Foodie Gift Guide 2011

Well everyone, I'm about to throw another "Not a Meal Plan Monday" post at you for the second week in a row.  However, I think I have another solid excuse for the week....

Kaston and I will be heading back to the great state of Missouri in two days and therefore I'm hoping that our meals will come out of one of our momma's kitchens or from some of our favorite restaurants that we've been missing.  So to both of our moms...please be prepared.  Your kiddies are coming home and want some of your cookin'.

Instead of a Meal Plan Monday post...how do you feel about a little gift guide for your favorite foodie friend?  You like that?  Okay wonderful!  Let's get to it.

1) For the reader:

I can't even lie to you.  I've had my eye on this little gem for quite some time now.  Food stylist, chef and illustrator Yvette van Boven has created the ultimate DIY guide to cooking.  With over two hundred sweet and savory recipes for making everything from homemade chocolate to making an oven smoker in just under two minutes, there's something to satisfy the cravings and curiosities of everyone in HOMEMADE.

2) For the entertainer:
Fun fact: Every girl that loves to be in the kitchen should have a beautiful apron.  I was given one for my birthday this past year and I adore it.  And I'm 99.9% sure that cooking in a cute apron makes the food taste better.  So head on over to Anthropologie and check out all of their beautiful aprons for your favorite entertainer.  Or if you're super crafty...make your own!

3) For the one with a coffee addiction:
Oh me, oh my.  A french press coffee maker.  I know all of you out there have at least one friend or family member that has a major coffee addiction.  And I know that this is true because I have developed a coffee addiction and we're friends, right?  So, let me just tell you...if there is someone in your life that has a devotion to coffee like I do AND they don't have a french press coffee maker PLEASE go get them one for Christmas.  They will love you.  Really they will.  You can find them anywhere, but this is an 8 cup Bodum Chambord French Press with a locking lid from Williams Sonoma.

4) For the guy:

Peanuts.  Maple syrup.  Spices.  And bacon.  All tossed together and roasted.  Some have claimed that it's the best beer nut in America.  What more needs to be said?  I mean everything is better with bacon, right guys?

5) For the playfully chic:
Jonathan Adler.  Oh, Jonathan Adler.  He has created a domestic goddesses dream.  Everything created by him is playful, fun and oh so chic.  Obviously my favorites include his kitchen goods.  Especially the salt and pepper shakers, which I find hilarious.  However, these Utopia Cowboy and Indian Mugs totally caught my eye and I adore them.  "Utopia travels to the wild, wild west."


6) For the decorator:
Graphic Anthology is an adorable little Etsy shop with a lot of cheap and fun wall prints for the kitchen.  Have a friend that isn't necessarily a "foodie" but loves to decorate?  This is perfect.  And besides everyone loves cute wall art.

7) For the vintage lover:
Vintage pyrex was just brought to my attention by the lovely Ashley over at The Uniqueness of Being and it's B-E-A-U-T-I-F-U-L.  If I had just a tiny bit more room in our apartment I would be collecting this stuff like mad.  This would be a great gift for anyone that loves to cook and also loves anything vintage.  The one pictured is from this Etsy shop, which also features several other great little pieces.

8) For the baker:
Back to Anthropologie.  I think these Milk Bottle Measuring Cups are sweet as pie.  No more ugly measuring cups that are thrown in the back of a drawer somewhere.  These can and should be put out on display when not in use.  Don't forget to browse through the rest of Anthropologie's kitchen stuff for more gift ideas.  Your foodie friend would love that.

9) For the chocoholic:
Last but not least...my favorite foodie of them all.  The chocoholic.  These people know what life is all about.  However, you can't just throw a plain ole' piece of milk chocolate at them and expect praise.  Instead try these Lake Champlain Chocolates straight out of Vermont.  After Kaston and I came back from our trip to Vermont (that didn't include a trip over to the Lake Champlain Chocolate factory) I discovered that these chocolates were voted in the top 10 of Food & Wine's favorite chocolates list.  I failed...but you won't, because you know not to make the same mistakes.



So there it is.  A foodie gift guide.....that looks incredibly similar to my Christmas wish list.  Coincidence?  Absolutely.


Coming Up: I mentioned earlier that we will be heading back to Missouri in the next few days SO you must cut me some slack when I abandon you for days (hopefully not weeks) at a time.  You have to remember that I'm an only child....meaning that my mother will have an agenda laid out for the next month by the time I step off the plane.  So please be patient with me...and her!