Favorite Food & Cooking Gifts

[Meaghan]

My least favorite is clementimes because it's like, I don't want something that says you thought of me within fourteen seconds of walking into Whole Foods. That's no gift, that tells me you grocery shop. How about just a card?

I like drinking gifts best. Santa got me this. Love that Santa.

[MeMc]

I bought my mom the milk frother Amanda wrote about the Bon Jour Primo Latte on Metrocurean. (I'd link to Amanda's site, but the firewall blocks it for "sexual content" at my job ) So many people at her office were using it that my mother bought one for each of them. And I've had people over for dessert who want their own as well.

[crackers]

I bought my mom the milk frother Amanda wrote about the Bon Jour Primo Latte on Metrocurean. (I'd link to Amanda's site, but the firewall blocks it for "sexual content" at my job ) So many people at her office were using it that my mother bought one for each of them. And I've had people over for dessert who want their own as well.

Here is the link that MeMc mentions to Metrocurean's review of the latte frother.

Here are some more nifty contraptions! I particularly like the vegiforms which gives a new meaning to playing with your vegetables.

[cjsadler]

A friend of mine just returned from Bologna, and said he had a gift for me that "had my name all over it". This was it:

It's actually a very cool cookbook. I just need someone to translate it for me now!

[ol_ironstomach]

You've been mistaken for a carhop. It says "Sadler! Menu! For the bachelor party in that Audi!"

[Anna Blume]

It's actually a very cool cookbook. I just need someone to translate it for me now!

So, I take it the initial "C" does not stand for Claudio?

Dunque, quale recette in particulare?

[mhberk]

Just scored the Shun Ken Onion 10" Multi Chef's Knife and all I have to say is "WOW!!!".

I feel like I'm 10 years old again and I'm tearing off the wrapping paper from my brand new Atari 2600!!

[thistle]

Well, after telling my MIL that I had every kitchen-related thing I ever needed, I'm having second thoughts-especially after seeing that Shun Ken Onion knife...

Past Xmases, my MIL has bought me some great presents- a silicone baking sheet, cheese knives, a special guacamole knife & masher, some wonderful cookbooks, & all I've done in return is feed them very well when they're here. One of the best kitchen related presents I received was from my husband (I think it was before we were married), my Zojirushi rice cooker-I use it at least 1-2 times a week. Is it just me or does anyone else feel strange about it being almost 70 degrees in December, almost Christmas, & it feels like spring?

[Heather]

We exchanged gifts with my husband's mom last night and her gift to our four-year-old was a copy of Pretend Soup by Mollie Katzen, and his own set of measuring cups and spoons. He is beside himself - I have never seen him so happy about a gift. He went to sleep last night holding his measuring cups.

The cookbook is wonderful. If anyone is looking for a cookbook for very young kids, this is it.

[MeMc]

Stocking stuffer essentials: bacon luggage tags and pencil toppers/erasers in the shape of various cuts of meat at Pulp on 14th Street. . . . .

[JPW]

A giant jar of Pommery mustard

The Silver Spoon -- already flipped through most of it.

Sunday Dinners at Lucques by Suzanne Goin -- my chef crush

The Omnivore's Dilemma.

Peanut got a tea set to go with her toy kitchen.

[mktye]

A Gourmet Whip.

[cjsadler]

I got the Omnivore's Dilemma too.

Also,

The United States of Arugula

Brioche molds

Wine from Rhode Island ( someone in my family was in Newport earlier this year and stopped at a local winery)

[monavano]

Glad you asked! I received some items from O & Co.

4 tapenades

White truffle oil

assorted oils and balsamic vinegar: lemon oil, basil oil, and balsamic vinegar from Modena

[xcanuck]

A couple of silipats

A ceramic paring knife

Two Julia Child cookbooks

A silicone oven mitt

Copper mixing bowls

I never get the kind of whips I want

[Heather]

This was a good year. I got Happy In The Kitchen, a chinoise, a tamis, a food mill, and new everyday white porcelain dishes (service for 12). And I'm getting another set of shelves from the Container Store for our kitchen - storage!

