Seasonal Gift Ideas for the Well-Seasoned Cook
Looking for some gift ideas for the cook on your list? Or what about that loved one who should learn to cook? Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or your own unique winter holiday, cookbooks and cooking utensils are a great gift idea. I've got ideas for the novice cook as well as the more advanced cooks who want to explore a bit.
How to Cook Everything: Simple Recipes for Great Food This may be inching out The Fannie Farmer Cookbook in terms of favorites. I'd hate to have to choose between them. What I like about this one is that Mark Bittman gives you a basic recipe and then variations. For example, "Sauteed Pork Chops", with detailed directions on a perfectly wonderful dish. But to top it off, he then has eight different ways to add on to the basic recipe, including sherry-garlic sauce, apples, dried fruit, vinegar, mustard (my personal favorite!), onions and peppers, or butter, chervil and shallots. If you want just the basics try How to Cook Everything: The Basics, a smaller more concise version.
Do you enjoy watching The Soprano's? The Sopranos Family Cookbook is actually quite good, as well as entertaining if you enjoy the series. There's a section of recipes "from" each main character and introductory comments and "interviews" about food and its importance.
Appliances and Accessories
Got a bigger budget for that special someone? My hands-down favorite appliance is the KitchenAid 5-Quart Mixer. I use it almost every single day, sometimes multiple times in one day, to mix up quick breads, cookies or meatloaf, knead yeast doughs for pizza or cinnamon rolls, or making mashed potatoes. If your recipient really likes to cook, consider getting them the Attachment Pack. It can replace your food processor for shredding, grating, and straining. I use it when I make potato pancakes to grate the potatoes in a hurry or when I buy a big block of cheese and shred it for the freeze.
While the Revere Copper Clad Stainless Steel Cookware Set comes with a 25 year warranty, I have to tell you that my mother still uses her set which she got as a wedding gift 53 years ago! I also got a set as a gift when I was first starting out on my own and just realized I'm nearly at the end of the warranty--but I've had no problems with it and just love it so it's hardly a concern. In fact, last weekend's chore for my youngest was polishing a few of the copper bottoms and they look gorgeous. Spend the money once and be done with the cheap stuff that scorches your food and cooks unevenly.
