If you have a foodie, a gourmet chef, or a good old fashioned home cook on your shopping list, gift ideas are not hard to come up with. And as Chef Jerry Pellegrino of Schola Cooking School can attest, the Internet has made shopping for the kitchen very easy and very inspiring. Here's a few things we'd like to see under the tree.
The Gifts
1. Sous Vide immersion circulator ($100-130.)
2. Vacuum plastic bag sealer ($40-$140.) Also get the plastic bags, but make sure they match the brand of the sealing machine.
3. A first class knife set: Chef's knife, slicing knife, 4" blade, paring knife plus a sharpening steel. Henckle 15 piece set about $140 with block. Chicago Cuttlery is more budget-friendly at around $40 for a 16 piece set (these always include steak knives.)
4. A whetstone for sharpening. Get the kind that has two sides. They're best.
5. Walgreens will make up a personalized apron for your beloved, with a big photo on the front ($15.)
6. Marcato Atlas pasta maker, stainless steel. About $75 for the hand cranked model. Different pasta shape attachments available for about $30.
7. A "spiralizer" hand-cranked machine for making spiral "noodles" out of fruit and vegetables.
8. Slow-cookers: The Instant Pot Duo 7-in-1 cooker, doubles as a pressure cooker, rice cooker and a steamer. ($100.)
9. Non-stick stir-fry pan with cover: Caphalon has one for about $50.
10. Silpat non-stick baking mat, various sizes up to $24.
11. We have to mention that you can get gift certificates to Schola Cooking School, where Jerry presides. Just go to scholacooks.com and navigate to the gift certificate page. There are a bunch of options, all of which are certain to be welcome.
