own brews. You will practically hop (get it?) to open up one of Brooklyn Brewshop's eight different mixing sets. Each kit includes a choice of flavor, a glass fermenter, a chambered airlock and various other beer-making accessories. $40, brooklynbrewshop.com
Counter Culture Coffee Subscription
Chances are that Dad hurriedly grabs a, um, shitty cup of coffee on his way to the office each morning. May you, the smart son, help with a monthly espresso subscription to the Durham, NC-based coffee company we recently ranked number one in our holy Coffee Power Rankings. Around $20 per month, countercoffeeculture.com
Bodum Pour-Over Coffee Machine
Allow us to stick with the caffeinated stuff for a minute and recommend this do-it-yourself machine for the more practical father. To sum up our product review, the Pour Over is exceedingly simple, small in size and makes a well-balanced and clean cup o' Joe. What more can you ask for to start off your day? $250, bodum.com
Dried Chilaca Mole Sauce
It is almost common knowledge by now that Sriracha is an "apply to anything and everything" sauce (it definitely is the most popular). Then there's this mole, which combines chilies, tomatoes, onions, garlic, pumpkin seeds, almonds, raising, chocolate and cilantro, as well as other spices. Got all that? The result is a jack-of-all-trades Mexican sauce that's equal parts spicy, sweet and rich. That rooster better watch out. $15, deandeluca.com
Biergarten Folding Wood Table And Bench Set
Where better to sip your new homemade brews than on this authentic biergarten table. Each set is handmade in Germany from spruce wood, with space for up to 10 people and even comes with a stamp of certification from a German firm. Just don't let Mom find out you've turned her prized flower garden into your own drinking den. $550, oktoberfesthaus.com
Himalayan Salt Cooking Block
For years the stuff of Iron Chef panache, Himalayan salt blocks are now available for purchase for the home cook. The slab of precious pink mineral from the hills of Pakistan adds a subtle, salty flavor to anything from meats to sweets on the grill. Be sure to pair the gift with the cookbook devoted entirely to recipes using it! $45, amazon.com
Big Green Egg
If you haven't heard of the Big Green Egg by now, you've clearly been living under a rock. High fiber ceramics and a small vent allow the five differently sized kamado-style charcoal cookers to reach up to 1,200 degrees. Trust us, the buzz is justified. It's time for you to gift one of the do-it-all grills and crown your father an official "egghead." Prices vary based on size (starting at around $400), biggreenegg.com
Wüsthof Classic Chef's Knife
Every man — whether accomplished home chef or borderline capable of microwaving a meal — deserves a basic chef's knife. It doesn't get more traditional than this one from high-quality German kitchenware company Wüsthof. A heavy 8-inch blade is more maneuverable than larger versions, and the knife combines size with ease of use. Even the TV Dinner Dad can manage this one. We promise. [Please note: Food Republic is not liable for any injuries.] $100, amazon.com
Mushroom Hunting Knife
And now some cutlery ideal for the less conventional. We all know – and love – those increasingly rare men who would rather spend the afternoon hunting for dinner on their hands and knees in the woods than shopping for it in the supermarket. Send your guy out there ready to scavenge with this mushroom knife, complete with a curved design blade, toothed back for easy cuticle removal and wild boar silk brush for eliminating soil. $30, worldknives.com
Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon
It was only a matter of time before we got to the good stuff. This Food Republic staff favorite is a limited edition marriage of four hand-selected bourbons, each aged between 11 and 17 years and mingled at barrel strength. There are noticeable orange peel and dark chocolate tasting notes, with a mellow finish. Can't find it on liquor store shelves? Consult our trusty bourbon buying guide for some other picks. Around $70, fourrosesbourbon.com
French Delicatessen Box
Still talking about that unforgettable family trip to France years ago? Bring home a little taste of Paris with this savory food gift box from A Pour Toi. Included are French staples dry salami, pâté and rillettes, as well as a selection of sweets. Délicieux! Personalized and monthly gifts are also available. $86, apourtoi.com
Colette X Beats By Dre Headphones
It's almost impossible to walk around town or use public transportation without spotting a pair – or seven – of Beats By Dre headphones. One-up the masses and spoil your father with this limited edition model, part of a collaborative line between the popular U.S. company and French design shop Colette. In addition to an exclusive blue accent design, the headphones feature a noise cancellation feature and lightweight construction. Approximately $483, colette.fr
Yukiwa Baron Cobbler Shaker
You are most definitely aware that there are three types of cocktail shakers (okay, so maybe you are now aware) and that the cobbler is both the simplest to use and most widely available model. Mix your cocktails in style with this cool three-part gold shaker from sophisticated Japanese manufacturer Yukiwa Baron. $99, cocktailkingdom.com
Ad Vivum Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine, dad will drink that. Unless he doesn't drink. If so, skip to the next slide. We like the notes of deep, complex black fruit and licorice in the 2009 vintage of this cabernet from Napa. While the wine has already garnered positive reviews, it will continue to evolve gracefully in the next decade, should your Dad be the patient type. $125 for a bottle, $375 for a 3-bottle wood box, advivumcellars.com
Admetior Digital BBQ Tongs And Thermometer
We know that grilling gadget suggestions can be seemingly endless. We would, however, go so far as to call this tongs and thermometer combination essential. After all, a large number of our very own Grilling Gods mentioned that both of these tools are necessities. This accessory set has seven preset meat types and a built-in flashlight for night cooking. $30, amazon.com
World's Greatest Dad Gift Box
Prepared foods baskets are a dime a dozen nowadays, but it's rather hard to look past one with this title. Even harder when you consider that among the "paternal products" included are beer crackers, maple bacon peanuts, steak jerky, pistachio caramel corn and small batch tonic syrup. After all, we all know that Dad can't feed himself, so why not make it real simple for him? $125, mouth.com
Emile Henry Black Flame-Top Plancha
Planchas – flattop grills that originated in Spain – are markedly lighter than cast iron and easy to handle, making for a highly effective method of cooking. This top-of-the-line version features a burgundy clay composition and micro-glaze top that combine for a sturdy surface (as in, it's Dad-proof) that retains heat remarkably well and churns out crispy and well-baked forms of any type of barbecue dish. $70, surlatable.com
Icon Whiskey Stones
You've always known that Pops enjoys his glass of whiskey before bed each night. These polished whiskey stones cool drinks without watering them down and are even engraved with designs including steaks, skulls and mustaches. $14, coolmaterial.com
Solo E Sola Espresso & Cigarette Cup
So, Dad is a smoker and you spend 364 days a year trying to convince him to quit. But hey, on just this one occasion, we think you can find it within yourself to let him indulge with this clever espresso and cigarette cup. Ah, caffeine and tobacco: a man's (not-so-secret) kryptonite! $60, shapeways.com