By Katie Hurley
It’s getting down to the wire… the number of shopping days left until Christmas is in the single digits. Yikes! Following are some gift ideas for that person on your list who loves to cook. Locally owned Ralph’s and Bayview Thriftway stores offer a wide selection of kitchen tools, gadgets and cookware for the chefs in your life.
For the Beginner
Every budding chef needs a good knife or two, measuring cups, measuring spoons and cookware to start. Bialetti Aeternum nonstick ceramic pans are a great place to start. The nano-ceramic surface is free of chemicals and resists scratching and abrasions. Scrambled eggs will slide right out of these pans and cleanup is a breeze. Silicone or wood cooking utensils will protect the cooking surface, and you’ll find a wide selection of tools made from bamboo, nylon and brightly colored silicone.
For the Baker
Silicone baking mats provide a versatile nonstick surface for cookie sheets and are available in a variety of sizes. Some are printed with circles indicating the recommended spacing on the pan for cookies and cupcakes. Make a cute gift basket by packaging a baking mat, a rolling pin and a flour sack dishtowel printed with a cookie recipe. The Kuhn Rikon Ultimate Cupcake Set includes all the tools a cupcake baker needs to make and decorate cupcakes fit for a bakery case.
For Cooks with Tiny Kitchens
To combat storage dilemmas for some of the cook’s bulkiest tools, Squish colanders, funnels, bowls and measuring cups are made of silicone and collapse to fit in a kitchen drawer when storage space is limited. Instead of a knife block on the counter, flat silicone knife sheathes protect knife blades so knives can slide into a drawer.
Back to Basics
One of the most useful kitchen skills is the ability to roast and cut up whole chicken. Create a Roasted Chicken gift basket for just under $50 that includes a Zyliss carving knife, an instant-read thermometer and a silicone Roasting Laurel to place under the chicken in the roasting pan. Include a handwritten copy of your favorite roasted chicken method (I like Ina Garten’s Perfect Roast Chicken recipe) and a couple recipes that call for leftover sliced or shredded rotisserie chicken.
For the Cook with a Garden
An herb savor pod will extend the life of cut fresh herbs in the refrigerator or on the counter, and a set of herb trimming shears comes with a measuring cup specially marked to measure fresh herbs so you only have to cut the amount you need. The Chef’n GarlicZoom chops fresh garlic cloves as finely as needed in just seconds.
Top of the Line
If you know a cook who wants the best of the best, look no further than Epicurean cutting boards. Available in many sizes from just big enough to slice a lemon or lime to boards big enough to carve a rib roast, Epicurean cutting boards are versatile and durable. They are made from a blend of natural wood fibers bonded by foodsafe resin and are dishwasher proof. Various shapes and sizes include oval cheese boards, large rectangles with a trough to catch drippings, and a pizza peel with a handle.
For the Pasta Lover
In the Bayview Deli you can order Cucina Ciancetta Pasta Dinner baskets that contain Cucina Ciancetta’s locally made fresh marinara sauce, pasta and other goodies. Microplane graters are offered in a variety of sizes and are perfect for grating or shaving Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese on a plate of steaming pasta or creating delicate bittersweet chocolate shavings on top of a batch of tiramisu.
Flavorful Gifts
Gourmet sea salt flavored with habanero, roasted garlic or vanilla bean, or smoked with Yakima applewood or chardonnay oak would make a great gift for a cook who likes to explore different flavors. A bottle of truffle oil and a Microplane grater, or seasoned Thai Wok Oil, Chinese Stirfry Oil or Fiery Toasted Sesame Oil and a bamboo spatula packaged in a wine bag make a unique hostess gift or gift exchange item.
Stocking Stuffers Galore
The line of Zing! kitchen tools, almost all under $5, make great stocking stuffers. Brightly colored spatulas, bottle openers, salad tongs, mini tongs and scrapers are fun and functional. Various shapes and sizes of ceramic ramekins, many between $1 and $3, are great for many uses in any kitchen. Attractive bottle stoppers or fun cocktail napkins are great for someone who likes to entertain.
Whether you’re shopping for a cook, a chef or someone who aspires to learn to cook, you’ll find countless options for gifts large and small at locally owned Bayview Thriftway and Ralph’s Thriftway.
Bayview Thriftway
516 W. 4th Ave. in Olympia
360-352-4897
Ralph’s Thriftway
1908 E. 4th Ave. in Olympia
360-357-8011
