The definitive gift guide for hipster boyfriends.

When River Cottage host Paul West visited the Mamamia podcast studio to share his favourite things on the Can’t Live Without podcast, we were furiously taking notes.

His list of life essentials was a veritable gold mine for gift giving, with tonnes of ideas for the bearded man in your life.

Who would have thought the man who gave up his inner city life as a chef at a swanky restaurant to live in a self-sustained cottage in the country would appeal so intensely to our consumerist side?

The number one thing Paul absolutely can’t live without is the natural world.

But it’s kind of tricky to wrap up fresh air and slap a bow on it, right? Well, how about a weekend away in a river cottage?

A photo posted by River Cottage Australia (@rivercottageaus) on Oct 10, 2016 at 12:32pm PDT

“I’ve lived in Sydney and Melbourne, but I’ve always been drawn back to the bush. There’s just a connection,” the TV host says about his tree change to the south coast of New South Wales.

“I really need blue skies and fresh air and lot’s of gum trees and I’ve got that in spades [at the river cottage].”

He may appreciate the great outdoors, but when it comes to thinking up a gift wish list, Paul knows exactly what works.

The former Vue de Monde chef is also the first to admit that his book suggestions are just a little strange.

Classic Aussie literature is always a top choice for a gift, and Paul recommends his all time favourite Eucalyptus by Murray Bail for its beautiful tone and captivating story.

If you want something a bit more meaty, opt for the Russians. On the Tasmanian native’s night stand is a copy of Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Notes From the Underground.

“I kind of enjoy that over-the-top wordy, psychological Russian mindset that Dostoevsky gets into,” he says.

If your man is a bit of a foodie, but doesn’t have the rolling plains to plant crops, or his apartment life doesn’t cater for a veggie patch, a few pots are all you need to create a micro veggie garden.

According to Paul, you can still get the paddock-to-plate experience in a tiny apartment.

“When you’re cooking there’s this forgotten sense of taste – the sixth taste is smugness. It comes when you’ve had some hand in producing that food,” he says, extolling the virtues of the humble home-grown herb.

A photo posted by Mackenzie (@kenzywho) on Nov 5, 2016 at 12:26pm PDT

But if you want to get your hipster beau something to reflect his inherent manliness, the go-to gift is a chainsaw.

“I cut all my own timber for my firewood… it’s kind of harking back to me wanting to be out in the natural world… I get a lot of enjoyment out of cutting the wood for my family’s warmth,” Paul says.

Perhaps not the best if you live in the ‘burbs, but perfect for your next cottage stay.

This ruggedly masculine tool says, ‘hey, I can take care of you and keep the home fires burning.’ But you know what? Even if he lives in a townhouse, a chainsaw propped up in the corner says that too.

To hear more about the things Paul West can’t live without, listen to the full episode below and subscribe in iTunes.