For the cheesehead
Pastoral – Celebrate regional cheese and accompaniments with the Best of the Midwest collection ($69.99) featuring goat’s milk, cow’s milk and raw cow’s milk cheeses from Michigan, Iowa and Wisconsin. Also included are Potter’s organic crackers and Minnesota honey to drizzle over the selection. 2945 North Broadway, (773)472-4781. shop.pastoralartisan.com
For the dilettante cocktailer
Stu’s – Their Bloody Mary mixology kit ($35) has everything you need to impress your friends at a party, brunch or tailgate. A couple bottles of Stu’s concentrated Bloody Mary mix are accompanied by a fiery ghost pepper sauce since some like it hot. Key lime juice and a sweet corn celery salt rimmer balance out the heat. Pick one up at Binny’s, Plum Market or Anthropologie. stuskitchen.com
Bon Macaron Chicago – While Chicago still lacks a macaron shop, Catherine Cooper makes these colorful French cookies to order and delivers citywide for a $6 fee. Select a mixed box of six ($14) or eight ($18) with flavors including seasonal candy cane, pistachio, caramel, cassis currant and, our favorite, PB&J. We can’t think of a prettier edible stocking stuffer. bonmacaronchicago.com
Zayna Bakes – We are so over cronuts. Our favorite new dessert hybrid is the cuffin, a cookie and muffin rolled into one. Zayna Salloum marries a crunchy cookie edge with chewy interiors, like a filled cupcake but denser. Snag a six-pack at Plum Market or order online ($12-$15). The specialty flavors are most interesting, including a Nilla wafer cuffin filled with banana pudding and nutty baklava ensconced in phyllo. zaynabakes.com