Last Updated on March 4, 2024 by Pamela MacNaughtan
Supporting small businesses, local artisans and producers is something I love to do, especially in Quebec where we are fortunate to have an abundance of artisans and producers. Supporting local businesses is a big part of life in Quebec City, and one of the reasons why I love living here.
Quebec is not the only province in Canada with talented artists, local producers, and amazing small brands. It is, however, the province I choose to live in, and the focus of this website, so most of the items below have a Quebec connection.
I have personally used, and gifted the products in this holiday gift guide ?. Some things I learned about during hotel stays in the province, others through quick shopping stops at local boutiques or from friends who wanted to share what they love. Many of the gift ideas below can be purchased online, and a couple can only be found when you’re here in Quebec.
disclaimer: this post contains some affiliate links. There is no extra charge to you if you make a purchase, but I will receive a small commission if you do. This is one of the ways that I fund this website. None of the products in this guide were complimentary, I have purchased each of them throughout 2022.
inside this holiday gift guide
2022 Holiday Gift Guide ? – a.k.a some of my favourite things.
céramistes i love
diane demers of tour à tour
I visited Diane’s workshop with a friend who had seen her work in a restaurant in Quebec City. The moment I saw a stack of rimmed plates on a work table, I was in love, and soon I was ordering a set of plates and bowls. She makes beautiful stoneware oil and vinegar jars, mugs of various sizes, and a tall stoneware glass that is my new favourite water glass.
Several of her stoneware creations are sold at Simons, including French butter dishes, lactofermentation pots, and round Dutch ovens. Follow Diane on Instagram.
les poteries line gros-louis
Line Gros-Louis is a talented céramiste from Wendake, Quebec. Line trained with master potter Stanley Thompson in the late 1970s in California, continuing her training with Maison des Métiers D’Art in Quebec. Her work is inspired by Wendake culture and inspired by nature.
If you’ve dined at Le Clan, you’ve likely seen some of her plates. I love these leaf dishes, which I bought from her website. Her friendship bowls and ornaments are gorgeous as well. Follow Line on Facebook.
patrick leblond
I first encountered Patrick’s work while dining at Château Frontenac‘s Champlain restaurant, and in recent years I have bought a couple of pieces from him. He resides in Bassin on Îles de la Madeleine, and this summer I had the privilege of chatting with him in person. His work is inspired by the birds, wildlife, and life of the archipelago. He crates large decorative plates (like the one on the left), as well as stoneware plates, bowls, and mugs that can be used every day.
His work can be found in galleries in Montreal and Quebec City, and can be purchased from his website (click the button below). If you visit Îles de la Madeleine, you can visit his atelier in person. Follow Patrick on Instagram.
gifts for foodies
adding flavour with food crayons
I’m addicted to these food crayons. They’re made with natural ingredients, gluten-free, and vegan. Food Crayon is based in Montreal, and they have 24 flavours to give your food, and cocktails, an added punch of flavour. I love using the miso and black garlic crayons in rice bowls topped with chilli oil and a fried egg. Miam! Follow on Instagram.
strawberry mint looch
A new product from Confiturerie Tigidou on Île d’Orléans, strawberry mint looch is a syrup made for cocktails or mocktails. The strawberries used were grown on the island, and there are no preservatives. They also have strawberry and basil, raspberry and black pepper, and field strawberry looch. I also love the jams from Tigidou. Follow on Instagram.
kanel salt and spice blends
Kanel was found by a group of women in Montreal. They create small batches of salt and spice blends, ideal for adding a little punch of flavour to your food. I first learned of Kanel while shopping at La Place here in Quebec City, but you can buy directly from their website, too. Follow on Instagram.
duck foie gras mousse
Les Canardises make several delicious products, which are perfect for cinq à sept gatherings or when you want to make yourself a charcuterie and fromage board. They have terrines and rillettes, but my favourite is the foie gras mousse. Their products are gluten-free, as well as hormone free. Everything is 100% Quebec. Follow on Instagram.
artisanale chocolat
Érico is one of my favourite chocolateries in Quebec City, and if you come here, you need to go. You can also buy some of their products online. Personally, I love to buy the chocolate tablets and use some cream to make chocolat chaud – they also offer a powdered chocolat chaud mix. Follow on Instagram.
seigneurie de liret sparkling rosé
Seigneurie de Liret is a family-owned winery on Île d’Orléans. It’s one of the few wineries that are not open to the public. You can, however, buy their wine at Épicerie Radis on the island or at La Place or JA Moisan in Quebec City. All of their wines are organic and certified by Ecocert Canada. The riesling is quite nice, but the true star, in my opinion, is the sparkling rosé. Follow on Instagram.