[DanCole42]

$100 gift certificate to Ray's the Classics.

[hillvalley]

Life is Meals: A Food Lover's Book of Days by James Salter and Kay Salter

Toaster and Egg Poacher

OXO Tool Racks

Renewal of my Gourmet subscription.

[mdt]

Make that three of us that received Omnivore's Dilemma.

I also got

The Pie and Pastry Bible

Nancy Silverton's Pastries from the La Brea Bakery

The King Arthur Flour Cookie Companion: The Essential Cookie Cookbook

Champagne flutes along with a great bottle of champagne.

Silpat

Chafing dish

Now I have to go buy myself a new immersion blender since I broke mine over the weekend.

[DanielK]

Now I have to go buy myself a new immersion blender since I broke mine over the weekend.

I noticed you didn't say that it died, you specifically said you BROKE it. Is there a story lurking in there somewhere?

[mdt]

I noticed you didn't say that it died, you specifically said you BROKE it. Is there a story lurking in there somewhere?

Aside from the swearing as I chucked it in the trash after it broke, no real story. I was using the mini food processor attachment to finely chop some almonds when not only the blade broke off, but the plastic (cheap ass) gears were shredded too.

[mktye]

Forgot to add that my sis in California sent us some Roundman's thick-cut bacon. On Christmas morning, we did a side-by-side comparison with Niman Ranch bacon and it blew it out of the water.

[Sthitch]

Two knives:

Mac 10 1/2'' Ultimate Chef's Knife

Shun Pro II 300 mm Yanagiba (about 12 inches long)

Both of these are a delight to hold in your hand. I look forward to using both of these knives for years to come.

Two Cookbooks

Happy in the Kitchen

Working the Plate

Happy in the Kitchen appears to be very well done, with a lot of interesting ideas. So far Working the Plate seems quite boring.

-and-

Two packages each of the ultimate candies - Strawberry Twizzlers and Necco Wafers

[Banco]

A $150 gift certificate to Marcel's!

A useless KitchenAid vegetable peeler, for which I am duly grateful

A useless pepper mill, for which I am duly grateful

A silicone oven mitt (I'm not sure I like it as much as a plain old cloth one)

Hugh Johnson's Pocket Wine Guide (a Christmas tradition)

[Sthitch]

A silicone oven mitt (I'm not sure I like it as much as a plain old cloth one)

I was not sure that I would have either, but now after a couple of years of using one, I have found that they are vastly superior. They keep the heat at bay longer, are easier to clean, and if they become wet they do not loose their effectiveness. An addition to the last advantage, if you do any canning, the silicone mitt quickly proves its worth.

[qwertyy]

A hundred-dollar gift card to Sur la Table! Headed out yesterday to pick up brand! new! colander, spatulas, mixing bowls, cheese grater, pepper mill... My kitchen is going to be the best stocked in Khartoum!

[ManekiNeko]

My nieces got me this book

Lotsa pretty pictures and some decent recipes. Unfortunately some call for fresh yeast instead of instant or active yeast. Oh well, guess that's what all that math I took in school was for.

[monavano]

......and a gift certificate to the Ritz Carlton. Hello Maestro.

[clayrae]

6 pints of gelato from Capogiro

[ScotteeM]

I got white and black truffle oils, lavender vinegar, and scallion oil. I also got a $100 gift card for Sur La Table and some cash. I hope to convert the to into some new knives and other needed utensils. I hope that the staff can help me select a knife (or two) that I can hold comfortably, as my Fibromyalgia has adversely affected my hands recently, and I'm having difficultly holding knives to chop veggies or bone meats. May have to outsource some of those tasks in the future.

[zoramargolis]

Smoked sea salt from Wales

Au Pied de Cochon - The Album, by Martin Picard (includes a 2 hour DVD)

A shopping spree at Surfas in Culver City, where I found:

A tin of Leatherwood honey from Tasmania

Artisanal coarse-ground grits

Tangerine oil

A chef jacket

Tahitian vanilla beans

2 pound bag of Valrhona 62% discs

Dried lobster mushrooms

Dried wild mushroom blend

Grains of Paradise

Fig granules

Tamarind powder

An interesting spice rub - "Fruit Rub" - from Australia containing herbs/spices I've never heard of or tasted before (???)

