349467 Fri Dec 08 17:58:26 -0800 2006 142 29 Not About Food 0 2082116 Food-related, of course ... Fri Dec 08 17:58:26 -0800 2006 11583 ipsedixit 1 2082171 My kitchen and cupboard is so well stocked that I can't think of anything. I did recently purchase some dark napkins for our greasy/sloppy friends. However...my 11 year old nephew has really gotten into cooking. For his birthday I bought him lots of essentials including a good knife. His chrismas list includes a bread knife and "food, to cook" which I though was really charming. Fri Dec 08 18:10:23 -0800 2006 2082116 10099 JudiAU 1 2082185 I want restaurant gift certificates, because I have a harder time dropping a decent amount of dough on a nice meal out than I do on say, a nice pan. Ooh, and I also want sheets of parchemnt paper (in case Santa is listening) http://www.amazon.com/The-Bakers-Catalogue-Parchment-Paper/dp/B0001VWOVQ/sr=8-4/qid=1165601646/ref=pd_bbs_sr_4/103-9366103-7527821?ie=UTF8&s=gourmet-food I just can't bring myself to pay for them for some reason! Fri Dec 08 18:13:17 -0800 2006 2082116 12813 Katie Nell 2 2086674 If Santa doesn't bring them...just order those half sheets yourself because they are worth every penny....I think I've been buying those half sheets for about five years... Sun Dec 10 17:04:15 -0800 2006 2082185 11319 Island Girl 1 2082186 A good mandoline. I still have one of those "saw it on TV" plastic jobs. Fri Dec 08 18:13:43 -0800 2006 2082116 10926 mnosyne 2 2082223 Be careful what you wish for; I have one of the high end stainless steel Mandoline, made in France, and I have to say its a pain to use. Better than that, consider a set of Kyocera Japanese made ceramic style cutters; get both the Julienne slicer and the two sided mandoline -- but watch your fingers. Link to both here; they come in lots of colors: http://www.amazon.com/Kyocera-Ceramic-Wide-Julienne-Slicer/dp/B000A3PBYW/sr=8-1/qid=1165602129/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/102-9620601-5554508?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden Fri Dec 08 18:24:39 -0800 2006 2082186 55284 bengoshi 3 2084314 Oh, I have craved a ceramic knife since the first time I used one belonging to a friend. Good thing they are a not in most stores. Those slicers are certainly reasonable. Hmmm.... Sat Dec 09 08:47:19 -0800 2006 2082223 15050 random amblings 3 2086516 Thanks for the post, I thought I was the only idiot who put my $150+ mandoline away after 1) slicing off the end of my finger (2 emergency room visits) and 2) finding it too complicated. I bought on of the simpler ones too! As an aside I have a few of the ceramic knives - they are great for fruit and soft vegetables, but contrary to what I read - they do get dull and they chip if you are not very careful with what you cut. For tomatoes and they like you can't beat them, but I'm not sure they were worth the price tag. Mine are the Kyocera ones. Sun Dec 10 15:39:36 -0800 2006 2082223 45250 ptrefler 3 2086536 I agree - I bought my mother an expensive Mandoline a couple of years ago. Because of the straight blade, it took a lot of work to make it cut anything, and eventually, I just took it back. (Used my W-S store credit to buy a waffle iron, two silpats and some pans.) She much prefers the cheap plastic slicers with V-blades in them for ease of use. They're not as sturdy as the nice metal mandolines, but they work better and if you break them, at $20 you can buy a new one. Sun Dec 10 15:48:37 -0800 2006 2082223 10021 Jacquilynne 4 2088678 A Ceramic Knife is a MUST HAVE. Although they will break; the tips all come off. I travel to Japan frequently and will buy one every time. I give them as gifts, and boy are they appreciated. Buy a Ceramic knife and it will be your go to knife for many tasks. I would not think of slicing mushrooms without mine. Mon Dec 11 14:48:56 -0800 2006 2086536 55284 bengoshi 3 3207328 I completely agree with bengoshi - I too have a high end mandoline and I practically never use it. I think it's a PTA. I seem to be able to do everything I need to do with my V-slicer, food processor and my good knives. (That Kyocera julienne slicer looks good to me too.) Fri Dec 14 06:41:58 -0800 2007 2082223 63569 flourgirl 1 2082188 I'm giving my chowish brother some interesting different salts and peppers and a set of mills to go with them. I'm sort of secretly hoping to get a blender from my parents, but probably won't because it'll be hard to get home from their place on the plane. Fri Dec 08 18:14:11 -0800 2006 2082116 10021 Jacquilynne 2 3208649 Which blender were you hoping for? Fri Dec 14 13:02:35 -0800 2007 2082188 56490 foxy fairy 1 2082198 A wine fridge! Fri Dec 08 18:17:38 -0800 2006 2082116 49971 Andiereid 2 2082255 Ooooh...good one! Fri Dec 08 18:31:39 -0800 2006 2082198 16864 mrspvr 1 2082225 I got a great stock pot last year, and am lobbying hard for a new stove this year. But, any advice you could give on this separate point would be a help -- My wife is in a gift exchange with relatives, and the theme is kitchen stuff. What would you get for folks would are *not* chowhounds. Something useful for those not inclined as we are. I just can't think of things.... thx Mike Fri Dec 08 18:25:02 -0800 2006 2082116 14293 mike_d 2 2082310 How about a knife sharpener - something that will do the job but doesn't require an apprenticeship with some ancient master. Those things come at all price levels, I think. Fri Dec 08 18:46:37 -0800 2006 2082225 10743 yayadave 3 2082314 I don't know... all the *not* chowhounds I know wouldn't think to sharpen their knives! Fri Dec 08 18:47:36 -0800 2006 2082310 12813 Katie Nell 4 2082441 Yeah, I know. But maybe if they had a gadget, they would. Maybe even someone would discover that a sharp knife makes cooking easier, even fun. Fri Dec 08 19:14:19 -0800 2006 2082314 10743 yayadave 5 2082845 I bought one one year for my SO's dad who is decidedly non-chowish. He loves it (and as far as I know never sharpened a kitchen knife before owning the gadget.) Fri Dec 08 20:57:08 -0800 2006 2082441 21053 mizinformation 6 2085642 My experience (over-generalizing, I'm sure!) is that men like danger-related food items, no matter what their cooking skills are. Thus, grill-related or knife-related. My dad used to only enter the kitchen to sharpen the knives and pick up the mom-marinated meat for the grill. He'd sharpen all the knives in the process of sharpening just the one for carving the turkey. Sun Dec 10 00:26:09 -0800 2006 2082845 53971 momjamin 2 2082323 A cooking thermometer, probably a probe type. It makes things so much simpler for people who can't judge doneness. Fri Dec 08 18:50:24 -0800 2006 2082225 12335 cheryl_h 3 2085715 Absolutely! A Thermapen. Please, Santa, please. Sun Dec 10 01:24:42 -0800 2006 2082323 11407 JoanN 2 2082361 Things that everyone uses, whether they "really" cook or not - cutting boards, dishtowels, a nice can opener, nice measuring cups and spoons, wooden spoons, tongs, etc. Fri Dec 08 18:56:59 -0800 2006 2082225 49971 Andiereid 2 2082440 In my family of not chowhounds, someone brought one of those George Foreman type grills (different brand though) to the gift exchange and it was by far the most popular gift. It was stolen at least 5 or 6 times until my mom ended up with it. And, for the record, she's also no chowhound and she loves it. Fri Dec 08 19:13:35 -0800 2006 2082225 23389 charmedgirl 3 2082498 Yeah, mike_d, I don't know if you do the (stupid, in my opinion) gift exchange where everyone steals from each other (I can say this, because I have to participate in one as well), but you could always just buy whatever you want and steal it back... like my husband's uncle who brought an industrial 5' tall sprinker to the party one year!!! ;-) No one tried to steal it back from him, but my husband said he's going to do that this year just to piss him off! Heh heh! Okay, off track, what about one of those sets of mixing bowls like at Williams Sonoma http://www.williams-sonoma.com/products/b147/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C15%7C%7C%7C0%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cbowls&cm%5Fsrc=sch I use these all the time and everyone always needs more bowls! Fri Dec 08 19:28:18 -0800 2006 2082440 12813 Katie Nell 4 2082705 Thanks to all. I had suggested some spices, but that can be a touchy thing. For example, if I knew it was going to a particular brother-in-law, we'd get him really hot chili powder and such, but we're not sure whose getting what. I think they do intend one of those 'steal' it from someone gigs, which I hate too. Which is why I'm not 'playing'. Maybe you're good suggestions will pave the way for my new stove :) Mike Fri Dec 08 20:20:59 -0800 2006 2082498 14293 mike_d 2 2083063 No laughing, the ove glove. I bought two last year. It is so easy to handle hot stuff now. Fri Dec 08 21:48:53 -0800 2006 2082225 10921 Janet 2 2086994 Digital meat thermometer -- my non-chowish in-laws, who grill a lot, loved theirs. Other grill items are good too. If they're not grillers, I like heat-resistant non-stick spatulas or nesting sets of mixing bowls. Or a Microplane and Silpat -- stuff that's very useful, but they may not have heard of. Sun Dec 10 19:56:35 -0800 2006 2082225 12233 Pia 2 2091942 for the non-chowhounds, small gadgets that actually work (instead of the frustrating ones many people have) like a microplane grater (or several, various sizes, depending on need), a good vegetable peeler tongs Tue Dec 12 12:49:46 -0800 2006 2082225 11989 pitu 2 3206143 Sea salts, high-end vinegars and olive oils, along with suggestions/recipes for use. Maybe if they taste some good stuff, they'll be inspired. Thu Dec 13 15:35:48 -0800 2007 2082225 11995 pikawicca 2 3231462 To be frank, I often get little things I want to use when I'm cooking in their kitchens - a decent knife (remember to have them "pay" for it with a small coin), a little mocha espresso pot, a microplane. Some (non-destitute) people don't even have cutting boards. Sat Dec 22 16:22:17 -0800 2007 2082225 84119 lagatta 1 2082240 My wife has enjoined me from buying any more pots or pans. Maybe some electronic gadget, like one of those Vitamixer high speed blenderts to make soup, etc. Fri Dec 08 18:28:35 -0800 2006 2082116 55284 bengoshi 2 2084177 Oooh! I want one of those, too! Sat Dec 09 06:05:16 -0800 2006 2082240 16301 Non Cognomina 1 2082326 Gift certificates for a wine pairing class would be nice, or a beer-making kit. Fri Dec 08 18:51:05 -0800 2006 2082116 24697 ArtemisNYC 1 2082350 I am getting pumpkin butter in my sister's suitcase from San Francisco, and hopefully a cookbook or two. I already got cooking anniversary/mother's day gifts this year from DH (lovely le creuset and matching utensils) so I have asked for other things for Christmas. Fri Dec 08 18:54:38 -0800 2006 2082116 12120 julesrules 1 2082360 May not be sure of what I want, but if you're a foody-friend of mine, you're getting Truffle Salt from the Cheese Store in Beverly Hills... OHMYGOSH - soooo good! Great on steaks, potatoes, eggs... ANYTHING! Fri Dec 08 18:56:54 -0800 2006 2082116 57617 SChalfant 1 2082411 i would love a meat or steak of the month club membership Fri Dec 08 19:07:09 -0800 2006 2082116 12078 rebs 1 2082418 Wusthoff Santoku knife and diamond sharpener. Entsrom's Toffee. The smoked king salmon from Pike's market in Seattle. A good mandolin. Fri Dec 08 19:08:07 -0800 2006 2082116 13599 Ellen 2 2082908 Definitely ask for a GOOD mandolin. My mother (who doesn't cook) bought me a bad mandolin. Darn near sliced off my thumb with the thing because it doesn't stand up and you have to hold it with one hand while you're cutting with the other. Bad mandolin! No cookie! Fri Dec 08 21:12:13 -0800 2006 2082418 49971 Andiereid 3 2083979 We call our very expensive French model Madame Guillotine. Sat Dec 09 03:48:51 -0800 2006 2082908 10099 JudiAU 2 3208858 I have the Wusthof Santoku and the sharpener. Fabulous!! You will pick up that knife over all the others every time you have to chop something. Fri Dec 14 13:59:44 -0800 2007 2082418 70474 baseballfan 1 2082443 On my list this year: A new food processor. Fresh jumbo stone crab claws from Florida (I know I'll get this one since my husband loves them as much as I do - heh heh). Aerogarden, so I can have fresh herbs anytime here in the city. For my husband's edible gifts, dark chocolate toffee and banana fosters toffee from Lala Boodles in NJ. And he loves the candy he enjoyed as a kid so this year it's Cherry Mash from Vermont Country Store. Last year it was Mallomars! Oh, and I just ordered myself some Satsuma mandarins. Fri Dec 08 19:14:36 -0800 2006 2082116 10271 Rubee 2 2086370 I've been looking at the Aerogarden too. I live in the suburbs but can't grow herbs indoors for the life of me for some reason. Obviously, I have a ton of them during the summer but they just don't grow well anywhere in my home. The Aerogarden is very enticing! Sun Dec 10 14:11:14 -0800 2006 2082443 12099 sivyaleah 2 2086513 Does anyone own and use the Aerogarden? Saw it in my favorite kitchen store. Looks like it only allows for a few inches of growth? Sun Dec 10 15:38:49 -0800 2006 2082443 33755 NYchowcook 1 2082555 A 5-quart Dutch Oven & a high-quality Immersion Blender Fri Dec 08 19:43:26 -0800 2006 2082116 10335 Mushroom 2 2082565 Should I e-mail this post straight away to your hubby?! ;-) Fri Dec 08 19:45:31 -0800 2006 2082555 12813 Katie Nell 3 2082657 I think my frugal sweetie would have a heart attack if he saw the prices on the aforementioned items! Fri Dec 08 20:08:28 -0800 2006 2082565 10335 Mushroom 4 3208660 He could get a break on the Dutch Oven at the Le Creuset outlet store, and combine that with one of the specials they run... I think they have a preferred customer special running in Dec for 30 percent off? The seconds there are an excellent deal - I too thought this was a wish-list only but ended up with one as an early holiday gift :) from my sweety Fri Dec 14 13:05:13 -0800 2007 2082657 56490 foxy fairy 1 2082673 As a side note - My eldest Chowpuppy is getting an Easy Bake Oven with measuring cups & spoons, whisks and hotpads for X-mas. She'll probably want her own KithchenAid Mixer next year! Fri Dec 08 20:13:44 -0800 2006 2082116 10335 Mushroom 2 2086372 As a Chowpuppy in the 1960's, my Easy Bake was my prized possession - I'm sure she'll really enjoy that. We have moving pictures of me (yes folks "moving pictures, not video LOL) very seriously cooking with the oven. Even at 5, I was honing my cooking skills :-) Sun Dec 10 14:13:14 -0800 2006 2082673 12099 sivyaleah 2 2101787 Oooo! A KitchenAid Mixer. That's what I want! Also, a chopping class. I've already bought a raft of gelato from Capogiro (http://www.capogirogelato.com/main.html) "for the family". Fri Dec 15 05:25:35 -0800 2006 2082673 55295 kep 1 2082728 The biggest box of chocolates Maison du Chocolate has, and the tagine (blue!) from Le Creuset. I have no idea what to make in a tagine, but I want it want it want it!! Haha. Fri Dec 08 20:27:36 -0800 2006 2082116 56793 ballulah 1 2082740 Dinner at French Laundry... sigh. Fri Dec 08 20:30:18 -0800 2006 2082116 47454 HoneybeeSF 1 2082769 Chowhound or not, most cooks would love new, sturdy potholders. I got all new ones for Xmas a few years back and realized how ratty the old ones were. I need some new ones again, though. Every now and again I remember to wash the ones I have! Fri Dec 08 20:36:57 -0800 2006 2082116 16695 sudiepav 2 2088999 The silicone ones are great! Insulate even when they get wet, and wash easily in the sink or dishwasher. Mon Dec 11 16:54:04 -0800 2006 2082769 52884 AreBe 1 2082806 My present for Christmas is going on vacation - I pray to the Chow gods for awesome finds! =) Fri Dec 08 20:43:34 -0800 2006 2082116 40018 andlulu 1 2082826 Whirled peas? (sorry, couldn't resist) My kitchen is pretty well stocked, but I have a new dining table and I could use some nice flatware and some stemware suitable for dessert wines. Fri Dec 08 20:50:48 -0800 2006 2082116 10159 Ruth Lafler 1 2082897 Really good chocolate. Fri Dec 08 21:08:32 -0800 2006 2082116 55914 marlie202 1 2082922 A weekend in Vegas complete with dine around and tickets to see Cirque's LOVE....natch..great food is involved every step of the way! HAPPY HOLIDAYS CHOWHOUNDS! Fri Dec 08 21:14:52 -0800 2006 2082116 36312 HillJ 2 2086374 HillJ, that's one of the main reasons my husband and I keep winding up back in LV for vacations - the food :-) Sun Dec 10 14:14:09 -0800 2006 2082922 12099 sivyaleah 3 2086527 I hear ya sivy! It's such a quest for all things delicious! Maybe its time to plan (grin) a CH meetup in Vegas! Sun Dec 10 15:45:05 -0800 2006 2086374 36312 HillJ 4 2087147 Hey, if it's every around early April you might catch us there - we've gone out to celebrate our anniversary there for the last 3 years straight :-) Sun Dec 10 21:21:17 -0800 2006 2086527 12099 sivyaleah 5 2087416 Too funny Siv, our anniversary is end of April...and we've been known to switch off from Vegas to Montreal year after year. LOL! Sun Dec 10 23:42:29 -0800 2006 2087147 36312 HillJ 1 2083006 My boys ask what I want every year. Last year I got a huge stock pot/pasta pot gift pack from WS and a beautiful red KA mixer, couldn't of been better.. This year I want a stainless steel mandoline, maybe a pressure cooker, 8 Apilco Lion head soup bowls, a three tier oven rack for sure and a really good ice cream maker. I'd be thrilled with anyone of them... and what the heck a weekend in Vegas as well to eat at Mesa Grill or another visit to Joe's Steaks for the stone crab claws again! Or Morton's in Vegas. Craving red meat bad! Fri Dec 08 21:35:57 -0800 2006 2082116 50431 chef chicklet 1 2083078 Ooh, I know, I know! I want a perfect Christmas