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Gifts for the Cook
This Christmas, why not give something practical? These kitchen items range from $6 to $119
Journal Photo by Bruce Chapman
Swissmar peeler trio, $15 at Williams-Sonoma.
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Published: November 25, 2009
The holiday shopping season starts in earnest Friday. We may be in a recession, but what's Christmas without gifts?
If anything, this is a good year for giving people something they really need -- and will use. And people who cook almost always need something for the kitchen, even if it's just a replacement for their battered, old skillet.
I went to three local stores and asked employees to pick out a few gift items. They came up with a wide range of handy items, from a $6 spoon to a $119 skillet.
Here are some of my favorites. The prices are approximate.
Trudeau Flipper Measuring Spoon Set, $6, The Stocked Pot. This has four measuring spoons on one handle. "You punch it and it changes from a tablespoon to a half tablespoon on one side and from a teaspoon to a half teaspoon on the other side," said Don McMillan of The Stocked Pot, 381 Jonestown Road. "When people buy one, they buy another for their mother or sister. It's a good stocking stuffer," he said. "This is particularly good for people who can never find the right size spoon; here they are all together."
RSVP Silicone Slip-On Pour Spout, $6, The Stocked Pot. Perfect for sloppy pourers, this slides onto the side of any pot to help you pour liquids into smaller containers. It's heat-resistant up to 480 degrees and comes in different colors.
iSi Flex-it Silicone Measuring Cups, set of three, $28, The Stocked Pot. These cups are flexible. McMillan said that these cups overcome the difficulty people sometimes have in emptying liquid from a measuring cup into the bowl of an electric mixer. "This thing, you can squeeze it and funnel the liquid right into the bowl. It's unbreakable and dishwasher-safe." And, McMillan said, because it's heat-resistant, you could even bake a cake in it.
Le Creuset stoneware, two-piece set, $37, The Stocked Pot. Le Creuset's enameled stoneware is popular. McMillan mentioned this set because it's a good deal, part of a special promotion left over from the release of the Julie & Julia movie. People have a choice of the 10½-by-7-inch and the 7-by-5-inch rectangular dishes or the 9-inch and 5½-inch square dishes, available in a variety of colors.
Swiss Diamond Nonstick Skillets (without lids), 8-inch ($65), 10-inch ($80), and 12.5-inch sizes ($119), The Stocked Pot. (The store also has a set of a 10-inch pan, 3.2-quart pot and lid to fit both on sale for $200.) These pans feature an unusual, nonstick coating that embeds up to 200,000 diamond crystals in each pan, according to the company. You can put them in the oven up to 500 degrees. You can use metal utensils on them. They are dishwasher-safe and they won't warp. "They're pricey, but they are guaranteed forever," McMillan said.
Kuhn Rikon Paring Knife with sleeve: straight bladed, $10, serrated, $12, Williams-Sonoma. Katherine Spriggs, the manager of Williams-Sonoma at Hanes Mall, loves these inexpensive knives as much for their fun colors as for their sharp, 4-inch blades. "The great thing is it's a high-carbon, metal blade. But they've coated them with a nonstick coating and they stay sharp forever," Spriggs said. "Last year, people were buying them by the handful." The serrated one comes in red; the straight blade comes in yellow, green and red.
Swissmar peeler trio (set of three), $15, Williams-Sonoma. Spriggs likes the idea of different peeling blades for different jobs. One blade peels a regular strip, as for peeling potatoes. A second blade cuts a mini julienne, as for thin matchstick-size pieces of carrot for salad. The third is serrated, and good for tomatoes and similar vegetables. "Other peelers might smush the tomato," Spriggs said. "The serrated cuts through the skin."
Kuhn Rikon herb chopper, $20, Williams-Sonoma. This has the same nonstick coating as the Kuhn Rikon paring knives. This is much like a mezzaluna, a curved blade designed to rock back and forth and easily cut herbs or small pieces of vegetables. The difference is that this has a much longer handle than a mezzaluna, which can be more comfortable for cooks used to chopping with regular knives.
