Christmas Gifts For The 'Critic'

You made your list, and you checked it twice. But no matter how much you rack your brain, sometimes finding the perfect gift just doesn't come as naturally as you'd like it to. You want to grab not only something that they want, but something that they need — something that they can use to start the new year off on the right foot. In order to find that perfect gift you don't need a Christmas miracle, you just need The Daily Meal and our panel of experts.

Click here to see the Christmas Gifts for the Critic (Slideshow)

To help you tackle your epic Christmas list this year, we sought the help of some of the top editors and planners in the entertaining world who know a thing or two about choosing the best gifts. With no personal product agenda, we asked them to help us decide which gifts are the "must-haves" this season. We asked them to nominate what they believe are the absolute best gifts for each of seven types of  "food lovers" (the host, the beer/wine drinker, the coffee/tea drinker, the cook, the baker, the wannabe food critic, and the traveler).

After selecting an excellent variety of gift selections, we decided to present the top gifts from each category in seven gift guides to help make your holiday shopping trips slightly less frantic.

When it comes to giving a gift to a self-proclaimed wannabe food critic, a challenge is placed before you. After all, choosing a gift for someone who claims to know food inside and out puts your selections a little more under the microscope. Fear not, as our panel of experts has come up with a ton of satisfactory solutions that will challenge your critic's palates and give them the tools they need to fuel their passion.

To really wow someone who makes the holiday season merry and bright, make sure you get them something (or everything if you are super generous) from our professionally picked list!

For more holiday cheer, visit The Daily Meal's Ultimate Guide to Christmas!