Pudding, Anglo/Irish style. The Marks & Sparks ones are ok at a push, but not at all like the real thing. And, once again, I haven't made one for myself. It'll be a cold Christmas in New York City in our house without a pudding! - Sean Fri Dec 08 21:52:14 -0800 2006 2082116 11294 Sean Dell 1 2083215 There is not a thing I need and should probably get rid of some stuff. What I'd love is one of those vacuum food storage systems and a new upright freezer. My old one died and has not been replaced and the one on my fridge is at capacity. Oh and if someone could come up with an invention that would open and close my kitchen doors on demand for my dogs so I don't have to stop what I am doing a gazillion times a day to let them in or out. A dog door won't work because the doors are glass and we also have critter problems. St. Poodles like to be close to their humans they go out but never for long periods unless they are on the hunt for chipmunks or squirrels. Stir the pot, open the door/close the door. Peel 1 potato repeat the door business and there are 3 of them. Fri Dec 08 22:23:14 -0800 2006 2082116 10285 Candy 2 2084668 Candy, so funny! I do the same thing for my kittys. Only I open the back slider, then when I go out to the garage, they dart through and then I open the slider...... ALL DAY LONG! Sat Dec 09 16:04:55 -0800 2006 2083215 50431 chef chicklet 3 2085704 No sliders and the garage is down a full flight of stairs, open/close open/close open/close See photo. Door directly back and back on right. right door leads to screened porch. Great walk-in in winter. But open-close, open-close! And it is too cold to just leave a door ajar. Then with rain and snow there is mud to be tracked in and poods have velcro coats so twigs and leaves and clippings end up everywhere., But they are my girls and I love thhem dearly but if someone could come up with some instant groom, drive-through carwash type of deal I'd be eternally greatful. http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y75/cgrover/P8010006.jpg Sun Dec 10 01:17:55 -0800 2006 2084668 10285 Candy 4 2086291 I do a lot of open/close/open/close, but only if I'm in the office trying to work. If I'm in the kitchen, my guys are right there, trying to trip me so I'll drop whatever I'm cooking. Broken bones apparently score bonus points. Sun Dec 10 11:47:31 -0800 2006 2085704 49971 Andiereid 5 2087171 I have been tempted to put up baby gates at either end of the island. The dog in the photo is my true chowhound and absolutely everything is potential food and must be tasted. If food is happening she is right there. You would not believe some of the things she has eaten. Nothing that hits the floor stays there very long. Sun Dec 10 21:38:28 -0800 2006 2086291 10285 Candy 6 2088391 i have a gate that I put up across the kitchen door to keep them out if I need to. We also corrall them in a room with it if need be. It doesn't attach in any way, shape or form - we just lean it against the doorway. They're terrified of it. (No we didn't beat them with it.) All they'd have to do is *poink* and it's down, but they're 130 lb. sissies. Works great. And they can still see what I'm doing. Mon Dec 11 11:12:06 -0800 2006 2087171 49971 Andiereid 2 2107641 That explains it! I have a 2+ year old labradoodle and can't figure out why she won't stay outside without me! I'm familiar with lab 1/2, but not the poodle. Thanks for enlightening me. (she has a lab appetite!) Sun Dec 17 20:14:25 -0800 2006 2083215 11053 thenurse 1 2083721 OXO Mango Slicer! I love mangoes but hate cutting them up. I hope this helps! Sat Dec 09 01:30:45 -0800 2006 2082116 10198 eeee 2 2084415 eee I bought a OXO Mango Slicer this summer and returned it within two days. Blade isn't sharp enough! A mango bit can form irregularly making it more difficult to use a pre-formed cutting tool. You might reconsider. Sat Dec 09 12:50:45 -0800 2006 2083721 36312 HillJ 1 2083752 I'm easy - a new peppermill would make me happy. Sat Dec 09 01:45:07 -0800 2006 2082116 43625 finewineserver 2 2086522 I just bought myself the Unicorn Magnum pepper mill after my pepper gun wore out. It's awesome, truly impressive output. Tell Santa: Unicorn Magnum Sun Dec 10 15:41:59 -0800 2006 2083752 33755 NYchowcook 1 2084193 A kringle from Larsen's in Seattle. A mushroom log from Far West Fungi in SF Bay area. Breakfast in bed. Sat Dec 09 06:19:08 -0800 2006 2082116 16301 Non Cognomina 1 2084347 a personal chef. Sat Dec 09 10:12:19 -0800 2006 2082116 11006 chica 2 2088496 How cool would that be? Then eating well would be a given, and Chowhounds could go play in the kitchen whenever they wanted for the delight of it, not cos five kids need feeding in a hurry. Mon Dec 11 13:25:26 -0800 2006 2084347 56221 onlytwomuses 1 2084463 I've got way too many kitchen items (and I've asked family and friends to put a moratorium on food items, since I've filled up my fridge and two storage pantries with more stuff than I'll ever be able to use!) I do, however, need new steak knives, and have asked (after some recommendations on the Cookware board) for some non-serrated steak knives, preferably Chicago Cutlery's Insignia2. Also, "The French Chef with Julia Child 2" DVD. :-) Sat Dec 09 13:54:02 -0800 2006 2082116 10532 LindaWhit 1 2084484 Last christmas I got personalized spatulas, some really good balsamic, gift certificates for cooking classes, the monthly Frog Hollow fruit shipment, and a beautiful cake stand. This year I'm asking to have the frog hollow shipment again, Framed prints of the fruit pictures in the Chez Panisse cook book, the Tartine cook book, and a vegtable garden in the backyard (which has to be built, but under the tree i'm expecting gardening tools). P.s. For any foodie - My all time favorite book is The Man who Ate Everything. It's one of the funniest books you'll ever read, and for a foodie it's hard to put down/stop reading! Sat Dec 09 14:09:05 -0800 2006 2082116 