Given the current climate, I can’t think of a better gift for a serious cook – male or female – than this swell t shirt from the Cherry Bombe squad.
The picture, I think, says it all.
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I’m giving this Infrared Digital Thermometer to every anal cook I know. For one thing, even the most gadget-prone cook is unlikely to own one. For another, they’ll love it. And for a third, it’s remarkably inexpensive.
The thermometer measures surface temperatures – so it won’t replace a probe thermometer. But it’s perfect for taking the temperature of meat on the grill or for testing the temperature of a pan, pizza steel or the oven itself. Kind of addictive too; after a while you find yourself checking the temperature of the refrigerator, the walls, windows and ceiling. No touch – simply point and shoot.
And should you happen to have a sick friend, it will take their skin temperature – without so much as a single touch.
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I’ve been buying vintage cookbooks from Abebooks for what seems like ages, but I somehow missed the fact that they also sell vintage menus from all over the world. The menus don’t cost much – they average around fifteen dollars – and they’re the real thing, not copies. So if you know someone who wishes they’d been at a country hunt in England in 1889, eating a kaiseki meal in Tokyo in 1911, or feasting in Paris during the time of Toulouse Lautrec, you can find an appropriate menu here. There are dozens to peruse and the range is enormous, so even if you’re not searching for a gift, this is an intriguing way to spend some time.
They also have gorgeous botanical prints – like the one above – cut out of old illustrated books. If you know someone who loves antique apples, pears or gooseberries, one of these would make a unique and very welcome gift.
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I wrote about Roy’s Panettone in last year’s gift guide, but since then I’ve come to love this amazing fruit bread even more. I’ve just finished ordering some for a few special friends, and I thought I’d remind you about it. In addition to the classic, Roy’s now making panettone in a few new flavors: pecan-caramel, chocolate or pistachio-cherry.
This is not the cardboard panettone that sits morosely on the table, wishing someone would eat it. This is light, airy fruit bread that vanishes in a flash. Eat a slice and you instantly want more. You can read all about Roy and his obsession with this Italian classic here, in my new column in Town and Country Magazine.
Or you can just cut to the chase and order some direct from Roy.
