With the coming New Year's holiday season, there are plenty of exciting and fun events to attend, such as returning home to visit family, being invited to parties, and thanking people who have helped you. But you may be wondering what to bring as a gift.

This winter, the FASHION HEADLINE editorial team's top recommendation is, without a doubt, "non-sweet gifts!" Groceries and alcohol that are easy to eat and don't require much time or effort are appreciated by people of all ages and genders, and can also be enjoyed by everyone as a party dish. This time, we'll introduce some gifts that our editorial team actually wants to take (or is planning to take)! 

A Variety of Condiments from the Grocery & Souvenir Shop "eatrip soil"

Left: "Curry Base" (Fujiwara), Right: "Yakuzen Juuichibō" (Sugimoto Pharmacy)
At the grocery and souvenir shop "eatrip soil," newly opened in JAIR in Omotesando, we found some gifts to give to our mom-loving friends. My motto when it comes to gifts is to give what I want, so I always end up buying delicious things for myself. First up is chef Nao Fujiwara's bottled seasoning, "Curry Base." It's available at her Higashi-Koganei store, but it's often sold out on her online shop, so I finally managed to get it! This "Curry Base" makes enough curry for six people. I'm also thinking about using it to marinate potatoes and chicken. It's so exciting to be able to try Nao Fujiwara's recipes at home! And one more thing. I also bought a medicinal soup pack from Sugimoto Pharmacy, a Kamakura-based herbal medicine specialty store. This pack contains a blend of 11 Japanese herbal ingredients: ginger, Job's tears, ginseng, turmeric, dried tangerine, jujube, cinnamon, Japanese pepper, star anise, cloves, and goji berries, making it easy to enjoy medicinal cuisine. It's only 700 yen, so it makes a great gift. It also comes with a medicinal hot pot recipe, so you can rest assured. I'm thinking of simmering some bone-in chicken and adding garlic and ginger to make a hearty hotpot. (Editor S)

Cheese from Alpage, a Cheese Specialty Shop

Clockwise from left: "Mont d'Or A.O.P."," "Peach Melba Cream Cheese," and "Mimolette Extra Vieille (Aged 18 Months)."
When I'm invited to a gathering where I can enjoy delicious food and drinks, I always choose and buy cheese from Alpage, a cheese specialty shop in Kagurazaka. "Cream Cheese Peach Melba" is a dessert cheese made with cream cheese, raspberry and strawberry sauce, and peach pulp. It's perfect for relaxing after a meal with a glass of wine. "Mont d'Or A.O.P.", available only from autumn to winter, is a melty cheese like custard cream that you eat with a spoon. It's good on its own, or with bread or cheese. They sell by weight, they'll make recommendations if you tell them your preferences, and you can try out the cheeses individually wrapped with sale tags. For all these reasons, I always end up choosing gifts from Alpage. (Editor I)

Saikichi "Golden Sanma"

Saikichi "Golden Sanma (6 pieces)" (1,000 yen)
Saikichi's "Golden Sanma" is a delicacy that you'll be hooked on once you try it. It takes just four days from start of production to completion. This delicious and easy-to-make side dish is made with ginger and "kaeshi-shitare," a recipe that has been passed down through generations and is cooked until even the bones are soft. It's great with rice, and also with alcohol! Since it can be eaten as is without cooking, it's a great way to support mothers who are busy with housework and work every day, and it's also a great dish to serve as a slightly luxurious home-cooked meal for friends who seem tired from working overtime. My personal favorite way to eat it is to arrange the sanma in a bowl, top with white onions and white sesame seeds, and enjoy it with freshly cooked rice. You might also want to garnish it with grated ginger! (Editor R)

Beau Michelle by Banno Sake Brewery

Beau Michelle by Banno Sake Brewery (500ml 1,000 yen)
Beau Michelle is a sake made by Banno Sake Brewery in Nagano Prefecture, a brewery that brews sake while listening to The Beatles. Not only does it have a stylish appearance, but its sweet-and-sour, fruity flavor, almost like a sweet wine, is so sweet you wouldn't even know it was sake unless you were told. With a low alcohol content of 9%, it can be enjoyed by those who are not tolerant of alcohol or are not used to drinking sake. It pairs well with both Japanese and Western cuisine, making it perfect for a variety of delicacies on the New Year's table! It's also recommended as a New Year's celebration bottle or as a gift for music lovers. (Editor M)