Top gift ideas this holiday season - Guest Blog with @Storeboughtisfine

I could’ve sworn August was last week, but somehow Thanksgiving is already in the rearview mirror and it’s officially go-time for gift shopping.

I tend to live at two extremes when it comes to gifts: either I bought the perfect present months ago … or I spend the weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas spiraling because I haven’t found the perfect gift, panic-buying something that will arrive in time but isn’t exactly a home run. 

If you’re in that second camp this year, don’t worry, I’ve got you covered.

A couple of years into my little “Julie & Julia” adventure (cooking my way through all 1,300+ of Ina Garten’s recipes), Cassandra reached out about partnering -  and we’ve been working together ever since. Over the past eight years of friendship and collaboration, I’ve tested so many of the beautiful pieces from Cassandra’s Kitchen and they’ve brought a little bit of the Ina fantasy home.

Below are my top 10 favorite gifts for the cooks, hosts, and Ina-lovers in your life … plus a little treat-yourself bonus, because we all deserve a reward after wrapping up our holiday shopping.

Enjoy! 

1.   For: Anyone who wants to channel their inner Ina - Everyday Flatware
Why not eat off the same flatware as Ina?! I swear, just setting these classic Laguiole pieces on the table instantly elevates any meal - even if it’s store-bought mac and cheese. As Ina always says, she loves to combine high and low, and this flatware is the quickest (and chicest) way to bring a little Ina into your life.

 For: The friend whose bar cart deserves an upgrade - Simple Glassware

Once the cooler weather settles in, my go-to drink immediately shifts to Old Fashioneds (add a cozy fire and I’m one happy man). And these are the only glasses I’ll serve them in. I like my glassware simple and classic  - let the drink be the star. Of course, you don’t have to make an Old Fashioned to enjoy them; they’re just as perfect for everyday sipping.

 

For: The baker who’s always casually making showstopping dessert - Pillivuyt White Cake Stand

For the number of cake stands I own, you’d think I was baking a cake every week (I assure you, I am not). But out of all of them, this is the one I reach for the most. I love the height; it’s elevated enough to feel special, but not so tall that my clumsy self is terrified of knocking it over. The gentle lip keeps everything secure, and it makes cakes, pies, even a little croquembouche really shine.

 

For: The Type A Meal Prepper  -Stainless Steel Mixing Bowls

I’d recommend just getting these in every size. They’re the one thing I use every single time I cook. Whether it’s holding prepped ingredients, catching scraps, tossing a salad with plenty of room, or marinating an entire turkey in buttermilk (like I did for Friendsgiving!), they’re endlessly useful. Look at me getting excited about bowls as a gift … how my priorities have changed.

 

For: The Fan of Samin Nosrat’s Salt Fat Acid Heat -Marble Salt Keeper

I adore Samin Nosrat. Her book, Salt Fat Acid Heat, completely changed the way I think about cooking and how to tweak a dish until it tastes just right. One of my biggest takeaways? Salt early and often. Don’t just sprinkle it on at the end and hope for the best. Keeping this gorgeous little salt keeper right next to the stove means my kosher salt is always within reach, whether I need a tiny pinch or a full tablespoon. It’s one of those simple upgrades that actually makes you a better cook.

 

For: The Stylish but Casual Host - Monaco Napkins

Before Cassandra hooked me up, my “dinner napkins” were … sheets of paper towels. Truly classy, I know. But over the years I’ve built a real napkin collection (almost exclusively from CK), and these have become a favorite. They’re classic but modern, stylish yet casual, and somehow perfect for everything from weeknight pasta to a full-on dinner party.

For: The Friend Who Likes to Know exactly where their food is coming from - Le Clarisse Olive Oil

If you’re an Ina fan, you know how important good olive oil is - and this one is truly special. The kind you don’t just cook with, but proudly leave on the counter because the bottle is as beautiful as what’s inside. Le Clarisse is produced in small batches in Umbria, Italy,, and you can taste the care in every peppery, vibrant, grassy drizzle. I use it for finishing dishes, dipping good crusty bread, or (my favorite) drizzling over vanilla ice cream with a pinch of flaky sea salt. Perfection.

For: The Food Photographer Pillivuyt Oval Serving Platter 

One of the things I picked up from Ina is serving food on simple white platters. They are elegant, timeless, and they let the food shine. You really can’t go wrong with anything from Pillivuyt, but this oval platter is probably my most-used piece. Perfect for a big salad, a cozy side, or a showstopping main. Whatever you put on it instantly looks amazing.

 

For: The New Cook - Barefoot Contessa at Home

I’d be remiss not to include at least one of Ina’s cookbooks, and Barefoot Contessa at Home is my all-time favorite. The recipes are easy, flavorful, and the kind you make over and over again. It’s the book I recommend most to new cooks and anyone just discovering Ina. Honestly, though, any of her books make the perfect gift … they’re classics for a reason.

For: The friend who considers butter its own food group. - Stick of Butter Ornament

When Oprah said, “I. Love. Bread.” in her Weightwatchers commercial, I immediately wanted to yell back at the TV, “With a good salted butter, right?!” Butter is my happy place (well, eating French butter on a baguette in a Paris park is my actual happy place but I digress). For the butter lover in your life, this ornament is the perfect little gift. It adds a touch of whimsy to any Christmas tree and makes everyone smile.

 

BONUS - For: You - Zyliss Garlic Peeler

Now that your holiday shopping is officially handled, treat yourself. The Zyliss Garlic Peeler is the gift that keeps on giving all year long. Peeling garlic used to be the bane of my existence, but ever since this magical little tube entered my life, making Ina’s Chicken with 40 Cloves of Garlic has become so much easier.

Happy Holidays and Happy Cooking! 

xoxox

Trent