Dried beans in varieties I haven't before seen and can't remember at the moment--the names will have to wait for a future post, because I had to pack all the Surfas goodies in a carton and ship them because they were too heavy for the suitcase (some of above were purchased in doubles to share with a friend who had given me $ to get stuff for her there.)

[Xochitl10]

Chow was pretty much all my mom sent in response to the statement: "We're preparing to move, so we're trying not to accumulate stuff for Christmas." She gave us a tiramisu and cheese sampler (Hawes Wensleydale, Double Gloucester, and Colston Bassett Stilton, with a lovely ginger/mango chutney) from Williams-Sonoma, and a giant box of meat from Omaha Steaks (filets, pork chops, NY strips, burgers).

The dogs each got a piece of toast from us.

[MelGold]

A new paring knife, hard meat/cheese knife & kitchen sheers

Two awesome orange mixing bowls with pour spouts

A silver ice bucket (now all I need are some tongs)

...and an IOU for a cool apron.

[Anna Blume]

Sunday Dinners at Lucques by Suzanne Goin -- my chef crush

I don't blame you.

Next summer, please, please don't forget to make the layered potato and Heirloom tomato casserole that bakes for at least two hours. (Only, be careful about the plastic wrap layer; Glad does melt no matter what she says.) I used a combo of green & red Striped Zebras and Purple Cherokees and it was one of the best things I've ever eaten period.

The green rice is wonderful, too. The only thing I don't like about the book is the decision to illustrate so many of the recipes with lovely photographs of raw ingredients (a leek, a perfect piece of fruit, etc.) instead of documenting what finished dishes look like.

[lackadaisi]

It's been a great holiday season so far (birthday still to come):

Happy in the Kitchen (signed)

The French Chef (DVDs and book)

Entertaining by William Sonoma

Global Chef Knife

Gift certificate for a knife skills class

2 Le Crueset casserole dishes

Spatula

Plates

Cappuccino cups

Strainer

[mhberk]

Got the Shun Ken Onion 10" Multi Chef's Knife

$100 GC to William-Sonoma (with it I bought the Shun Ken Onion Paring Knife - EASILY the best paring knife I've ever used(!))

[laniloa]

an assortment of chocolate for baking (or snacking)

gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma (I've tried politely to tell them it is overpriced stuff and suggest alternatives but the gifter doesn't cook but likes to shop for pretty things)

[dcdavidm]

Lots of nice wines (mostly Italian, which we love).

My sister gave me a bottle of an Italian truffled salt, which gives a nice finish to pasta and veggies. I may take the jar to work just to sniff it during the day!

[ol_ironstomach]

Santa brought me the KitchenAid pasta kit...woot!

This kit includes only the roller and fettucini cutter attachments. Does anybody have practical advice on selecting a chitarra?

[lackadaisi]

Jlock and I have a tradition of getting a joint anniversary gift in January, after all the other holidays have past. This year is our iron anniversary, so we are finally buying a piece of Le Creuset. This will be our first Le Creuset, and I am very excited, but I am having difficulty picking one out, and I would love to hear if anyone has any warnings/suggestions about size.

I make a lot of double batches of soups (about 10-12 servings), but I want to be able to use it as widely as I can. I was thinking of the 7 1/4 quart round, but is that going to be too big and unwieldy for most things? I don't want to have to buy another anytime soon.

(yes, I know I am probably just way over-thinking this decision, but we have now spent several hours staring at them at various stores, and I still can't decide)

[zoramargolis]

Jlock and I have a tradition of getting a joint anniversary gift in January, after all the other holidays have past. This year is our iron anniversary, so we are finally buying a piece of Le Creuset. This will be our first Le Creuset, and I am very excited, but I am having difficulty picking one out, and I would love to hear if anyone has any warnings/suggestions about size.

I make a lot of double batches of soups (about 10-12 servings), but I want to be able to use it as widely as I can. I was thinking of the 7 1/4 quart round, but is that going to be too big and unwieldy for most things? I don't want to have to buy another anytime soon.

