Kitchen Covets - A Holiday Gift Guide

Are you, like me, thrilled every year when the time rolls around for the Internet to publish its Gift Guides, thereby lightening your load, getting your shopping done in one fell swoop, and making you feel creative, resourceful and thoughtful, even though you never left your desk? I find them to be such a relief (the ones from Design*Sponge, Cup of Jo, Oh Happy Day, and Mighty Goods are especially good).

This year, I thought I'd try my hand at a gift guide, specifically tailored to things one might covet for the kitchen or the dining table or the cookbook shelf, in other words, any area of the home that involves cooking or eating or reading about cooking and eating, since, you know, that's all any of us really want to be doing at any given time, right? Right?

Happy giving!

***

1. Tell your little sister enough already with the paper napkins, even if IKEA does produce them in such adorable colors. These Skinny Laminx "Orla" napkins from South Africa will make her dinner table look grown up and smart.

2. Any of the wooden cake stands that Herriot Grace makes are gorgeous (not to mention everything else in their shop). But there is one little problem: if you're lucky enough to get your hands on one (they're sold out at the moment, I'm sorry), I'm not sure you'll be able to give it away. Still, it'd get you in good with your mother for years, if she's the cake-baking type.

3. Buy one of Amco's metal lemon squeezer for your dad, your father-in-law, your brother, heck, any of the men in your life. I don't know a single man who doesn't love this bright, clanky thing. I recently switched from a wooden reamer to this lemon squeezer and I do declare it to be my favorite kitchen utensil, hands down. It's so satisfying to use and the little inside-out lemons it leaves behind make everybody laugh.

4. Bee House's Kyoto teapot in day-brightening turquoise is just one of those artful objects that dress up any breakfast table or work spot, wherever your mother-in-law and her impeccable taste takes her spot of tea.

 

5. A chic wooden Mayfair candlestick or two, for your brother's first apartment. Maybe it'll get him to turn off his halogen tower left over from college.

6. Would your mother rather be reading than baking cakes? Get her Milk by Anne Mendelson. It's a fascinating and comprehensive history of our relationship with milk, along with mouthwatering recipes from all over the world. She'll never drink milk the same way again. Who knows, she might even find herself elbow-deep in homemade cheese one day. But no pressure.

 

7. This one's for the grandchildren. Be diligent about writing down your favorite recipes on these beautiful recipe cards from Rifle Paper Co. and one day you''ll have the best heirloom ever to pass on. (Here's the matching wooden box to store them in.)

 

8. I find scrubbing potatoes, squash and other vegetables to be rather mind-numbing work. But if you got to pull on a pair of fire-orange, rough-palmed, Cooper-Hewitt rubber gloves to do that work, or go even farther and peel those vegetables, wouldn't you feel like a million bucks? I thought so. A great gift for the reluctant cook in your life.

9. Much has been written about the glory of the Canal House Cooking series, from the beautiful photography and food styling to the deeply delicious recipes, and all of it is true. These books are total gems and not so precious that you can't get them spattered in the kitchen and dog-eared by the bedside table. For your best friend still mourning the demise of Gourmet.

 

10. The old Russian tea company, Kusmi, has been given a rather luxe makeover as of late. But their teas are still wonderful, either loose in pretty tins or packed into gorgeous little muslin tea bags. My favorite at the moment is Kusmi Boost, a spicy green tea blend packed with cardamom pods, ginger, and orange peel. For your boss or your favorite neighbor and, while you're at it, get a tin for yourself, too.

 

11. Do you have a smallish person in your life who likes to cook? Chances are they've spent their entire cooking lives looking for an apron that will fit. So get them this Fog Linen apron, because good aprons for smallish people can be terrifically hard to find.

Comments

[Gemma]

Thoughtful Christmas gift guides always make me happy. The cake stands are beautiful, I now want an awful lot of things from Herriot Grace!

[Caroline Shields]

The lemon squeezer is my favorite tool too! Love the guide.

[Monica]

This was a great guide. I'm making a purchase of Kusmi tea on your recommendation. Thanks!

[Ana]

Those gloves are the best thing I have ever seen. Finally, I can avoid that whole "are you using my vegetable brush to clean the carpet?" thing (true story). I have just purchased two pairs.

[Lecia]

I have that lemon squeezer, and it's one of my most prized kitchen tools. Love Canal House also. I just tried to look at the buying info for the apron, and it's all in Japanese. When I clicked on the 'English' button, I couldn't get back to the apron purchasing page. Any ideas? Thanks.