11754 Hungryfina 1 2085386 Just a quick follow-up on my food gifts for non-chowhounds. Found it! We have an excellent, local spice purveyor (milwaukee, The Spice House); they had gift boxes of spice mixes for making dips and salsas, with instructions. No more "whaddya do with this?" responses. Happy Holidays to all. Sat Dec 09 22:18:48 -0800 2006 2082116 14293 mike_d 2 2086807 Funny! I got one of those from a local spice place too (Planter's Feed and Seed Co., here in KC) for some not-so-Chowhound types too! Sun Dec 10 18:07:42 -0800 2006 2085386 12813 Katie Nell 1 2085430 I'd like a new wood stove. My present stove of course just brand new. :o) Sat Dec 09 22:39:25 -0800 2006 2082116 57955 MelissaCato 1 2085573 I would love a set of nesting bowls, with a handle. Any suggestions on finding these? Sat Dec 09 23:55:30 -0800 2006 2082116 16314 geekgirl 2 2085710 BB&B has the pyrex bowls in all sizes down to one that will hold just an egg yolk,those are great for mise. Love them, Simple design and functional. Choose the sizes you need. The nest beautifully. With the lip you can use them to sub for a double boiler and oh so many ways. Can't go wrong with them. Sun Dec 10 01:21:48 -0800 2006 2085573 10285 Candy 1 2086081 I'd like an ice-cream maker, the kind you don't have to freeze ahead of time. An air popper (and before you mention the Whirley Pop, I happen to like air-popped corn). A nice salad bowl/spoon set. A digital food scale. A muffin-top pan, preferably silicone. Silpat. A share in my local CSA, bonus points if it's organic. Sun Dec 10 05:12:47 -0800 2006 2082116 10681 piccola 1 2086242 To fill the fridge and pantry of a friend who is on a fixed income. Sun Dec 10 08:34:06 -0800 2006 2082116 13030 free sample addict aka Tracy L 1 2086491 Doener Kebap from Berlin Sun Dec 10 15:31:28 -0800 2006 2082116 14086 kare_raisu 2 2108153 OMG - I was in Berlin when I was 17 (1/2 a lifetime ago) and ate one almost every day. They were delicious, although I'd never had one before. I now know what I missed - I should have had TWO each day, and gained 40 lbs, instead of 20!!! Mon Dec 18 00:16:53 -0800 2006 2086491 11053 thenurse 1 2086509 Ok, I will admit it. Christmas is not my favorite holiday....Hanukah is just as relevant to me as far as celebrations go, and while I really enjoy Christmas decorations and the music, particularly the religious music (even though it isn't my religion), the buying and presents and the commercial parts and the ads on TV and in my mail and the frantic pace and everyone wishing me 'Merry Christmas' drive me more than a bit crazy! I competelely identify with the Grinch! So, this year I am getting what I always want for Christmas every year! A chance to leave town and leave it all behind! And this year, it is the best yet: will be spending Christmas in a country (Tunisia) where Christmas isn't much celebrated! Indeed, we get the best of both worlds, because most all my family will be there too, and coming and going we will also be spending a few days in London, where we can enjoy the decorations and all, but on Christmas Day I can dip my toes in the Mediterranean, eat couscous and marguez, and just enjoy another ordinary day.... Thank you Santa! Sun Dec 10 15:37:06 -0800 2006 2082116 10158 susancinsf 2 2087324 And Santa has been doubly good to me, because not only do I get to cancel Christmas for the same reason Susan has, but hubby has agreed to spend a week in my favorite city (Paris) after Tunisia...so there will be french champagne and pain au chocolat for the New Year as well as the couscous. And I don't have to worry about buying any Christmas gifts for the kids....since the trip is present enough! (BTW Susan, on a non-chow-related note, if you have time when you are in London pre-Christmas, head straight to Westminster Abby. I was once there several days before Christmas and ducked in to avoid a downpour. The sound of the choir practicing is still etched in my memory. Now *that's* Christmas music!) Sun Dec 10 22:57:42 -0800 2006 2086509 10290 janetofreno 2 3231483 Susan, don't forget to got to Djerba, one of the most important centres of the Jewish faith and culture in North Africa - there is still a significant Jewish community there. The Christians in Tunisia are a small minority - there used to be a larger Catholic minority community, mostly Sicilian and Maltese (Catholic, but very close culturally to Tunisia). Of course couscous, merguez and other wonderful dishes are the common heritage of Muslim and Jewish Tunisians. Many Sephardim who have emigrated to France, Israel, - and here in Montréal! - return there for important feast days, and to celebrate the history of their community and their synagogue - one of the oldest in the world. http://www.bh.org.il/Communities/Synagogue/Djerba.asp I hate Christmas too, and my family is lapsed Catholic (strong sentimental attachment to the Jewish world)... Sat Dec 22 16:36:03 -0800 2007 2086509 84119 lagatta 1 2086898 A Country Living or Diamant grain mill. Sun Dec 10 19:06:38 -0800 2006 2082116 53369 Father Kitchen 1 2089012 I've asked for a mortar & pestle. Also a knife with a handle that fits my big hands, and a knife skills class. Mon Dec 11 16:56:49 -0800 2006 2082116 52884 AreBe 1 2089087 I am getting married this January and my list can go on and on.. I want silverwares by Wallace or Lenox I want a whole set of pots and pans by All-clad I want a 5Q mixer I want a set of La Creuset pans though I think they are too heavy for everday use. Mon Dec 11 17:15:50 -0800 2006 2082116 14734 Monica 1 2092034 As I just gave birth to my first child (a son) and in my first house with a big, beautiful kitchen, I am hoping for the Kitchen Aid Food Professional Food Processor. I am planning to make my own baby food as soon as I start introducing regular food to his diet. Tue Dec 12 13:49:58 -0800 2006 2082116 11633 Michele4466 2 2092176 Congrats on your new son! FWIW, I found an