Food Gifts for the Cook
Whether's it's cooking classic French dishes or just sipping tea, there's something here for everyone.
From Fortnum & Mason teas to the AeroGarden, these food gifts and kitchen gift ideas will appeal to everyone on your list.
I began my list of holiday food gifts and kitchen gifts with everything from gourmet marshmallows to a sushi making kit. The following gifts will also appeal to a wide range of cooking interests:
6) Gourmet French Stock and Demi-Glace ($25-$58)
Good cooks know that the difference between a gourmet meal and a ho-hum dinner is often in the sauce. And the best sauces start with the best stock. More than Gourmet makes it easy with a line of stocks for every use: Classic French Demi-Glace, Roasted Duck and Chicken Stock, Seafood Stock, Roasted Vegetable Stock and more.
7) Dairy-Free Baked Goods ($27 and up)
Do vegans crave cheesecake? Sure! And if you've got any vegans on your list (or anyone else with a sweet tooth who likes to eat healthy), you can make them smile with a gift from Sticky Fingers Bakery.
Choose from a mouth-watering selection of baked goods, such as Chocolate Love Cake, Peanut Butter Fudge Cake, I Dream of Cheesecake, Strawberry Shortcake and Sticky Cinnamon Buns. All of Sticky Fingers' products are 100% vegan, egg-free, dairy-free, cholesterol-free and made with heart-healthy soy and no hydrogenated oils.
Food Gifts $50-$100
8) Fortnum & Mason Favourite Tea Bag Presentation ($95)
I think tea time is the greatest invention since the wheel. You get to enjoy a healthy drink (especially green tea and white tea), plus you get to take a break from the hustle and bustle of life. The tea lover on your list will be thrilled to receive Fortnum's Favourite Tea Bag Presentation, which includes Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe, Earl Grey Classic and many more.
Kitchen Gifts $100-$200
9) The AeroGarden ($149.95)
There's nothing like fresh herbs to a gourmet cook. But buying fresh herbs -- especially organic ones -- every week can get pricey. That's why many professional chefs grow their own. But not everyone is a gardnerer. For those of us without green thumbs, there's a great solution: the AeroGarden.
A computerized hydroponic garden, the AeroGarden allows you to grow a variety of herbs, lettuces, cherry tomatoes, peppers and flowers without soil, weeds, or pesticides.
The AeroGarden uses hydroponics (water) and a nutrient tablet to feed the plants, plus a full-spectrum light to simulate the sun. It sits on a tabletop, so it fits great in a kitchen.
We got our AeroGarden in August, and just as promised, we had our first cherry tomatoes for Thanksgiving. The customer service for this product is amazing. Really. We had a few questions about how to prune the plants -- I told you, I am no gardener -- and they patiently walked us through the whole process.
This is one of those high-tech, high-touch gifts that just about anyone on your list will appreciate. In fact, it's a great way to teach kids about gardening and science, and perhaps even get them interested in healthy cooking!
10) The Vita-Mix Blender
Anyone who's serious about eating healthy will appreciate this powerful kitchen tool. Sure, it's advertised on cheesy infomercials, and yes, it's expensive. But I can tell you from experience the thing works like you wouldn't believe.
I'm a huge fan of smoothies. They're a great way for me to make sure my kids get the vitamins they need without arguing over how many bites of broccoli they have to eat at dinner. Plus, smoothies taste great.
But after going through three blenders in one summer, I knew I needed to upgrade. The problem is I like my smoothies to have an icy, milkshake-like texture, and the healthiest way to get that is with frozen fruit. But blenders aren't really made to crush frozen fruit. In fact, the most expensive blender I bought -- a Kitchenaid -- was worse than the super-cheap Hamilton Beach.
(I did get a few good months out of the Hamilton Beach before I burned out the motor, but since it only cost about $20, I recommend it as a good, low-priced alternative.)
Finally, I turned to the Vita-Mix. Not only does it allow me to make smoothies with every kind of fruit imaginable, including a whole orange, I also use it to puree soups, crush nuts, and make salsas. In fact, it's sort of like my second food processor.
The Vita-Mix sells for around $479 new, but you can get reconditioned ones for about $350. And eBay often has deals.
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