15 Last Minute Gifts That Will Make Cheese Lovers Happy
Like cheeses themselves, cheese lovers come in many varieties. Whether the cheese lover in your life prefers their curds mild or wild, is a connoisseur of cheese snacks or mac and cheese, or just can’t get enough of cheesy puns — life is gouda and don’t they know it — one thing is certain: they are always easy to please when it comes to gifts of cheese. Theoretically, your job is therefore also easy, but rather than just a gift card to their favorite fromagerie this year, we’ve rounded up some of the best cheesy gifts for the cheesiest people in your life, from novelty cheeses to cheese novelties, accoutrements to major appliances, stocking stuffers to big reveals.
CHEVOO is back! The much loved brand found a new home in May 2022. “CHEVOO” is a mix of chevre and EVOO, both in word play as in product, (with kudos to both.) Marinated goat cheeses are riding a wave of popularity, and for good reason, adding flavor as well as longevity to what is already a versatile, craveable cheese. CHEVOO’s Truffle Euphoria is a gift box for the cheese and truffle obsessed, an overlap which shouldn’t be hard to find among the cheese lovers in your life. The package includes 4 jars of CHEVOO’s Italian Black Truffle marinated goat cheese, truffle crisps, sliced summer truffles, and truffle zest. $85
I’m sure there must be companies that make cheese storage paper other than Formaticum, but you wouldn’t know it, since it is Formaticum that is constantly touted as the industry standard for both casual queso-philes and professionals alike. Their functional, adorable cheese paper is available in either rolls or sheets, but also check out these handy cheese storage bags, perfect for December holidays when everyone gets a little tired of precision wrapping. $9
Creating a cheese board is a thrill unto itself for any host or hostess, especially when it comes with a built-in sense of one-upmanship where the pursuit of designing the ultimate, most becoming party cheese board is concerned. To that end, finding out-of-the-ordinary cheese accoutrements is part of the fun. Honey is, of course, a series regular when it comes to cheese boards, but imagine the glamour of a dazzling, all-white board, decked out with Savannah Bee’s Winter White Whipped Honey. $18
Typically I’d advise not judging a book by its cover, or a gift by its packaging, but in the case of this sweet, 20-minute blue cheese puzzle, definitely do. For one, let’s talk about the fact that a scratch and sniff sticker is included. Then let’s consider some other useful commentary on the box: “A puzzle for cheese heads, stink freaks, dwellers of the flavor cave, wino relatives, the handful of lactose tolerant people you know, curd connoisseurs, your smelliest friend, whey groupies, stilton stans, true turophiles, edible mold enthusiasts, crudité conversationalists, mozzarella mongers, fans of fondue, panini press purveyors, and Cobb Salad completists.” Admit it, how far did you get through that description before just clicking “buy”? $10
Do you often catch the cheese lover in your life drooling while watching sensual videos of melty cheese being scraped right off of its wheel? Well, there’s no reason you can have this kind of dairy sensuality happening right in your own home. You can go all out with a whole-wheel, professional grade, electric raclette grill, but for the merely raclette curious, you can start with this “Partyclette” - perfect for serving up one melty portion with the aid of candles. $27.50
A cheese snacker’s delight! Wisconsin’s The Big Moo created these pre-caramelized cheeses modeled after a Scandinavian baked cheese tradition. Somewhere between bread cheese, and grilled halloumi, with the tagline “skillet or grill it,” these slabs of cheesy goodness available in 5 flavors make for the quickest mozzarella sticks imaginable. $13
There will come a time in every cheese lover’s life when they will be gifted with textiles bearing irresistible cheese word play. (Curd play. Had to be said.) Such gifts are a statistical inevitability, so you might as well be the one to bestow upon them their first hand towel, t-shirt, tote bag, or socks bearing such wisdom: “Sweet dreams are made of cheese. Who am I to dis a brie?” They may roll their eyes, but they will smile every time. $15
Now, I don’t necessarily recommend buying a kitchen appliance for a child, but those with kids who have ever attempted to make grilled cheese by using a hairdryer might find this contraption useful. (I swear it was my brother, not me, but I’m the one with the cheese profession now, so the evidence doesn’t look good.) With handy baskets for keeping pre-cooked sandwiches together, and a removable drip tray at the bottom for easy cleanup…I’m sorry, did I really need to explain anything beyond “grilled cheese toaster”? $35
There are plenty of basic cheese candles available to look like an overly-yellow wedge of swiss, but for my money, this Mac and Cheese Candle Bowl is more than just novelty. It is art: the buttery glisten, the squidgy, ridged elbow macaroni, the flecks of not-yet-melted cheese shreds, the herb garnish. Come to think of it, hopefully this comes with a “do not attempt to eat” warning. $25
Nothing says “I love you” like setting up regular shipments of cheese and accoutrements directly to someone’s door this holiday season. Curdbox was founded by Jenn Mason, one of our favorite cheesemongers and owners of Curds & Co. Check out your local or favorite creameries to see if they offer subscription boxes, or else Curdbox makes it easy, with monthly shipments of varied artisanal cheeses paired with unique accompaniments, now available in an allergy-friendly Curdbox Flex subscription. $50
Pick a card, any card, then follow the easy instructions for a memorable, delicious, and gorgeous cheese board. Meg Quinn, founder of lifestyle blog Ain’t Too Proud to Meg, designed this deck of 50 cards with convenience in mind, making it easy to assemble elegant and playful boards for any occasion, whether the occasion is brunch, galentine’s day, or just Tuesday. $18
Just as there is a lid for every pot, there is a cheese board for every specific sub-obsession for your personal lover of cheese. Etsy is a great source of clever or custom-made cheese board inspiration, but this open-palm cheese board (with removable pinkie knife) is one of my all-time favorites for the celestially-inclined. $50
For your cheese fiend friends with a competitive edge, here’s a worthy cheese gift that isn’t only aesthetic in nature, it’s aspirational. There are people who like to scratch off the states and countries they’ve been to off of a map, and then there are those of us that just want to keep track of the memorable dairy that’s passed our lips. $19
Goldbelly is an excellent resource for food gifts, as it has made destination dining possible without necessarily having to leave your own home, bringing iconic restaurant dishes right to you. So if a trip to NYC to visit legendary mac and cheese cafe, S’mac, isn’t in your cards, you can still enjoy a mix-and-match 4 pack of some of their legendary mac and cheese concoctions such as Alpine, Masala, or Philly Cheesesteak at home. $120
While I don’t condone wrapping up edible gifts and letting them sit under the tree all season, a good holiday scavenger hunt that ends in the freezer is the stuff of gifting legend. Especially if the hunt leads you boozy ice cream company Tipsy Scoop’s limited edition Wine and Cheese Ice Cream collection, with classic flavors such as Brie & Bubbles, Chardonnay & Goat Cheese, and Port & Blue Cheese.