immersion blender to work nicely for pureeing fruits and veggies in smallish quantities. Tue Dec 12 14:46:17 -0800 2006 2092034 53971 momjamin 3 2096003 Thanks... Great idea, I will add it to my list as it probably works better for baby food anyway...but I still want that processor (maybe more for me)(wink, wink). Been looking at it for months in Williams-Sonoma but put off buying it as there were, obviously, more important things to worry about. :-) Wed Dec 13 16:02:13 -0800 2006 2092176 11633 Michele4466 1 2092138 A mandolin. The one I have now almost took my right ring finger off this fall. Tue Dec 12 14:35:49 -0800 2006 2082116 15217 gini 1 2095114 To go to a cooking class with mom. :) Esp. at the New School of Cooking in Culver City, CA... Wed Dec 13 04:38:25 -0800 2006 2082116 11504 amandine 1 2095143 A really good headset phone, so that you can have those Mommathon phone conversations and cook without permanently crooking your neck over to one side. Wed Dec 13 04:49:10 -0800 2006 2082116 54251 rcallner 1 2096274 on my wish list are a 4-5 qt. enameled dutch oven (CI gave good ratings to a $40 version at Target), a blender, and a new espresso machine to replace our dying one. but that's more than Santa can bring to our house this year! Wed Dec 13 17:18:32 -0800 2006 2082116 12341 vanillagrrl 2 2101763 I have the enameled dutch oven from target - it's fantastic, especially or the price! I am hoping for a food processor, and a keurig b-100. Fri Dec 15 05:11:42 -0800 2006 2096274 12513 Divamac 2 3206618 Yes! I want a whole set of enameled pots and pans! I love them so and they are absolutely perfect for making a nice lemon buerre blanc. Thu Dec 13 18:46:04 -0800 2007 2096274 113872 diablo 1 2096433 We don't exchange gifts, but if we did, I could go for a nice knife or two or an immersion blender. By the way, I'm pretty happy with my cheapo, no-name mandolin type thing. Wed Dec 13 17:54:50 -0800 2006 2082116 16460 taco_belle 1 2097056 The 5" santoku knife I received for xmas last year, incidentally, was one of the best gifts of the year. It's an Anolon brand and probably came from a discounter like Marshall's so wasn't expensive. It's a good weight, though, and is a nice addition to the knife set -- so nice it inspired me to get the sharpening stone out for more frequent use. Wed Dec 13 20:25:35 -0800 2006 2082116 12341 vanillagrrl 1 2106360 I have so many pot, pans, knives, etc. In fact, I find myself cooking things just to use all the esoteric utensils people have bought me over the years. And the more I cook, the more I have to clean. So to help with the chores, my girlfriend and I are buying ourselves one of those robotic mop / vacuums for x-mas. We've narrowed it down to either the roomba or scooba. While the scooba would be great in the kitchen where most of the mess is generated, the roomba might be the better choice since it can sweep and vacuum the whole place and then we can follow with a quick kitchen mop job. Anyone use these things? X-mas is almost here and we need to decide. Sun Dec 17 01:44:48 -0800 2006 2082116 60088 lyndentodd 2 2106365 Sorry to be a bummer...we gave Roomba a try (curiosity got the better of me) and returned it 3 days later. I bought a wet/dry Swiffer instead. Swiffer works faster, requires NO maintenance and cost a heck of a lot less! Sun Dec 17 01:48:34 -0800 2006 2106360 36312 HillJ 2 2110395 I love my Roomba and also have a Scooba. Scooba is nice and I'm happy I have it, but it doesn't completely get your floor clean on the first go (as in, if you run it again, you'll see that it's still picking up dirt from the dirty water that comes out of it). Still, it's better than getting out the bucket and mop and I use it often. Roomba is great. I've heard that about 1/2 people don't like them and this may be due to the particular machine you get. Our first one was great, but the second (first one had a broken brush tab) didn't do nearly as good of a job. We ended up just switching the parts and returning the second. So, if you get one and don't like it, you might try exchanging it. Mon Dec 18 20:32:02 -0800 2006 2106360 18705 emily 3 2249726 I have a Roomba and Scooba and love them both. I start Roomba in the morning before I leave for work. Maybe 25% of the time, I return from work to discover Roomba sitting in the middle of the room or stuck in some corner, because she got confused or abandoned her mission for reasons I can't always understand. The remainder of the time, she's done her thing, found her way back to her docking station, and is happily recharging. While Roomba doesn't do a perfect job of vacuuming, even on days when she completes her mission, she got more vacuuming done while I was at work than otherwise would have gotten done, which is none. I view it as a maintenance thing. If Roomba vacuums a little every day--sometimes it's a whole room, sometimes just half a room-- it makes my life a lot easier when I eventually get around to doing it myself. This is especially helpful if you have a pet that sheds everywhere. (My fraidy-cat kitty loves Roomba, by the way; she likes to supervise. I read on the Roomba forum--yes there is a Roomba forum--a post from a woman who says she doesn't need the advanced version of Roomba, the one that comes with the timer, because her cat likes to turn it on all the time to play with it, sometimes at 2am. Sadly, I haven't been able to train my cat to start Roomba.) Scooba is a bit more high-maintenance (we have to prime the pump almost every time we use it, which is really frustrating) but again, it does a great job. We usually set Scooba going in the kitchen after we've cleaned up for dinner and are relaxing in front of the TV, reading the paper, or surfing Chowhound. We've figured out that it's almost as much effort to get Scooba going as it would be to the mopping ourselves, but, the truth is, we get such a kick out of Scooba that we don't seem to mind the