[Maria]

I have a Herriot Grace wooden spoon, and I love it so. Everything about Nikole's company is wonderful. I have this silly pride that she is a fellow Torontonian.

Canal House and Kusmi Tea are fantastic, too!

[Luisa]

Lecia - from the Fog Linen site:

Please place your order directly with us via fax or email.
our online shopping system is not ready for international orders.

We ship international orders through the Japanese Postal Service.
This is the cheapest shipping available.

For product orders,
please send following information by fax 81-3-5481-3947 or
e-mail : world@foglinenwork.com

name :
shipping address :
phone:
e-mail :
item number to order and qty :

we will send paypal invoice with the quote for your order,including shipping costs,
and will ship the order as soon as we receive the payment.

please pick up the items from shopping site.
explanation about the products is in Japanese only. please ask us if you have any questions.

[thedabble]

Loving the guide! You are so right about the lemon squeezer...my husband had to have it and play with the thing around the store and still opens the drawer to this day to clank and clink around the apartment. My favorite are the wooden cake stands-just lovely!

[camille]

Is there a link for those awesome orange gloves?

[Luisa]

Camille - eek! So sorry, it's there now.

[Bettina]

This stuff is great! But... could you do a European version for those of us who can't afford to pay our salary in shipping costs? Pretty, pretty please!

[yossy]

i love gift guides too! they are one of my favorite parts of the holidays. someone gave me a herriot grace cookie cutter as a birthday gift and it is one of my favorite things in my kitchen, and there is a lot of stuff in there.

[Val]

I need me one of those aprons!

[Leisureguy]

I have to say that the citrus squeezer you recommend is a bad choice. I had one, and I MUCH prefer this all-stainless model, which does not chip and then corrode: http://goo.gl/SxVki

[Nicole]

I have been on the wait list for a Herriot Grace cake stand for well over a year. Are there other places you can get them, because I am not having any luck.

[Molly]

Still keening over Gourmet. Must order Canal House, ASAP. (Is it wrong to apply said gift guide to oneself?)

[Robin]

Love all these suggestions! I am always hoping to convert my little sister to cloth napkins for everyday use...maybe an aggressive gift will work better than my preaching?

[Sylee]

Luisa, I am that small person. I should get past just poring over my copy of Around Fog Linen and make some not-so-subtle hints this December. Thanks for a great list!

[dervla]

great guide, Luisa :-) I think i might get that teapot for myself.

[Anna]

I love everything on the list! All great ideas.
Have you seen Dorie Greenspan's latest book yet? I'm thinking of adding it to my Christmas list.

[Luisa]

Bettina - I'll keep that in mind for next year.

Nicole - I'm afraid not, I think the list is your best bet.

Molly - errrrr, no. Or if it is, then I'm guilty.

Robin - it's not aggressive, it's encouraging! :)

Dervla - I am OBSESSED with it, I've mooned over it for years.

Anna - I have! I just got a copy the other day.

[Kasey]

You can never have too many gift guides. I love the Canal House books and that teapot is adorable. Happy holidays, Luisa!

[Ben]

This post is very helpful and unique. Specially I liked the napkins and teapot.

[Lakas]

Luisa! Great list! I just ordered the Fog Linen Apron from their site as an early holiday gift for myself and way cheaper than the advertised $85 @ DWR... The price including the shipping, 4380japanese yen plus some paypal fee to send money over = $54. :P It should arrive next week.

Long time reader, first time poster. I love your website.

[Anna Johnston]

Owwhhhh, I want the lemon squeezer (how have I lived this long without one) and those snappy orange gloves are fabulous ;)

[joanna goddard]

these are all such fabulous suggestions!!! the cover of the Milk book is beautiful. and thank you so much for mentioning my gift guide, you are so sweet :) i'm flattered that you like it so much, since i really love your taste. hope you're having a fabulous week xoxo

[kim]

Ah! Thanks for reminding me I have to get my hands on some Kusmi tins! So gorgeous, and the melanges sound interesting.

[LimeCake]

These are some of the most beautiful things I've seen! Happy Thanksgiving!

[Leah]

Love the teapot and the candlestick! Thanks for the list :D

~Leah
(http://simplesplendidthings.wordpress.com/)

[amelia]

THESE ARE THE BEST!! i'm not a reluctant cook but I think I still need those gloves! Can't get over Canal House. The intro essay by Gabrielle Hamilton was so good. Really really really want to do the truffled lobster gnocchi for Christmas dinner.