10 gifts with a taste of Italy
Italian gourmet food never fails as an edible souvenir and gift item. Here are 10 ever popular gifts with a taste of Italy.
Frequent travels to Italy gives you a good idea of what souvenirs to bring home for family and friends, and in my experience food never fails. Most people enjoy specially imported delicacies that are hard to come by in ordinary supermarkets and find the introduction to new produce interesting and inspiring. Here is a list of 10 things that will keep in gift wrap – with links to online suppliers, if you are not going to Italy.
Aceto Balsamico di Modena
Balsamic vinegar from Modena is a great condiment for strawberries, cheese and sausages (but not for salad dressings) and it is phenomenal for giving a sauce the right balance between sweetness and acidity. True balsamic vinegar is based on syrup of pressed grapes aged for 12 years in a succession of wooden barrels, which makes it very expensive, but less costly versions can be obtained from in all Italian supermarkets.
Dried pasta in souvenir package
Spaghetti
In spite of the quality and variety, packets of Barilla or De Cecco seem too boringly ordinary for gift giving, but artisan pasta
Salted anchovies and tuna in olive oil make a lovely gift.
Tonno sott’olio di oliva
Every one uses canned tuna once in a while, and the best kind is preserved in olive oil. Tonno all’olio di oliva seems more fresh and delicate than similar products, but it can only be bought in Italy or from Italian shops, which is why I always keep some in stock for sandwiches, salads and starters. The same goes for salted anchovies.
Practical gifts, although vegetable preserves can be problematic to bring home by plane.
Preserves
Italian supermarkets abound with preserved vegetables in decorative jars. Among the classics are artichokes, chilies stuffed with tunafish, olives, onions, peppers, tomatoes and eggplants, etc. that make lovely antipasti when served with ham and salami. Alternatively, you can make your own Italian preserves and use them as a give away.
Garlands of dried peperoncini are must-have souvenirs from Basilicata.
Peperoncini
Dried chilies
Black or white truffles directly imported from Italy could serve as exclusive gourmet gifts
Truffle
Widely recognized as a outstanding delicacy, Italian truffles
Colourful wild cherries as a reminder of Italy to be incorporated in fruitcakes and desserts.
Amarena
Fabbri’s wild cherries
Cantuccini
If Amerana cherries are Italy in a jar, cantuccini almond biscuits
Outside Tuscany, Torrone might be easier to find than Panforte di Siena.
Panforte
This traditional spicy fruitcake originates in Siena and people from this city claim it should contain 17 different ingredients – one for each of the 17 contrade within the city walls. Panforte
Panettone
Around Christmas mountains of cardboard Panettone 
This post was last updated in December 2016.
Great list! I’m getting hungry reading it! I think anyone would enjoy these gifts since who doesn’t like Italian food?
I concur, fantastic list! I’m imagining all 10 items in one of those Christmas baskets (il cesto natalizio!) wrapped in cellophane. I would like to mention just a few more: some Gianduiotti (Piedmontese hazelnut chocolate), a little jar of Mostarda Sperlari, and maybe a bottle of Prosecco to go with the Panettone!
Great additions. Thanks.
Mmm, all goodies. In Marche this summer, I had some very nice artiginal beer as well. But maybe you’re covering liquid yummy gifts in another post :)?
Might be an idea, but I don’t think I’ve had beer in Italy (my mistake I’m sure) so recommendations are welcome.
Two years ago a friend from Milan visited me during the winter break and brought me all the Christmas goodies from Italy. I can’t remember if it was “panforte” or “panettone” (I think it’s the latter) but it was bomb! And one of my favorite Italian holiday treats is nougat… I can’t wait to go back to Europe!
Sounds good. And nougat or torrone is indeed a treat. So much so that I tried making it at home last weekend (and messed it up completely). Now I’ve got another year to practice the recipe, or maybe I should just go to Milan and buy some:)
The most delicious bread pudding is made from panettoni. Just use it as a substitute instead of bread. Serve with caramel sauce and creme anglais. To die for!
I have to try this. Thanks for the tip:)
Oooh, great list! I really love Panettone, but I know some of my friends don’t like dried fruit so I always bring them Pandoro instead. I also think it’s nice to give some gifts that aren’t food but are food-related so that it actually lasts. Bialetti Moka Pots, for example, are perfect and go along great with Illy or Lavazza coffee :)
I’d never though of the distinction between panettone and pandoro, but it makes sense:) Thanks for that and some great additional suggestions.
Don’t forget Milanese risotto called superfino carnaroli
You are absolutely right. We always buy lots of Italian rice and take it home to Denmark.