9. Pepper Sauce from Queen Majesty + Bacchanal Sauce ($4.95-10.95)
Everyone’s got someone in their lives whose bland food you just dread having to eat. And holiday season’s probably when you have to eat it. What better way to subtly encourage them to step their game up than with a bottle of hot sauce? This year we thought we’d recommend two upstart sauces, made by ladies from Brooklyn. Sonya Samuel’s Bacchanal Sauce—which blends scotch bonnet peppers and habanero chilies with tropical fruits including tamarind and papaya—and runs $10.95 for 5-oz bottle; a 2oz. bottle is $4.95. Fans of vintage reggae might know Erica Diehl as selectress Queen Majesty of New York’s Deadly Dragon Sound. She’s also the proprietor of Queen Majesty sauce, a two-year old brand currently available in two varieties: An orange-hued scotch bonnet and ginger; and a green sauce with jalapeno, tequila and lime. 5 oz. bottles retail for $10, and $16 for the pair; there’s also 2 oz. sizes, available together in a gift box for $10.