Well folks, here’s this year’s gift guide. I tried to round up things I use in the kitchen regularly that I think you should have (or gift) to your fave cook! I picked ten things that I know would be a good addition to your kitchen because I use them all the time (or, with the case of the subscriptions, wish I had!) To get even more ideas, check out last year’s gift guide with some of our most cherished kitchen items.
1. Spice Subscription to Raw Spice Bar – This is actually something I asked for this year – you get spice kits with a regional theme once a month, for $6/month. What a cool way to learn new recipes (and flavors) at a cost that’s not outrageous.
2. Jelly Roll Pans – We have four of these but you literally can never have enough. When I was growing up I feel like we had ten of these. They are useful for just about anything – cookies, roasting veggies, sheet cakes, sprinkle-catchers when sprinkling baked goods….the list goes on. You need these, trust me.
3. Punch Bowl/Cake Stand – I have one of these, too. It’s a punch bowl. It’s a cake stand. It holds chips and dips. It’s pretty enough to keep on the counter at all times. This versatile cake stand will get used every holiday season…the only thing I wish is that I had two, for my cookies AND my punch!
4. Kitchen “Spider” – Now this is a tool I got from my friend Kelly years back that comes in handy time and time again. It’s designed to strain dumplings/wontons, but I mostly use it for small batches of pasta (like ravioli that I don’t want to pour and break) or for lifting things I’m deep frying out of the oil (potato chips, donuts, etc.)
5. Epicurean Cutting Boards – We also have a handful of these, recommend to us way back when we took a knife skills class. These sturdy cutting boards don’t absorb color (or flavor), are easy to clean, and are dishwasher safe. We have a variety of colors and sizes, but the one we use the most has a lip around the edge to catch liquids.
6. Silpats – Silpats, or silcone backing sheets, are a great tool in the kitchen – they’re reusable (bye parchment paper!), they’re oven safe, and they make a great surface for rolling out doughs. They help keep our counters clean, and our jelly roll pans looking new, too. We have these, again, in various sizes, but the ones that fit inside of a jelly roll pan are perfect for baking cookies!
7. Pretty Pie Pans/Platters/Cups – This one doesn’t have a link out – but think anywhere that sells kitchen goods. Or Goodwill. Or any thrift store. Cooks are constantly looking for pretty things to add to their kitchen – think of it like jewelry but for your food. I love a great, sturdy pattern with a texture, bold pattern, or odd shape. Bring over cookies on the gift and you’ll be even MORE beloved.
8. Cookie Jar – SPEAKING of cookies, who doesn’t love a great shaped cookie jar? I have a penguin in my kitchen (in case you didn’t know, I am kind of obsessed with them) and it is one of my favorite pieces in the kitchen – talk about personality! If you’re shopping for a cook, try to find one you think they’d love – whether it be simple or ornate, everyone needs a place to stash their baking.
9. Subscription to the Olive Oil Club – Think the raw spice bar but olive oil. I betcha didn’t know quite how many flavor of olive oil exist – but they do, and I think an olive oil club is a great gift that keeps on giving. You’re going to be using olive oil anyways, why not get some high quality stuff and some cool flavors while you’re at it?
10. Garlic Chopper – I’m not normally a fan of one-hit wonders (well, I am in music, but that’s another story) but I am telling you, as someone who chops garlic A LOT I love this tool. It isn’t a garlic press, it’s a garlic chopper – it minces for you. It helps immensely when I’m preparing garlic for pizza or sauce… you get the idea. If you have a garlic-lover on your list, this is a tool they’ll love.
So there’s your list – 10 great kitchen tools for your people. What else did I miss? Let me know in the comments!
[addtoany] Yum