Does someone on your gift list love to cook? Here's how to
choose a gift that will last and be remembered, along with
many ideas and possibilities to get you started.
!! Steps !!
Watch your recipient in the kitchen. Help out, if you have the
chance. Notice if any tools or utensils seem flimsy, worn, or if
any task seems to require undue time or effort.
* Find out if the recipient is trying anything new. Is he learning
how to bake bread? This might be the right time for a dough
scraper.
* There is a gadget for most everything. The right tool will be a
great help. The wrong tool will be just so much unused clutter.
* Remember that a worn tool may be worn because it's well used and
the right tool for the job. If it's on its last legs, a
replacement may be just the thing. If it's an old standby and
still going strong, don't replace it.
* Keep your ears open for any opinions (good or bad) about the tools
they have or don't have. These are often good clues as to what
gifts would be well received.
Share a recipe. If you also cook, there's a good chance you know a
dish or two that would be new to your recipient.
* Offer to cook it with the person, if you have time. This is
especially valuable if the recipe involves any special techniques.
Create a small gift voucher or promise note setting out the offer.
Write out the recipe and put at least the non-perishable ingredients
together as a mix or kit. One possibility is to put them in a jar.
Offer ingredients. The best ingredients may not be something
entirely new, but something a little fancier or more expensive than
the ones they currently use. Here are some possibilities to get you
started:
* Salt and pepper. For a gift, look for the fancy, gourmet versions,
such as pink Himalayan salt, that your aspiring chef may not have
tried yet. Many come in grinders.
* Real maple syrup. You could pair it with a pancake or waffle mix,
or with a griddle or waffle iron if they don't yet have one.
* Honey. Honeys can be as diverse and complex in flavor as wine,
depending on what kinds of plants the bees visited. See what your
local natural foods or specialty store offers, and get a special
kind, or a selection.
* Handmade pasta. Include some quality olive oil to round out the
gift.
* Balsamic vinegar. If you live near a wine region, your local
winery should have some excellent choices.
Share your personal specialty. Homemade bread, jam or preserves, or
fresh, homegrown produce all make excellent gifts.
* Include a label with relevant dates and ingredients. You might
also like to share the recipe, unless it's a family secret!
Go on an outing together. A foodie outing can be a wonderful
experience as a gift and you get to enjoy the experience too.
* Go wine tasting.
* Give the cook a day off. Visit a good restaurant together, or cook
for the person.
* Visit a farmer's market or gourmet market together. Offer to
purchase some items there as part of the outing.
* Look for local restaurant events in which you get to sample
restaurant cuisine portions at great prices; this can make a fun
and inspiring outing.
Look around for subscription services. In many places, it's possible
to subscribe to an assortment of things, either on a one-time or
monthly basis.
* A wine of the month.
* A Community Supported Agriculture program (CSA). Here, you support
with a local, small farm, buying fresh, local produce (and
sometimes eggs and meats).
* A cooking-related magazine.
Kitchen scissors in the knife block are always handy Consider
kitchen scissors. Good kitchen scissors are indispensable, yet
scissors get damaged and lost, and kitchen scissors are often chosen
as an afterthought.
* Quality knives are also desirable but not everyone is comfortable
with giving knives as a present.
Give a gift certificate to a local food store. Natural and specialty
foods are good choices, if your recipient will use them.
* Another useful idea is to give a certificate to cooking classes at
a local store or restaurant. Be sure to check for flexibility in
the classes so that your recipient can attend at their
convenience.
Give plants. Even if it's just a windowsill, start an indoor herb
garden or supply the seeds, pots, and soil for one.
* An indoor salad-growing kit is a wonderful gift for apartment
dwellers and winter gifts.
!! Tips !!
* Look for practical, well-constructed tools, not gimmicks.
* If you know your recipient is left-handed, keep that fact in mind
when selecting tools. If you can find left-handed tools, you'll be
doing them a great favor. If you can't, at least you can avoid
selections that would be difficult for your recipient to use.
* Use your judgment about how the recipient cooks and what he or she
will really be able to use.
* Making up a basket of ingredients is a fun exercise for you and a
delight for the recipient.
!! Warnings !!
* Keep food allergies and preferences in mind, if you choose to give
food.
* If posting elsewhere, be aware of food restrictions, such as not
sending meat products or honey to countries like Australia and New
Zealand.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Gift(s)
* Gift wrapping
* Card, markers, etc.
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Make a Cookie Gift Bag
* How to Wrap Cookies As a Gift
* How to Grow Plants to Use as Gifts
* How to Make Creative Gifts
* How to Create a Beautiful Gift Basket
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
0 comments:
Post a Comment