1. Personalized Pyrex
Gifted for our wedding, this amazing dish lets the rest of the world know that everything I make is 100% Morganic! Thanks Katie! (Search Etsy for several artists who create these.)
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| these brownies are both gluten-free and morganic |
These M&M's have our faces on them! And we cannot thank our sweet friend Sarah enough for sending us these as a wedding present!
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| taking M&M to the next level |
My dear friend Lauren gave me this mustard... and it is definitely the best mustard ever. It's perfect with cheese or crackers. I can't wait to try more of these from Terrapin Ridge Farms. The Brown Sugar and Pecan and Brewer's Mustard look amazing. Perfect for the condiment aficionado in your life!
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| best. ever. mustard. |
Also pictured above, I am the proud owner of this Wusthof Gourmet 4-inch Decorating Knife. My knife-snob parents (love ya!) gave me this offset handle, crinkle-y blade knife that is delightful for cheeses and vegetables. I once got a room of 20 people who had never tried radishes to devour a plate of them with hummus, no doubt due to the intriguing cut!
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| jazzy decorating knife |
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| tomato knife |
The most beautiful of the food-lovers' gifts! I feel happy inside every time I lay eyes on my Le Creuset Enameled Cast Iron French Oven in Caribbean. It is one of my favorite wedding presents (thanks Wendy & the girls!) This is a quality gift that will last a cook's lifetime, available in a variety of rich colors. Find the nearest Le Creuset outlet store near you, I hear that's the best way to buy them.
We also received some lovely handmade pottery soup bowls that get their use in our house at least once per week. Handmade pottery is a great way to support local artists and give a one-of-a-kind gift. Ours were purchased for us at Arts Fest in State College.
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| soup's definitely on in these pretty vessels |
Category: Things Food Lovers Want But May Never Buy For Themselves
My dear Lauren (the mustard giver) gave me white truffle oil from O & Co. for Christmas last year. My favorite use? A few drops on a cheesy wild mushroom risotto. Delish.
Wow. This might be the most valuable thing in my kitchen besides my chef's knife. A home-carbonation system. Here's how it works: Fill the Soda Stream bottles with regular tap water and chill in the fridge. When a seltzer craving strikes (all day long if you are me), twist the bottle onto the machine and press the button. A CO2 cartridge pumps gas into your water, creating bubbly H2O in seconds. One liter of sparkling water via the Soda Stream costs about 25 cents, where a liter at the grocery store can cost up to $1.00. You do the math: MAJOR SAVINGS! You can also purchase syrups to add to the already-sparkled water, creating many flavors of soda. But we (I) like to keep it clean, just bubbles and water.
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| the no-brainer gift: a home carbonation system! |
Why buy it when you can make it? Well, because it takes about 2 months to make... there's your disclaimer: you can't officially make homemade vanilla extract in time for this year's Christmas gifts, but it is still a noteworthy homemade present. Just combine whole vanilla bean pods, split down the middle, with enough vodka to cover them in a glass jar, using the ratio of 5 bean pods per 8 oz of vodka. Let sit for 8 weeks! A blog called Beanilla should answer any additional questions. I think all of our friends will be getting homemade extract for Valentine's Day this year!
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| homemade vanilla: it seems too simple not to make |
For the fashion-conscious cook in your life. My cousin Kelly got me this chic outfit-protector from Anthropologie. Throw in a matching nail polish for added flair!
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| the perfect accessory for a food lover |
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| photo by paradisos coffee |