effort, whereas, if we have to do the mopping ourselves, somehow, we often find a reason not to do it. Then, the mopping really does turn into a big chore because we haven't been doing our daily maintenance as we should. I've been thinking about getting Dirt Dog, the rugged basement/garage version of Roomba for our basement/kitty litter area. I think these are great solutions for busy people who are willing to accept that the outcome isn't going to be always perfect or predictable and that some progress is better than none. For the longest time, I wouldn't even consider getting one of these devices because I thought it was ridiculous that we didn't just do these chores ourselves. But the truth is, we're busy people with a lot of commitments and need to shave off time savings where we can. ~TDQ Thu Feb 01 10:32:22 -0800 2007 2110395 12005 The Dairy Queen 1 2106410 If money were no object, I'd like someone to remodel my very large, but extremely poorly laid out and ugly kitchen. Since it is, I've asked for a set of soup/pasta plates--those big shallow things with the wide rims--a new bench scraper, and a cast iron dutch oven. Sun Dec 17 02:19:33 -0800 2006 2082116 32586 revsharkie 1 2106563 1. A new 25 quart stock pot (sorry if this is not right, we use liters). 2. Smoked salmon or any other smoked fish What I'm giving to slightly-less-than-fanatic-foodies: 1. KitchenAid santoku--cheap and good! Sun Dec 17 03:53:01 -0800 2006 2082116 36661 Sam Fujisaka 1 2108162 A new oven that has temperature control. Mon Dec 18 00:20:03 -0800 2006 2082116 11053 thenurse 1 2108916 I want a home-brew kit so I can start making my own beer! Mon Dec 18 10:32:34 -0800 2006 2082116 20664 therealbigtasty 1 3205918 i don't want anything for x-mas...i'm jewish :) but for hanukkah, unfortunately what i'd want is not as simple or reasonable as a single appliance...i need an entirely new kitchen! however, since that's obviously not happening, i'd be happy with a wine fridge or a really good ice cream maker. Thu Dec 13 14:24:25 -0800 2007 2082116 103920 goodhealthgourmet 2 3206543 ooh, i'd also take a top-quality santoku and a good enameled cast iron skillet that won't ruin my ceramic cooktop. i hope the hanukkah fairy is feeling generous this year... Thu Dec 13 18:17:17 -0800 2007 3205918 103920 goodhealthgourmet 1 3205928 Yeah, good knives are high on my list (I own a few that I really like -- a serious size chef's knife and a couple of santoku knives "5 and "7 respectively, but nothing expensive like Wuesthof or Zwilling...), also a knife-sharpener for the knives I own and like, but are getting dull, and the funny round metal thingamajiggee isn't working so well -- sigh. Also, an egg poaching pan. A Dutch oven. Two books: Secret Ingredients & The Food Snob's Dictionary. Will be in the Caribbean for the holidays -- awesome. Thu Dec 13 14:27:20 -0800 2007 2082116 116513 linguafood 1 3206119 Hard to beat last year...got a Kitchenaid mixer AND an 11 cup Cuisinart food processor. I guess it would be nice if Santa brought me a few Silpats Thu Dec 13 15:29:10 -0800 2007 2082116 124701 Gingerleen 1 3206390 A good crockpot. I've been telling myself for years that I'm going to buy one and I just can't bring myself to do it for some reason. This year I *will* buy a crockpot with my Christmas money! I did ask my parents for a Les Creuset cast iron skillet and a hand mixer, though! Thu Dec 13 17:13:43 -0800 2007 2082116 75732 mariannas 2 3206625 mariannas, you will never regret the purchase of a crockpot. It is absolutely worth the space it takes up in my miniscule kitchen. Do yourself a favor and go with an oval, larger size. Way more accomodating than the original round ones.... Thu Dec 13 18:49:32 -0800 2007 3206390 113872 diablo 1 3206727 I'd love a Breville Model 800ESL Espresso Machine (is that specific enough?) Of course, my husband saw the price and said "um, not this year". Some of the less expensive items I'd like are: A clear lucite box to put assorted tea bags in A good chef's knife (I could use another one) Various sea salts Aged balsamic vinegar A panini press/griller (saw one from Cuisinart advertised that looks good) Thu Dec 13 19:32:07 -0800 2007 2082116 131124 ctflowers 1 3206767 I would love if there was some way to keep my summer herb garden inside all winter and early spring. The sage, thyme, and oregano has just melted out from under a layer of ice. I'm dreaming of fresh rosemary and parsley I don't have to buy at the market. Whenever I've brought the more tender herbs in for the winter, they never live longer than a few weeks. I'm no green thumb, but surely there's some way to keep them alive short of a full greenhouse set up? Thu Dec 13 19:50:50 -0800 2007 2082116 24126 amyzan 1 3206953 I'm not letting Christmas sneak up on me any more. A couple of quality days in the kitchen with my little sis, and tickle fights with my neices. That's all I need. Thu Dec 13 21:41:32 -0800 2007 2082116 109552 garfish 1 3207066 Dreaming big: A remodeled kitchen for both able-bodied and handicapped use. An all-expenses paid trip to Japan including certificates to the best sushi restaurants. An unlimited coupon for the Korin or Japanese Woodworker companies. More likely: Live lobsters Gift certificate for sushifoods.com or catalinaop.com. As mentioned above, a way to grow fresh herbs indoors without killing them. Best gift: Donations to feed the hungry. Really. Thu Dec 13 23:45:59 -0800 2007 2082116 95291 Richard 16 1 3207335 Taking care of my gift to my wife an myself tomorrow night. My wife, one year old, and myself are going out to dinner @ Joes Seafood, Prime Steaks, and Stone Crab as a Christmas present to myself. We typically eat very well, but a trip downtown Chicago for a couple of $50- $60 steak's, $30 order of stone crabs, some stone crab bisque, a hefty bar tab, as a night out in the city is a splurge event, especially since we had the baby. Happy Holidays Fri Dec 