De Buyer Kobra hand-held slicer, $50, Williams-Sonoma. This is a simplified, handheld mandoline, great for slicing vegetables when you need them the same thickness. Spriggs said its sharp blade works like a dream. "I did potatoes with it the other day. You start going and then all of a sudden you have a pile of potatoes." It has just one blade for whole slices -- so it can't do French fries and other cuts -- but the thickness of the blade can be adjusted. (De Buyer does make traditional, more expensive mandolines, also sold at Williams-Sonoma, that have interchangeable blades for fries, juliennes, waffle cuts and more.)
Shun Classic paring-utility knife set (two knives), $80, Williams-Sonoma. For people interested in high-quality, Asian-style knives, Spriggs recommends Shun knives, which are made in a Japanese town famous for samurai swords. The blades are made of VG-10 alloy, which is known for being extremely sharp. The blades are hand ground for a long-lasting, sharp edge.
Breville Ikon panini maker, $80 (on sale through Dec. 3), Williams-Sonoma. The Ikon is exclusive to Williams-Sonoma. Spriggs called this "an all-time favorite" and very popular item, in part because it has been recommended on Oprah. "The biggest selling point that makes it different is the lid," Spriggs said. This "floating top" is more gentle on sandwiches, especially thick ones, making it less likely that the appliance will squeeze the filling ingredients out of the sandwich. The appliance also heats on the top and bottom for more even cooking. And it has eight heat settings, including a searing function that makes it versatile enough for cooking some foods usually done on an indoor grill.
Fusion Brands Poach Pod, set of two, $10, Bed Bath & Beyond. These heat-resistant, green silicone cups are designed to float in simmering water to make neat poached eggs. They also can go in the oven to bake individual cakes, flan and more.
Epicurean Cutting Surface, 12 by 9 inches ($20), 15 by 11 inches ($25) and 18 by 13 inches ($35), Bed Bath & Beyond. These hard-surface cutting boards are made from paper fiber and come with an eco-friendly certification by the Forest Stewardship Council. This material is dishwasher-safe and "won't harbor bacteria," according to the company. And Mike Wiltfong, an assistant manager at Bed Bath & Beyond at Thruway, said, "Acrylics and other plastics will dull your knives. This will not."
Calphalon 7-Piece Mixed Utensil Crock Set, $40, Bed Bath & Beyond. This set, intended for nonstick cookware, includes six utensils and a metal crock to hold them. Buying the set is a good deal; many Calphalon utensils sell for $7 a piece (for $42 for six). The crock sells separately for $18.
Oxo Good Grips Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, $50, Bed Bath & Beyond. A good scale has become a necessary kitchen tool as modern cookbook authors often prefer the precision of weight measurements over volume. This scale can weigh ounces, pounds, grams or kilograms and can hold up to 11 pounds of food. Wiltfong likes the pull-out display. It allows you to easily read the weight when large bowls or trays sit on the scale.
Calphalon Contemporary Nonstick 10- and 12-inch Omelette Pans
, set of two, $50, Bed Bath & Beyond. Wiltfong called this Calphalon "try me" promotion a great deal. The two pans normally sell for $140. "It's the exact same pans they use in their regular set, but they do this to get people to try them," he said.
Cuisinart Smart Stick Hand Blender with Whisk and Chopper Attachment, $50, Bed Bath & Beyond. A lot of cooks sing the praises of a hand-blender or immersion blender partly because it allows them to puree soups and other liquids right in the pot without dirtying a separate blender or food processor. This Cuisinart has a 200-watt motor and comes with a whisk attachment, measuring cup and a mini chopper/grinder attachment. The hand blender also is sold without the whisk and chopper/grinder for $30.
B. Smith 3 Step Server, $35, Bed Bath & Beyond. This includes three ceramic trays, 11.5 by 6 inches each, plus a tiered stand for them, perfect for serving a trio of hors d'oeuvres. "I talked my parents into getting one of these last Christmas," Wiltfong said. "They're good if you don't have a lot of space."
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