This holiday why not buy good, useful gifts - Books!? They can be fun, too. C'mon, settle in with a good cuppa, your shopping list - in just a few minutes, you'll have found something for nearly everyone on your list, right here. Promise.
First, for anyone who cares about ocean conservation, loves penguins, loves cookies, or likes to bake, or has nieces or nephews who like to bake...here is a perfect gift:
Cookies that Save the Oceans - CakeLove and Oceana team up to offer a terrific way to spend some time in the kitchen with someone you love baking for a good cause. Visit Oceana, where you can adopt a marine creature and receive ocean themed cookie cutters and CakeLove's sugar cookie recipe. You'll also help Oceana, an international organization working to protect the world's oceans. If sustainability is important to you, check it out.
If you're in the Washington, D.C. area, be sure to stop by one of Warren Brown's CakeLove bakeries where you'll see special snowflake sugar cookies. They're made with a brand-new recipe they developed in support of Oceana.
Warren Brown may be familiar to those who watch the FoodNetwork as the star of Sugar Rush. Warren was practicing law when he discovered his true love – baking.You can read his story here.
Books for Cooks
Michael Ruhlman's new book, or any of his prior "The Making of a Chef" series. All worthy of anyone's afternoon. The new effort: Elements of Cooking is a takeoff on Elements of Style. But it's sure to be tons more fun. Reviews indicate he takes all the mystery and science of the kitchen and translates it for the home cook.
My Life in France - the terrific book about Julia Child's time in France is just out in paperback. Why not pair it with a sturdy blue apron a la Julia? Put a wooden spoon in the bow, you're set.
There's a fantastic new oyster book by Rowan Jacobsen: The Geography of Oysters (Bloomsbury.) It explores all about oysters with special focus on "merroir." You know, like terroir is to wines. Where the oyster is grown has more to do with its taste than most people know. This is a well-written and straightforward book, perfect for any lover of bivalves. You could tie up an oyster knife with the ribbon, pack it in a box with lemons. Get it?
Proust was a Neuroscientist - Johan Lehrer read literature like Proust while running and waiting on science experiments in the lab. His epiphany about the unnatural bifurcation of art and science is a joy for all to read. Using artists from various disciplines, he illustrates the significance of artistic observation and intuition.
DVDs for Foodies
How about the movie Waitress on DVD? You could pair it with a nice pie plate for a great gift. And don't forget my favorite pie crust recipe. Border's is running a promo now that includes recipes.
Ratatouille - This is a wonderful movie for anyone. All ages. All cooking abilities. Even restaurant reviewers. Especially restaurant reviewers.
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
