Crazy Englishwoman Cooks!

Since it's our last day of gift week, I'm including some bigger ticket items. Some are practical, others are just pure decadence....

Yes, Le Creuset is expensive, but there's a reason. It lasts. I've often heard that in France, the cast iron French oven is a common wedding gift - you can cook with it on the stove top, put it in the oven, make everything from bread to casserole to roast beast in it. When ads and TV chefs are constantly trying to convince us that we need a separate tool for every individual task in the kitchen, Le Creuset's French oven is refreshingly simple and able to handle everything.








When it comes to mixing, blending, chopping, and more, the KitchenAid is king. I know kitchens that have been designed so this multitasking beauty pulls out of the wall on its own trolley when needed. Buy extra attachments and you've also got an ice-cream maker, pasta maker, dough mixer...you get the idea.










I am not much of a coffee drinker but my friend Julie recent got a new coffee maker and RAVES about her Nespresso. It even comes with a nice little milk frother. Who needs Starbucks?











A good cutting block is essential. I love my wooden blocks. This John Boos Kitchen Cart goes even further: a solid stainless steel cart with wine rack storage underneath a good solid maple butcher's block top. Beautiful and practical.

Actually less expensive than the options about but one that I absolutely adore is the Adopt an Olive Tree program from Nudo. For a little over $100, you can choose a tree in any one of Nudo's Italian groves. When the harvest comes in, you get a share of the olive oil - typically 2 litres in the spring and some cans of flavored olive oil in the fall. If you like to feel connected to your food, this is the perfect gift.





If money is no object and you have $15,000 to spare, there are money things you could spend it on. Personally, I hope that chocolate is not one of them but, if it is, look no more....
The MarieBelle of New York Chocolate Picnic Steamer Trunk is a custom made Italian leather travel trunk, filled with more than 5 lbs of chocolate, 4 tins of Aztec hot chocolate and more. Enjoy...but not all at once, you'll get sick.

Some of today's items are things I have, adore, couldn't do without in my kitchen. Others are things friends swear they couldn't do without. SO let's just get straight into today's list.

Cheese, garlic, nutmeg, lemon zest, and much more. Grate it all with a microplane grater. The results are wonderfully fine, and no bleeding knuckles like the old box graters. They are available in a range of sizes, degrees of fineness, etc.










Ok so this is a seasonal butter bell, but you can buy a plain white one, stainless steel, whatever you like. I first saw a butter bell at a friend's house a few years ago. She explained that you put the butter in one part, water in the other. The temperature of the water helps to keep the butter at a spreadable consistency without the need for refrigeration. No more desperately trying to spread hard butter from the fridge, and no more butter dishes with a gooey mess. Brilliant!

 I am in love with my stoneware deep dish pie plate from Pampered Chef. I have the cranberry one, as seen here. It is the perfect size, cooks my pies beautifully, looks great on the table, and is easy to clean. After having several Pyrex pie plates shatter, I am so glad I decided to try one of these. At $34, it's not the cheapest pie dish but it is definitely my favorite.







An immersion blender is on my must-buy list. I keep hearing how great they are, and my mum repeated the sentiment last time I visited her. No need to pour soups into the blender then back into the pan? I'm sold. There's quite a price range on these, but I'd suggest sticking with a Cuisinart or a KitchenAid, both excellent brands.










A tagine is a traditional clay cooking pot found in Morocco and other parts of Northern Africa. The food cooks in the bottom part, but the conical top keeps all the moisture in while it's cooking. Once it's done, you use the bottom part as the serving dish. They are wonderfully stylish and great for cooking stews, and all-in-one dishes. Again, the price can vary widely on these. You can find silicone ones for as little as $20, while Le Creuset makes one for a cool $159. I personally like the traditional look of the clay one featured here (and yes, I know it's a little over the $50 budget). IMPORTANT: As you can see from reading the reviews on Amazon, these have to be seasoned before you use them the first time. But if you follow the instructions, and care for it properly, a tagine can last for years.





So there are your five suggestions for today.

Come back tomorrow for splurge day - gifts over $100.

At first I thought about posting the larger splurge items today, but that seems like something that should wait until the end of the week. So instead, we'll go for stocking stuffers, those oh so little items that might be useful, might not, but they'll certainly be cute.



 Our first stocking stuffer is just a dollar! Seriously folks, what can you get for a dollar these days other that some pitiful excuse for a meal from certain fast food chains? These two little molds can turn your hard boiled eggs into works of art. Take your hard boiled egg, put it in the mold and place in cold water for 10 minutes. Voila! Fish and car shaped eggs! Other molds are also available, from flowers and stars to Hello Kitty. How cute would these be on a party tray or in your child's lunch box?









NinjaBread Men Cookie Cutters from Baron Bob. I want my cookies to look fierce! And these little warriors have been in training their entire lives. A pack of three NinjaBread Cookie Cutters is $9.95. Feel free to add your own icing ninja costumes.


Next up is this adorable Ladybug Kitchen Timer. Perfect for making sure you don't burn those NinjaBread cookies!












 Poor Stan had an accident. If you have trouble getting your husband to use a coaster, buy him a Splat Stan coaster from ThinkGeek.com because, don't ask me why, but things are always funnier when someone's been squashed (or so my husband says - it's a guy thing!)








