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Want help finding the perfect gift for the foodie in your life? We've picked out some great choices for foodies who love wine, cheese, entertaining, baking and more including stocking stuffers, gifts under $25, mid-price gifts and even over the top gifts.
The Stocking Stuffers Even if you can't fly to New York anytime soon, you can still get a taste of Chef David Chang's wildly popular Momofuku restaurants with these handy Momofuku jarred sauces. They come in two varieties: Momofuku Asian Braising Sauce and Momofuku Clay Pot Cooking Sauce. The former is a savory-sweet blend of soy, mirin, pear, dark brown sugar, rice vinegar, apple juice and sesame oil that comes with a recipe for "Asian Braised Short Ribs" on the back of the jar. The latter is a sweet-tangy combination of soy, mirin, lemongrass, fish sauce, shallots, ginger, cinnamon and star anise that comes with a recipe for "Clay Pot Pork." The sauces are $16.95 each. Or purchase the two as a set for $24. Find them exclusively at Williams-Sonoma. — picked by Carolyn Jung
When a whisk is too much and a wooden spoon is just not enough, bakers reach for the dough whisk-an exclusive from King Arthur Flour. Looking a bit like an old rug beater, this kitchen essential has a flow-through blade that makes quick work of everything from muffin batter to the stiffest yeast dough. $14.95 for the mini, and $16.95 for the heavy-duty model from King Arthur Flour. — picked by Peggy Fallon
Foodies who love playing games will quickly become addicted to Foodie Fight Rematch. The trivia game combines free-form, multiple choice and true-false questions in several different categories. The questions range from simple to hard (the true-false ones get me every time!). With its small carrying box, Foodie Fight Rematch can easily travel to wherever your foodie friends gather, but you need not have a large crowd - it's equally fun with as few as two players. $15.61 at Amazon.com — picked by Pam
Classic mojitos require a muddler for the mint, and several other cocktails benefit from muddling too. Mashing cherries with basil makes a nice twist on the classic, or fresh cranberries can be muddled for fall cocktails. These wood muddles come in three styles. $17 each at C.S. Post & Co. — picked by Lisa Lawless
Need just a little bit more for the stocking? Measuring spoons (fancy or plain each have their place) and measuring cups (particularly the ¼ cup mini-angled measuring cup with tablespoon markers $8.32 at Amazon.com ) are great stocking stuffers year-after-year. Small cookbooks are also great for stocking stuffers. If your stuffing a baker's stocking then So, Sweet! - a collection of 50 baked good recipes from Sur La Table ($9 at Amazon.com) with recipes like Almond-Chocolate Spritz Cookies is a great stocking stuffer. — picked by Pam
Under $25 (but too big for the stocking…) Anyone who loves baking pies and tarts will surely appreciate this French-born rectangular tart pan with a removable bottom. In addition to looking quite chic, it makes serving a breeze. A mere $18 (Williams-Sonoma or Sur La Table ) will breathe new life into your baking. (Round tarts are so last year.) — picked by Peggy Fallon
These stain-resistant, neoprene oven mitts look to be indestructible. And, you can toss them into the dishwasher for cleaning. Cloth oven mitts with burn holes may now be a thing of the past. $18.00 at Williams-Sonoma — picked by Lisa Lawless
St. Helena's Clif Family Winery makes a handy dandy wine pouch that is a perfect gift for friends who love toting some vino along in the great outdoors. These pouches are light, unbreakable, and supposedly have an 80 percent lower carbon footprint than two glass bottles, and 90 percent less waste and less landfill space than two glass bottles. The winery was founded by the folks who invented Clif Bars. Each pouch holds the equivalent of two 750-ml bottles and keeps the wine fresh for as long as a month after opening. Each pouch is a bargain $16.99, too. Choose either a pouch of crisp, unoaked Chardonnay or Cabarnet Sauvignon. Find the pouches online at ClimberPouch or ClifFamilyWinery. — picked by Carolyn Jung
Inventive mixologists are using all kinds of flavors in bitters these days, and there have been recipes in magazines for making bitters at home. These bottles come in just the right size with a small, squirt spout for adding a drop or two of homemade bitters to your cocktails. $23.95 at Cocktail Kingdom. — picked by Lisa Lawless
