It is officially December and the holidays are upon us. Welcome to Grace(full) Plate’s holiday, foodie gift guide.
I’ve picked nine foodie gift items that I think your food-loving/home chef/in-law/wife/bestie/daughter/son will love.
These are items that I really love and use in my kitchen. I’ve been sure to include links to where you can purchase these items and no, I don’t get kickbacks or referral fees. I just love sharing and the giving season (in the kitchen)! In some cases I may link to an affordable place to buy the product (e.g. Amazon) while also listing the brand that makes the product, as well.
Chef’n Kale, Chard, and Herb Stripper $3.27 | Chefn: This tool is so little it fits easily in your drawers (or pocket). It has different hole sizes pending what green leafy item you may want to ‘strip’ the leaves or herbs off of. This helps me with my smoothies and also cuts down some chopping time with herbs and pesky stems.
Oenophilia Large Slate Cheese Board $16.99 | Bed Bath & Beyond: I received this slate cheese board as a gift years ago and because I love cheese plates so much, I use it every month. You can write in chalk on the board next to the cheese and the handles make it easy to transport. I think this is also a really fair price for the beauty of this piece. Great for entertaining; you can place anything on this beauty.
Zojirushi Rice Cooker/Steamer $44.99 | Macy’s: This gets used almost weekly in our home. You drop in your 2:1 ratio of water to rice, and flip the switch. It turns to warming when it’s done (in about ~15-20 minutes) so you can eat it well after it’s cooked and it’s still good. I have the three cup version (but there are other sizes if needed).
Acetaia Cattani White Balsamic Vinegar $14.95 | Sur La Table: Produced in Italy, and made from sweet, white Trebbiano grapes this vinegar is light and golden in color. It’s made from fifth-generation family-owned producers using only indigenous grapes from Cattani’s vineyard. It’s great with vegetables or fish and is best when reduced. My (very Italian) mother introduced it to me. She always has it on hand, and now I make her homemade salad dressing with this and olive oil as the base (just add crushed fresh garlic, salt, and pepper, and voila).
Stainless Steel Stovetop Popcorn Popper $54.99 | Target: I grew up with popcorn as a primary snack in our lives. We even have our own seasoning. For those reasons, my brother and I take popcorn seriously, even though we’ve lived away from home for years now. My mom bought us each one of these so we could have perfectly popped popcorn. It comes with a hand crank for proper evenness but it pops within five minutes.
Kyocera, Ceramic Mandolin $15.65 | Amazon: We use this for most meals. The mandolin slices anything paper thin and with swiftness. It’s great for carrots atop a salad, string onions to caramelize, to slicing thin apples to snack on. Please note, this blade is razor sharp and I’ve had a few friends get too close for comfort, so purchase some kitchen-grade gloves with it as you slice for safety-sake.
Loredana’s Balsamic Vinaigrette $12 | Loredana’s: Local to Colorado, I first laid eyes on Loredana’s marinades, spreads, and vinaigrette’s at the farmers market. They’re a true artisan company and everything is handmade in small batches. My mom now bulks up when she visits, or orders online, and freezes the thick, slightly sweet and delicious, balsamic vinaigrette. We use it in her pine nut, lemon pepper chicken bake and it makes the dish. You would be good ordering any of their products, but try the balsamic. When you get it, drizzle it over fresh mozzarella.
Yeti Stainless Steel Rambler $39.99 | Yeti: We’re big Yeti consumers in our house. From the cooler that keeps ice cold for days, to their rambler for our morning coffee commute, their products are top notch. The 30 oz. tumblr keeps your coffee hot all day, or your after dinner drink cool filled with ice. It has double-wall vacuum insulation and their patented, “no sweat design”. I love how they call it “over-engineered”. This thing is legit.
Universal Cover – A Lid for Every Pot $14.99 | Bed Bath & Beyond: This one is simple. It’s a lid that has many grooves so it fits on most sizes of pots. I keep it at the top of my drawer if I can’t find a lid and drop it on any pot. It’s so convenient.
Note: These are often timeless. For further inspiration, you can refer to the rest of the foodie gift guides I’ve curated over the years here.