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November 22, 2018

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Gifts for the food, drink and coffee lover

For the foodie on your holiday list — or just people who might appreciate a good tequila or pie pan — we offer a gift guide. Elizabeth Karmel recommends coffee machines, books, chocolate truffles and a fabulous tote to carry it all.

For the entertainers

JK Adams Cherry Cheese Server with double handles (US$75 plus)

If you are a fan of cheese and charcuterie boards, this JK Adams Cherry Cheese Server is a must-have. JK Adams has been making high-quality wood products for 72 years. The cheese server is beautifully made from a solid piece of cherry wood and sports handles on either side for easy transport. The burnished edges give it a more finished look and the teak oil finish brings out the natural beauty of the wood. A gift giving plus is that the board can be personalized with either initials or a custom message for a small upcharge.

Opinel heese knife and fork set (US$45)

Opinel is an iconic French knife maker. They are recognized and famous for their picnic “pocket” knife which is made the same way today as it was in 1890 when Joseph Opinel invented it. This compact set of an interlocking fork and cheese knife is made from stainless steel and a blond beech-wood handle. The set of two is perfect for anyone who entertains and loves cheese.

Lodge heat-treated mini triangle server (US$16 each)

The best thing about these triangle mini-server cast iron dishes from Lodge is that they are pre-seasoned and, hold your hat, dishwasher safe! But besides that, I love the triangular shape that lets you fit this dish into small spaces on a table. Finally, you can have lots of little dishes filled with nibbles and not be concerned that your dishes are too big for your bar or coffee table. They are also oven-safe as all cast iron is, and you can bake the cutest individual wedges of cornbread, cobblers, pie, pot pies or cornbread-topped chili. Because each dish is triangular, you can bake the individual portions and present them in all kinds of shapes.

Cristel Tulipe 8-piece saucepan set with 1 Long Black Handle (US$299 for the set)

Cristel, made in France and designed by a former Peugeot car engineer, is sleek and functional. The heavy-duty stainless-steel cookware is tailor-made for conserving space and small kitchens with detachable handles, and pots and pans that nest inside each other. The handles are removable, and also come in fun colors (those are sold separately).

For the baker

Baking Steel (US$89)

Pretty much everyone loves pie and this is the season for pie. But many pies need to be baked twice and that is a deterrent for even the most patient bakers. But now, you can bake pies on the Baking Steel and eliminate the need to pre-bake your crust. Made from low-carbon steel, Andris Lagsdin created the baking steel because he wanted to make a better pizza without building a wood-fire oven.

You can also bake pizza and bread directly on the Baking Steel, and you can use it on your grill as well.

Heirloom Wrap Food Carriers from Millie/Lottie Totes (US$40-56)

Jan Hammock created the pie/cake/food carriers in honor of her southern mother Millie and her aunt Lottie, thus the name of the company. She carried food all of her life to dinners, potlucks and the like and finally in 2015 made a better food carrier for herself. She combined the southern tradition of wrapping food in a tea towel with the prettier ornamental tradition of Japanese Furoshiki, the centuries-old tradition of wrapping objects in fabric. It is a beautiful way to present a gift or carry food. It is also an easy “bag” to keep in your car or purse for trips to the farmers market and other shopping excursions. The fabric also conforms to the shape of the dish instead of the other way around.

For the coffee lover

Illy X1 iperEspresso Anniversary 1935 Machine (US$595)

Years ago, espresso machines were cumbersome and messy but that all changed with the coffee pod, or capsules as Illy calls them. In honor of the 20th anniversary of the Francis Francis X1 machine, a special edition multi-beverage machine was designed. Now you can make espresso, cappuccino, regular coffee and lattes at home with one machine. Two types of capsules are available for the machine; one for espresso and one for brewed coffee. Both capsules come in medium roast and dark roast.

Cuisinart Cold Brew Machine (US$99.95)

These days, cold brew is better known as the ultimate iced coffee and loved because it is less acidic and has a sweeter, more citrusy quality. It also never tastes burnt. There are a lot of cold brew gadgets out there but most of them address the filtering process and don’t cut down on the time it takes to make. The Cuisinart Cold Brew Machine is an exception. In 45 minutes, it extracts all the flavor from the ground coffee and you have iced coffee ready when you are. The machine looks like a traditional coffee maker, and has three separate filters to reduce the mess of the old-fashioned method.

For the chocolate lover

Milene Jardine Chocolates “Live by Love” 5-piece Chocolate Truffle Collection (US$18)

The flavors of Milene Jardine Chocolates are each influenced by a favorite place visited by its creator, for whom the chocolate company is named. The truffles are delicate and well-designed with the silkiest center textures. The combination of flavors tell a story but even if you don’t know the story, you will enjoy the chocolates. The 5-piece collection is a great gift and a nice way to be introduced to Milene Jardine.

Hebel & Co Chocolate Halva (US$12 for a 6.3 ounce bloc)

Hebel & Co’s chocolate halva is created with chocolate lovers in mind and it fully compliments the tahini. Robust 70 percent cocoa chocolate ribbons through the tahini base and is so full of flavor that you taste chocolate first and sesame second. My favorite thing about the candy is that before it melts into a creamy confection, there is a whisper of a crunch as you bite into it and that flakiness gives you an appealing texture and ends with the most delicious, almost savory flavor. It is the definition of balance — sweet, savory, full of texture. Just right.

For the reader

“The Best Cook in the World: Tales from my Momma’s Table,” Rick Bragg (US$28.95)

“Good food always has a good story and a recipe is a story like anything else,” writes Rick Bragg. And, he has captured the essence of his family’s story and the food on their table in this food memoir with recipes. The central character of the book is Rick’s mom, Margaret. The story is like peeking through the window into his family history. This is a book that will be a welcome gift for fans of Rick Bragg, working-class Southern food, and for those interested in the way life used to be when you grew and caught much of your own food.

“At the Table with an American Original,” Edna Lewis (US$28)

Edna Lewis (1916-2006) is an almost mythical food figure and had always seemed somewhat intangible to me. Described as elegant by everyone who knew her, she was born and raised in Freetown, Virginia, in a self-sustaining farming community of emancipated slaves — this is the food and the life that is reflected in her most acclaimed books. This book of essays helps to anchor her contributions to American, and more specifically regional Southern foodways. The book, compiled and edited by Sara B. Franklin, provides stories and insights from people who knew her and/or people who have been captivated by her writing and researched her.

“The Month of their Ripening: North Carolina Heritage Foods through the Year,” Georgann Eubanks (US$28)

If you are a fan of both history and Southern food, or curious about the way that seasonal foods create a culture, this book is a must. It is written in the style of an oral history with vignettes of North Carolinians who are tied to these iconic foods. They are either continuing the traditions that their forebears passed down, or remembering them with wistful nostalgia. The book is organized by month, and each month is a chapter that features one iconic North Carolina ingredient. The stories will either bring back memories or teach you something new.

(AP)




 

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