Cloth napkins are ever so much more civilized than paper, and they're better for the environment, too. If you're hesitant to use Grandma's damask every day, check out these 100% cotton easy-care hotel linens available in ivory or white from Pottery Barn. Generously-sized dinner napkins are $24 for 6: cocktail napkins $12 for the same number at Pottery Barn . For a bit extra you can even get them monogramed, or purchase a matching tablecloth or runner. And best of all, linens ship free. — picked by Peggy Fallon
Sipping in Style… It's time to recycle those old jelly jars and start drinking out of grown-up glassware. These Venetian-inspired hand-blown tumblers are as suitable for fine wine as they are for your morning orange juice. A bargain at $24 for a set of 4 uniquely stunning designs at Wisteria . — picked by Peggy Fallon
The under $100's -- Kicking it up a notch Hands down, this is the best pizza stone for the grill that I've tried. The Emile Henry round pizza stone is glazed, making it not only beautiful to behold, but a little easier to slide your pizza on and off of it. Founded in 1850 in France, Emile Henry is renowned for its dutch ovens and other ceramic cookware. It's no wonder that its pizza stone heats up so evenly. It's also easier to clean than other stones. You can wipe it off or put it in the dishwasher. The $49.95 stone is available in black at Williams-Sonoma or in blazing red at Sur La Table. — picked by Carolyn Jung
Wine & Cheese Pairings — It's hard enough to pick a great wine let alone picking a great cheese to pair with it. Pairings Wine & Cheese makes both easy with hand selected combinations of delicious artisanal cheeses and wines that make both taste better. Each pairing includes a bottle of wine perfectly paired with a half-pound of cheese; information on both the wine and cheese; and the option to purchase more of either at a discount. Available as individual pairings (about $50) or monthly subscriptions in the Wine & Cheese clubs (price depends on number of months) at www.pairingswineandcheese.com. — picked by Pam
Several years ago a dear friend gave me a Michael Aram cake server as a special gift…and so the love affair began. Aram is an American-born artist who honed his metalworking skills in India in the late 1980's. His work can now be seen in many upscale gift shops and department stores; or check out his web site for a special selection of Christmas items and Judaica. My current obsession is a small hand-hammered stainless bowl nestled in an oxidized bronze olive branch. $79 for timeless beauty from Michael Aram. — picked by Peggy Fallon
iPad owners already know how easy it is to cook directly from on-line recipes but depending on the type of carrying case or stand you have the logistics so can be less than ideal. The ipad Joule by Element Case has a nifty little stand that doesn't tip over, lets you angle for easy viewing while cooking in 3 different positions and doesn't take up much kitchen counter space— the trifecta for the iPad using foodie in the kitchen! $99 at tekcases. — picked by Pam
Over $100 and Big Ticket Items Fried food lover's looking to limit their fat in-take now have an option - ActiFry is a low-fat fryer that only uses 1 tablespoon of oil to make French frys! The ActiFry has a hot air distribution system that allows food to be fried with minimal oil while the food rotates inside the ActiFry. I was surprised by the French fries it produced which are a bit crispier than oven roasted potatoes. The ActiFry can make enough French fries for four people at a time, and it can be used for any sturdy fried food (the food is rotated in the pan so soft foods won't work as well), along with stir fry's, vegetables, and even risottos. $249.95 at Amazon.com. — picked by Pam
These domes likely fall into the very special gift category for most of us, but if the occasion comes along, their pretty colors and delicate shapes are lovely. They offer a stunning way to serve pastry and cheeses. $545 - $565 at Joe Cariati. — picked by Lisa Lawless
Have foodie will travel? If you've got a foodie on your list who loves traveling (and you've got the budget) here are some options to consider:
Disclosure: Items discussed in this post may have been provided to Project Foodie by vendors, publicists, and/or manufacturers.
Disclosure: Samples of products discussed in this post may have been provided to Project Foodie by publicists and/or manufacturers.
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