07 Dec

10 Gift Ideas for the Foodies in Your Life

Posted as Gift Ideas

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Last week I talked about how you could use your kitchen prowess for gift giving and provided some homemade food gift ideas. This week I want to chat about gifts that foodies would love. Maybe your sister, your best friend, or your aunt love to spend time in the kitchen and you’re looking for a unique gift idea. Perhaps you want to send something to your favorite blogging friend. Or maybe, just maybe, you’re looking to amp up your own wish list. I’m usually guilty of the latter. No matter who you’re shopping for, you’ll be sure to find some gems in the following list among the kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, food and other random goodies. The list is a hybrid of things on my own wish list and things I have that I think others would enjoy as well. Happy Shopping!!

1. Beater Blade ($19.95)
For those with stand mixers that use a paddle attachment, one of the most common complaints is needing to stop mixing periodically to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure that all of the ingredients are being completely incorporated. Enter Beater Blade. This replacement for the traditional paddle attachment (made to work with all of the different Kitchen Aid models, as well as the Cuisinart and Viking stand mixers) keeps the sides of the bowl clean, eliminating the need to stop and scrape, so you can cut down on your mixing time and get those cookies in the oven even faster.

2. Super Peel Pizza Peel ($36.95)
This is high on my own personal wish list. If you have ever tried making a homemade pizza and getting a prepared pizza onto a preheated baking stone, you know that it can be an ugly task. A good pizza peel will make the process a cinch, and this particular peel has been given the Highest Recommended tag by Cook’s Illustrated.

3. Screwpull Classic Travel Corkscrew ($19.95)
So, sometimes the smallest and easiest tasks cause me the most trouble. Like opening a bottle of wine. I have completely destroyed wine corks before, so a corkscrew that’s easy to use is something I need to desperately add to my kitchen drawers. This particular one has received superb reviews, so I think I need to have it.

4. The Foodie Handbook by Pim Techamuanvivit ($16.47)
Pim was one of the first food bloggers in the industry (her site is Chez Pim) and she paved the way for the thousands of sites that now flourish today. In this book, she collects tips, secrets, anecdotes, and recipes from the world’s top chefs. I imagine it will be a must-have for anyone who loves to eat, read write or talk about food, or spends time looking at food websites.

5. Cooling Racks ($16.00)
It’s December. Do you have visions of cookies sitting on every inch of your counter and not nearly enough cooling racks? I’ve been there, and it can be overwhelming. I found these cooling racks a couple of years ago and they are absolutely awesome. With a tight grid, they don’t leave indentations on the bottom of the cookies, and they are the perfect size for fitting inside a half-sheet pan for other uses as well. I already have two of these and would like to get two more.

6. Rösle Ice Cream Scoop ($21.49)
Every household needs a good ice cream scoop. It may be winter, but the warm weather will be back before we know it, so get ready for ice cream scooping!

7. Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer ($96.00)
Cooking meats to the correct internal temperature can mean the difference between a barbecue success and a trip to the ER. Maybe that’s a little dramatic. But, food safety is a big issue nowadays, and the best way to make sure your food is free of bacteria is to cook it to the correct temperature. And on the baking front, instant read thermometers can be used to measure the internal temperature of bread to ensure it’s done baking, and for knowing the temperature of things such as custards. I’ve been wanting this Thermapen for years…

8. Vanilla & Fig Balsamic Vinegar ($16.99)
Temecula Olive Oil Company produces some sensational olive oils and vinegars that you will definitely want to check out. Clara at I Heart Food 4 Thought found these months ago and I was drooling; I saved the link with Christmas specifically in mind. Favorites include the Roasted Garlic Olive Oil and the California Pomegranate Vinegar.

9. Penzeys Gift Card
Penzeys Spices have locations around the U.S. as well as an online store, and is a great place to stock up on pantry essentials such as spices, extracts and cocoa powder. I purchase my Dutch-processed cocoa from them, as well as some other spices. They have great blends like fajita seasoning, pizza seasoning, as well as things liked candied ginger, chili peppers and Viatnamese cinnamon.

10. Magazine Subscriptions
I love the days when a new Cook’s Illustrated or Bon Appetit shows up in the mail. It makes me want to curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and read them from cover to cover. Some other titles that foodies may appreciate: Food & Wine, Cooking Light, Everyday Food, and Saveur

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What else is on your wish list, or what are you buying for the food-lover in your life?

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