Oy vey, we’re three weeks out from Christmas.

» Cook

Seed & Sprout Un-Baking Paper ($29) + Un-Plastic Wrap ($7) This Byron Bay-based company is out to reduce reliance on single-use plastics. I honestly can’t believe it took me so long to own the Un-Baking Paper, a set of two silicone mats that have completely replaced the disposable stuff in my kitchen. The Un-Plastic Wrap is also fantastic, a home-compostable cling wrap that breaks down as quickly as orange peel (and therefore can be added to my Composta, see “Outdoors” below).seedsprout.com.au

Free to Feed x Nige's Sri Lankan Recipe Kit ($99) Social Enterprise Free to Feed has launched a Sri Lankan recipe kit in partnership with Nige Sithirasegaram, who taught himself to cook (and speak English) during a six-year stint in detention. A fourth-generation Tamil fisherman, this is the first time his recipes have been documented. The All Together Now kit comes with hard-to-find ingredients, like asafetida, tamarind pulp and spices, so all you need to do is buy the fresh produce and flick through the booklet of 11 recipes. There is also a series of beautiful films (some feature recipe videos, others tell Nige’s story), as well as conversation cards to discuss over dinner.freetofeed.org.au

» Condiments

» Eat

Bloody Shiraz Gin Caviar (25g $23.90, 85g $46.95)You're probably familiar with Yarra Valley Caviar, those glistening orange orbs that appear on restaurant menus across Victoria and beyond. This year the team has partnered with Four Pillars and chef Matt Wilkinson to create Bloody Shiraz Gin Caviar, salmon roe infused with Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin. The caviar is a stunning shade of grape and you can taste a slight hit of gin at the end. Great on blinis, oysters and with seafood, and perfect as part of a Christmas feast.yarravalleycaviar.com.au

RAYA Holiday Gift Box ($149) Raymond Tan from kueh cafe RAYA has partnered with Yarra Valley Cherries and Numero IX to create this festive box, perfect for bringing along to Christmas lunch. Inside is a cherry pie, 500 grams of premium cherries, three Christmas-themed cake pops and your choice of one of three exclusive Numero IX x RAYA festive cocktail bottles (makes a minimum of three drinks).rayamelbourne.com

Milloha’s Natilla ($35) There are up to 18 serves in a single one of Jorge and Diana’s eggless Colombian Christmas custards, with the recipe pinched from abuela (grandma). Each one comes with a jar of syrup and sprinkles to serve. Pick from coconut with crisp coconut sprinkles and blackberry syrup (vegan), arequipe (Colombian dulce de leche) with cinnamon sprinkles and berry syrup, or mocha espresso with chocolate sprinkles and cacao syrup.milloha.com.au

» Drink

Sailors Grave x Dark Emu Lager ($7 each or $22 for 4)Sailor's Grave Brewing in Orbost has spent the last six months working with Aboriginal author and academic Bruce Pascoe to create this dark lager, made from mamadyang ngalluk and burru ngalluk grass seeds, which are native to East Gippsland. They were harvested by the Yuin people on the banks of the Willagaruagh River on Bruce's property in Mallacoota before being roasted and added to a base of dark-roasted barley malt. Yuin man Terry Hayes created the label on the 355ml cans (4.8% ABV), which shows the Spirit Emu Baiame. Better yet, $20 from every slab goes towards supporting the studies of local Aboriginal students in Orbost, Mallacoota, and Eden.⁠ Call your local Blackhearts & Sparrows to make sure they’re in stock.blackheartsandsparrows.com.au

All Together Beer (4, 16 or 24 tinnies for $24, $82 or $110 respectively) This hefty 7.4% West Coast IPA from Brick Lane Brewery and Carwyn Cellars is the second All Together beer from the team. Drinking it isn’t just a tropical and bitter delight, but a way to help struggling Melbourne hospitality prodessionals. Proceeds are donated to the Covid-19 Employee Assistance Directive (CoVid19 E.A.D), an initiative that sees volunteers cook, pack and deliver up to 2000 meals each week to unemployed hospitality workers.bricklanebrewing.com

Four Pillars Christmas Gin ($100) Is there anything Four Pillars can’t do? Every year co-founder and distiller Cameron Mackenzie distills actual Christmas puddings and then ages the result in century-old Muscat barrels to create the most festive of gins. It’s rich, sweet and cinnamony – you could even say it tastes like Christmas. I like it neat or on the rocks if it’s a hot day, but it also works in ginger ale and cocktails. It’s sold out online, but you can get it at the distillery in Healesville, the Sydney Four Pillars Laboratory in Surry Hills, at the Christmas pop-up stores in both states and at selected bottle shops.fourpillarsgin.com

Everleigh Bottled Spritzed Cocktails (4 or 24 pack, $44 and $264 respectively) One of Melbourne’s – if not the world’s – best bars recently released pre-bottled spritzes in vintage Italian-style glass. The original gift packs containing a martini, negroni, manhattan and “coffee house” cocktail are still available, but these are all about fizz and fun. Choose from Fruit Cup, French 75 or Americano spritzes and share with friends.everleighbottling.com

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» Splurge

» Mini Gourmets

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