Since I was so entranced by the little egg molds, I'm going to continue my love of the Japanese ability to turn a simple packed lunch into a work of art with these stainless steel vegetables cutters. Whether it's a way to get your little ones to eat their veggies, or a delightfully eye-catching garnish when entertaining, who can resist a radish or carrot that shaped like a butterfly or lotus blossom???

Even if someone isn't a huge fan of cooking, they can usually appreciate a gift of food. If they love to cook, a luxury or new ingredient is an even bigger treat.

So today, I'm going to offer a few options for some very tasty gift treats.

1. Pappardelle's Pasta. I received a pasta machine a year or so ago but admit that I rarely use it (2011 New Year's Resolution - use pasta machine). However, I do love pasta. I've tried a few different brands of flavored pasta and, for the most part, they've been a dud. With Pappardelle's pasta, you can taste the flavors. In fact, the pasta is so good, you don't need to smother it with a richly flavored sauce. The chipotle pepper and lemon-basil are two of my favorites. If there isn't a Pappardelle's store near you, you can order online. And each flavor comes with a little card offering a recipe suggestion so you'll never be at a loss for a quick but very fancy meal idea.
2. Salts of the World from Uncommon Goods. I keep reading articles in cooking magazines about the myriad of flavors in sea salt and this gift set is the perfect way to let someone try them. For $34, you get a presentation box with 6 1oz vials of different salt varieties, including Pink Himalayan, Seoul Bamboo, and Black Lava. These are not to be tossed on your meal in huge amounts. Instead, take time to experience the subtle flavors in each.
3. If you want to give someone a simple classic, head to Williams-Sonoma and pick up a bottle of their 25-Year Barrel Aged Balsamic Vinegar. Use it as a dip for bread, pour over meats or vegetables, or use in a salad dressing. It's also great on strawberries. $24 for a 15 oz bottle.
4. Give the gift of fungus! The mushroom world offers so much more than the humble white button, and there are some great gift packages out there. Earthy Delights has a range of gift baskets, including the Chef's Gift Basket which features 2 lbs of fabulous fungi - baby blue oyster, clamshell, trumpet royale, shiitake, and cinnamon caps. If you prefer something that is a little less perishable, consider an Organic Mushroom Growing Kit. The kits contains everything you need to grow your own morels, shiitake, and more. Just add water.
5. Since it would be improper to mention food gifts without including chocolate, check out some of the gift offerings at Hotel Chocolat. My sister has treated me to their oils and vinegars with chili and cocoa nibs before. But just look at the Large Dipping Adventure. Sure it says it's for sociable chocolate eaters, but I won't tell if you'd rather keep it all to yourself!

To give you a wee bit of help with your Christmas shopping for the cooks in your family, it's gift week at Crazy Englishwoman Cooks. Each day, we'll be sharing ideas to suit a wide range of budgets.

Today, I've chosen five cookbooks to kick us off.

I have owned Charmaine Solomon's Complete Asian Cookbook for years now, and it remains hands down the best Asian cookbook I've come across. Divided into countries, and then parts of the meal (appetizer, soup, lamb, etc), you will never run out of ideas here, whether you just want one dish to make in a hurry, or you are planning a themed banquet. A winter favorite of mine is the Indonesian Sayur Lodeh (vegetables in coconut gravy).






 




My mum got me this book a year or two ago and I absolutely love it. Grow your own veg? Belong to your local CSA program and find yourself with something you've never cooked before? Just looking for new ideas for an old favorite? They're all here. Kitchen also provides tips on cooking and storing fruits and veggies. There is a delicious plum crumble recipe in here.









Over the last year, I have fallen in love again with the art of bread making, but, because of time, I try to find recipes that don't include tons of kneading and proofing. So when I came across this book the other day, I knew I would have to add it to my wish list. For centuries, bakers have made wonderful breads that do not require hours of intensive labor - flatbreads, boules, babka. You'll find them all in here and you may just discover a love for breadmaking that you never knew you had.








An old favorite but one that I continually come back to, and it has recently been updated. Intercourses is a sensual celebration of the aphrodisiac properties of food. Each chapter focuses on a particular ingredient (rosemary, asparagus, chocolate, etc) and includes stories and artwork to make your mouth drool. Their rosemary lamb pasta has become a regular in our house. I'm still trying to convince Nic about the strawberry pasta though.








Understanding that not everyone is a carnivore and, even if you are, you may like to try a few meat free days once in a while, I came across dozens of recommendations for Jannequin Bennett's The Complete Vegan Kitchen. Famousveggie.com calls it "one of the best vegan cookbooks I have ever read." With over 300 recipes, everyone from the most ardent meat eater to the seasoned vegan is sure to find something new and delicious.








So there you have my five picks for today. No celebrity cookbooks, although I do have quite a few in my collection and use them regularly. I own three of these and am definitely adding the other two to my personal wishlist.

Please feel free to share your favorites in the comments section. Or if you have any other gift ideas you think I should include this week, drop me a note. We'll be featuring things from a $1 stocking stuffer to a $15,000 designer splurge.