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Gift Ideas |
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Cooking Little is a kitchen shopping and tips blog for urban dwellers and anyone who cooks in a small kitchen. Beyond the kitchen, we feature diversions such as culinary travel spots, classes and tasting events. |
Recently in Gift Ideas Category Winning GrovesFor four generations the Lucero family has been growing and selling olive oil very locally. In 2004, they expanded beyond their lucky circle of friends in Northern California and started marketing their heritage extra virgin olive oils, mono-varietal extra virgin olive oils, flavored oils and traditional balsamic and flavored vinegars. Once the Lucero products officially hit the market they started collecting awards from the California Olive Oil council and fans such as the folks a Dean and Deluca and William Sonoma. Anthony's Blend from Lucero is now the house oil at William Sonoma. This is not surprising since the olive oils are are all rich and buttery and the vinegars have bright and complex flavors. Anything from the Lucero grove would make a satisfying gift for someone with an educated palate or at least one that is eager to learn. For full immersion into everything Lucero has to offer try the sampler. Shop at the Lucero web site and you can purchase single bottles or fill customized gift boxes according to individual tastes. Just click on a picture of a bottle and it pops into a box. (Several people on our lists are getting what we are calling the "Mission Fig" custom box -- Fig Vinegar matched with the Mission Oil.) Single 8.5 oz bottles start at are around $8.00, the sampler is $40., the custom boxes are priced as you mix and match bottles. starting at $8.00 AT LUCERO OLIVE OIL Gift Ideas
 Sure they stack, but even if you give a gift of just one jar of something wonderful from Vervacious it still rates as a stand up gift. This is because the flavors in their cheese complements, savory preserves, finishing salts, table sauces and mignonettes are transformative. High praise, for sure, but when we sampled the black truffle pineapple conserve with goat cheese and dark bread, we paused for a moment of silence. If you know someone who is fond of nibbling shards of parmesan cheese then the Espresso Balsamic Drizzle is a must. Vervacious also offers loose teas and spiced cocoa mixes with low-sugar. And you can mix and match a stack of flavors to suit your taste or be guided by the wide variety of gift sets such as Spain Favorites, Best of the Med or Caribbean Grill Stack. If you feel like going big, there is the Vervacious Explorers Club for $300. This is a year of monthly surprises from the Vervacious to inspire your kitchen adventures. from $6.50 AT VERVACIOUS Gift Ideas
 Folks will smile when you bring this cutie to holiday brunch. Makes a nice pair with the Cinnamon Graham Pancake & Waffle Mix. Both available at William-Sonoma. Pancake mix in stores only. $22.00 AT WILLIAM-SONOMA Gift Ideas
 If your gifts have to go through airport security, think small. How about saffron, organic and sustainable caviar, Spanish paprika, small jars of Marcona almonds and La Tienda gift cards. Clicking and Shipping? Look into the big size of Marcona almonds, as rich tasting as macadamia nuts but good for lowering cholesterol. Perfecto para la pequeña cocina. from $10.00 AT LA TIENDA Gift Ideas
 Adored by bakers! There's no stopping and starting their standing mixer to scrape the bowl, the blade does it automatically. The Beater Blade+ is a blade and spatula in one. There are four models to work with top standing mixers -- KitchenAid®, Cuisinart(TM), Viking®, and DeLonghi® from $24.95 AT COOKING.COM Gift Ideas
 The Five Senses Collection by Kahla wins our devotion. Every inch offers elegant utility. Our space conscious favorite is the baking dish with accessories. The platter is also a trivet or a lid for the baking dish. The raised grid insert works for fish, meat or veggies with the platter or dish for cooking or serving. Sigh. Available in S-M-L. See more of the whole Five Senses collection... $27.00 and up AT LEKKERHOME Gift Ideas
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 Both of these coffee gadgets seemed, well, too much like gadgets. Shockingly each delivered exceptional cups of espresso from an unplugged micro-format. The choice boils down to how hard you want to work and how much you want to spend. Read on for the details… $25.99 AT THINK GEEK Gift Ideas
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 Cook and serve in the same stunning bowl. The design straddles vintage and modern. The Wok bowl by Le Creuset is available in the most recent colors: Kiwi, Caribbean, and Dijon. Measuring 8.2 x 9.5 x 2.2 inches this can be used to serve a side dish or as a grand bowl for each guest. A set of Le Creuset wok bowls in multiple colors mixes well Fiesta pieces. $29.99 AT AMAZON.COM Gift Ideas
 The space saving nature of the Stelton carafe is easy missed with its heading turning design and easy going rocker spout that opens as your pour. But this vacuum jug holds a quart of liquid working on a spare 4.2 inch base. $89.00 AT VESSEL Gift Ideas
This is a move learned from catering; a single cake stand or a group of pedestals increases the surface space on counters and tables. Not only for special occasion cakes, they can prop up fruit, appetizers or serve up sandwiches. Read on to view a selection of styles. $29.95 AT AMAZON.COM Gift Ideas
READ MORE ON Retro and Modern Cake Stands.
Depending on the setting, these mushroom bowls can be posh or whimsical. Either way they stack up beautifully waiting to be used as dinnerware, serve ware or storage. Micro-oven-dishwasher safe porcelain in sizes from 4oz. to 25oz. $6.99 to $16.99 AT LIQUID PLANET Gift Ideas
 From Zero to Hot
The uninitiated can get comfortable with induction cooking about halfway through the first recipe. Just an authoritative tap of your finger on the sleek glass and you’re cooking.
$199.95 AT SUR LA TABLE |
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