make every dish delicious: modern classics and essential tips for total kitchen confidence by lesley chesterman
This new cookbook by Lesley Chesterman, a well-known Montreal restaurant critic, is filled with tips, tricks, and comfy recipes. In other words, you don’t have to be a master in the kitchen to make the yummy recipes in this cookbook. I’m a big fan of the simple Chicken Kyiv, carbonara, and roasted chicken. It’s good for novices or home cooks who love trying recipes from a variety of authors. Lesley also has a new French-language cookbook, Chez Lesley. Follow her Instagram.
made in quebec by julian armstrong
This cookbook by Julian Armstrong is one of my favourites. Now in her 90s, Julian is well-known in Quebec’s food world. She was the food editor at the Montreal Star and the Montreal Gazette. She writes a weekly column for the Montreal Gazette called Six O’Clock Solution. In a nutshell, she’s a treasure! The cookbook is divided into seasons, with stories of Quebec and Quebec cuisine woven between recipes for things like ham braised in maple beer, and tourtière de saguenay.
l’érable et la perdrix: lhistoire culinaire du québec à travers ses aliments by elisabeth cardin and michel lambert
This French-language book is the newest edition to my personal food + drink library, and while I’m still learning French, I’m in love. This book delves into the history of foods and flavours at the core of Quebec cuisine. Michel Lambert is a retired historian who specialized in the origins, influences, and evolution of Quebec cuisine. Elisabeth Cardin co-owned a restaurant in Montreal, Manitoba, and resides in Bas Saint-Laurent. Learn about morel mushrooms, seal meat, whelks, caribou, squash, and more. Follow Elisabeth Instagram.
for wherever you call home
melton wool blanket
This gorgeous blanket from ANIÁN in British Columbia is Canadian-made – which is one reason why I’ve included it in this holiday gift guide. This blanket is similar to campfire blankets but soft instead scratchy. It’s heavyweight and made from post-consumer recycled wool. Sustainably produced and high quality. In other words, you’ll have this blanket for many many years! Follow on Instagram.
canada food map
This beautiful food map of Canada is the latest addition to my living room. Jodi Ettenberg, a Montréaler now living in Ontario, started her hand-drawn food map series in 2014 with some of her favourite countries. I previously bought her Mexico and Thailand maps, as I have spent a lot of time in those countries over the years. I’m so excited about this Canadian map, filled with Canadian foods from the several communities that make up this grand country. Follow her on Instagram.
scrumptious smelling candles by t.lees
T.lees in Montreal makes deliciously scented soy candles in small batches. They are 100% natural and GMO-free. I have a candle from then that smells like a pie shop, a collaboration with Rustique in Saint-Henri. They have candles like salt water & mint, lemon & rose, fresh baked bread, and woodsmoke. Honestly, it’s hard to not spend all of my money. Follow on Instagram.
prints by embolieu
Embolieu is an illustrator from Bas-Saint-Laurent. I first saw their work in the Garde Manger at Vieux Loup de Mer and fell in love. I have since bought a couple of prints for my apartment and as gifts. Her work is bright, beautiful, and whimsical. It’s hard to resist spending all of my money. Follow her on Instagram.
books featuring quebec
tintin et le québec
TinTin in Quebec! Hergé visited Quebec in 1965, in the midst of the Quiet Revolution, and felt deep sympathy for Quebec. This special edition includes enhanced text and images, as well as previously unpublished archive documents. It’s in French, but don’t let that stop you. This book is glorious.
we, the others: allophones, immigrants, and belonging in canada
This book by Toula Drimonis is one of my favourite reads of 2022. In We, The Others Toula masterfully delves into the complex issues of being an immigrant in Canada (particularly Quebec). Intertwined throughout the book are stories and anecdotes of Toulas’s parents who emigrated from Greece, as well as life in Montreal as a second-generation immigrant. Her tone is frank and informative, and I can see myself re-reading this book several times. Follow Toula on Twitter.
chief inspector gamache series
At this point, Louise Penny should be a national treasure. Her chief Inspector Gamache mystery series is gripping and filled with interesting facts and locations in Quebec. The first book in the series is Still Life (the one picture is book 6, and my favourite). Book 18, A World of Curiosities comes out November 29, 2022.
sacre blues: an unsentimental journey through quebec
This is one of the few English-language travel memoirs of Quebec. Written by Taras Grescoe in 2001, Sacre Blues is an intriguing read. It’s frank and unvarnished, which is quite suitable for a travel book about Quebec. The economy, language, history, popular culture… Taras delves into what makes Quebec, Quebec. A perfect read before your trip, and after as well.