14 06:47:00 -0800 2007 2082116 26725 swsidejim 1 3207402 I have a really well stocked kitchen - except for my range. I would be in Heaven if Santa brought me a new one. I doubt it's going to happen, but hey, a girl can dream, can't she? Fri Dec 14 07:13:34 -0800 2007 2082116 63569 flourgirl 1 3208879 A West Bend stir crazy electric popcorn popper just like I used to have in college. Fri Dec 14 14:05:53 -0800 2007 2082116 70474 baseballfan 1 3208992 on my list for Solstice/Christmas goodies: *hand-crank pasta maker and a cookbook on homemade pastas *food processor (making the switch, finally, from doing everything in the blender, and having to poke around with a spatula to scrape the top down) *sea salt, maybe good olive oil or exciting vinegar for my mom, also a food-lover and great cook: *an immersion blender, some great vanilla (paste-form) from Madagascar, locally made eggplant tapenade, and maybe one of those oval pans like Ray-Ray has but really only if I can find a brand that doesn't have her name on it, and some cute measuring spoons for sweety: *probably All About Braising for fun with one of her early holiday presents to me, a Dutch Oven :) from Le Creuset! (wow, those elves are generous this year....) We'll volunteer on Christmas Day and share a meal with some folks in need, an experience which we love, so there's another great gift -- Fri Dec 14 14:40:12 -0800 2007 2082116 56490 foxy fairy 1 3209057 A Miele coffee wall unit - dream on, it's ungodly expensive :)))))))))))) I think I will write a letter to Santa and ask for a good ice cream maker instead. Fri Dec 14 15:01:10 -0800 2007 2082116 147538 polish_girl 1 3209275 I want a whole new kitchen with new appliances to put in it. Fri Dec 14 16:37:03 -0800 2007 2082116 11701 MrsT 1 3209318 Last year a friend gave me an HD radio for my kitchen, and i've really enjoyed the commercial-free radio, a change from NPR Fri Dec 14 16:54:25 -0800 2007 2082116 104285 sfbecky 1 3211806 a larger, completely remodeled kitchen - well, a girl can dream, can't she?! Sat Dec 15 22:01:18 -0800 2007 2082116 56406 Bite Me 1 3211966 Many, many jars of specialized and unusual salts (just because I would never buy that for myself). Remember that game show -Supermarket Sweep- where contestants had to rack up the largest grocery tab? I would like do that but in a specialty cheese shop...heaven on earth... Sun Dec 16 01:17:09 -0800 2007 2082116 87968 cocktailqueen77 1 3229915 A trip to New Orleans and enough time and money to try everything at least once and go to Cafe du Monde again. Fri Dec 21 20:02:50 -0800 2007 2082116 27357 PDeveaux 2 3231503 Well said! Sat Dec 22 16:47:12 -0800 2007 3229915 44582 Isabella 1 3231086 What I'm asking my friends and family for: Kitchen supplies: A boning knife and a paring knife, the kind that cost about $10 at Eastern Bakers (Boston) Another set of bitters glasses Another mill (for white peppercorns) A strawberry huller San Jamar Kool-Tek Puppet Mitts with Kevlar Commercial-grade baking sheets Hard-to-find (at least in MA) liquors: Basarana pacharan Noilly Prat Amber vermouth Antica Formula sweet vermouth Bluecoat American gin Granier Mon pastis Casa Noble tequila blanco Nonino Ùe di Monovitigno Moscato Rothman & Winter crème de violette Stranahan's Colorado whiskey Luxardo Abano amaro San Giovenale amaro Books: The Oxford Dictionary of Food and Nutrition (David Bender) The Food Lover's Companion, 4th Edition (The Herbsts) The Elements of Cooking (Michael Ruhlman) Gusto: Essential Writings in 19th-Century Gastronomy (Denise Gigante) The Oxford Companion to Food (Alan Davidson) Imbibe (David Wondrich) What I'd like if I had room to store it in my kitchen: Sumeet Asia Kitchen Machine A freezer full of exotic fruit purees What I'd like but ain't gettin': Dinner at El Bulli Sat Dec 22 12:36:10 -0800 2007 2082116 10143 MC Slim JB 2 3231486 You want all that? All I want is a single groupe Synesso Cyncra espresso machine!............................Well I can want can't I? Sat Dec 22 16:37:32 -0800 2007 3231086 11003 chipman 3 3231977 Want it all? Sure, that's why it's on my list -- just not all at once. This list is probably good enough to last ten years. I have nearly-full kitchen utensil drawers and cabinets, a stack of books 15 feet high I'm already behind on, and hardly any room on my bar. My family and friends draw names now -- Christmas is all about the kids, as it should be -- so I'm expecting one present, and I'm hoping it's those knives. Sat Dec 22 22:40:47 -0800 2007 3231486 10143 MC Slim JB 1 3233255 I got both of mine. The large cabella's dehydrator (1/2 price on a black friday/coupon special) http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/product/standard-item.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/item-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat602009-cat570005&id=0019202515819a&navCount=2&podId=0019202&parentId=cat570005&masterpathid=&navAction=push&catalogCode=7IS&rid=&parentType=index&indexId=cat570005&hasJS=true And this as a gimmick: http://www.skymall.com/shopping/detail.htm?pid=102530077&c=10475 Sun Dec 23 16:24:56 -0800 2007 2082116 151284 exvaxman 1 3235652 Restaurant gift certificates! I'm on a budget and can't afford to eat out much. My mom totally came through again...I'm going to eat well this month (they'll all be gone by the end of January!) Tue Dec 25 05:31:08 -0800 2007 2082116 75268 smittys 2 3251700 I was amazed to see this chain from 2006 still going strong. Maybe we need to start a wish list for Christmas 2008. By the way, I got my 2006 list, which was a Country Living mill. For 2007, I should have put down an outdoor, wood-burning, retained-heat oven. And maybe we ought to start another chain on what food-related items you give as wedding presents. I just officiated at the weddings of two nephews. They got cookbooks: Bittman and Alice Waters. Tue Jan 01 14:12:43 -0800 2008 3235652 53369 Father Kitchen