(yes, I know I am probably just way over-thinking this decision, but we have now spent several hours staring at them at various stores, and I still can't decide)

If you make double batches of soups, that size is about the smallest one that will be practical. You can also use that size for making stews, braising brisket or pot roast, any large cut of meat. I owned only one that size for years before I decided I wanted a smaller pot, too. The big round pot is not one that I use every day, but for the things it is intended for, it is irreplaceable. Go for it. Just be sure to get a color you like, because it will be with you forever.

[cjsadler]

Anyone receive any fun food gifts this year?

I got an aebelskiver pan (of all things).

[monavano]

I got a chinoise from WS and a set of heat resistant spatulats and spoonulas (QVC). For blogging, I got a Canon Elph (for more covert picture taking) which takes amazing 8mp shots and video, and a tripod.

Oh, and a GC to Villa D'Este in Old Town.

[zoramargolis]

I got a large Epicurean cutting board-- it's lightweight and easy to clean, unlike my big wooden boards. I have had a smaller Epicurean board for a couple of years now, and really have used it a lot. The bigger size is going to be very useful. I also got a whetstone knife sharpener, a grill press weight--to replace the foil-covered brick, I guess. My family has been teasing me about my improvised panini press rig, which consists of a Lodge cast iron griddle turned onto the ridged grilling side, sandwich, aluminum foil, flat aluminum pot lid and foil-covered brick. Hey, it works and I don't have room in my cupboards for a panini press or George Foreman grill. Also got a bottle of good balsamico, some Leonidas chocolates and a couple of very nice bottles of wine. Abbondanza!

[mktye]

I got an aebelskiver pan (of all things).

Yum! Aebelskivers are one of my favorite breakfast foods. As kids, we always skipped the jam and dipped them in melted butter and then sugar (wish I still had the metabolism I had then!).

I got a Canon Elph

I also got an Elph (to replace my old first-generation, 2.1 mega-pixel model).

Plus, the CIA "Baking and Pastry" book (actually, that one was a b'day present) and Ruth Reichl's " Garlic and Sapphires" and "Comfort Me with Apples". Some Stella Cadente olive oil (my sis's company), a couple of Williams-Sonoma gift cards and a new All-Clad nonstick frying pan (also a b'day present).

[Scott Johnston]

Several cookbooks, wine guides, a new splatter guard, Starbucks GC, a large tin of Italian onions in vinegar (my fav)!

[porcupine]

The Savoy Cocktail Book, a generous gift certificate to my favorite toy store (La Cuisine), and three types of honey, bringing my honey collection up to a total of about 15. I think.

I'm relaxing now with a mug of strong hot black tea with cranberry honey. Lovely.

[Anna Blume]

Word of Warning, just in case it's useful:

If you're baking for Ethiopian recipients or others who might follow related Christian traditions, note that your intended is fasting until January 8th this year.

That means, a loaf of whole-grain bread started w a poolish, no sugar, no milk, no eggs, etc. (definitely no beer or other alcohol in starter/flavoring agents) will be most appreciated.

You'll have to find someone else to accept the glazed applesauce spice bars made with eggs, butter, heavy cream, apples, walnuts ( ), golden raisins et al.

[qwertyy]

I got a pound of Minnesota's best wild rice and the recipe for my aunt's legendary wild rice-chicken soup. Yummm....

(I haven't found celery here yet though. Do you think it should just be omitted, or should I play with celery salt?) (Nothing's ever easy...)

[Pat]

I got a pound of Minnesota's best wild rice and the recipe for my aunt's legendary wild rice-chicken soup. Yummm....

(I haven't found celery here yet though. Do you think it should just be omitted, or should I play with celery salt?) (Nothing's ever easy...)

I'm not sure about using celery salt. Is celery seed something you have access to? (A little bit of that might be good. I always spill too much in if I don't meaasure carefully enough.)

Cook's Thesaurus suggests fennel, Chinese celery, bok choy, or cardoons as substitutes for celery in cooking. Do you have access to any of these? Fennel stalks and bok choy would be my choices.