Gifts that feed their food passion

The perfect food-focused presents for the person who lives in the kitchen

HOLIDAY | Jill Jaracz, CTW Features

The holidays are a special time for foodies. From elaborate holiday meals to elegant cocktail parties to extensive holiday desserts, this is a time where foodies can shine. It’s only natural to give the friend who’s basically a celebrity chef – at least in their own kitchen – a gift they can use year-round for their next culinary creation.

The first trick to buying a gift for the food lover is to know how well they know their way around the kitchen. “Most people come in to our store trying to find the perfect kitchen gadget, which is easy for the budding chef but not as easy for the experienced cook,” says Linwood Bradley, lead merchant at Southern Season, a housewares mecca with locations in North and South Carolina and Virginia.

Bradley suggests getting the budding chef a trendy gadget or a practical kitchen tool. “Also, many budding chefs are using less-than-great knives, so a knife upgrade is always appreciated.”

But what if the foodie friend has all the tools covered? “Here’s the thing most people forget: foodie equals entertainer,” says Bradley. “Generally, people who love food love to entertain, so I guide the gift giver to that side.”

With that in mind, here are some gift ideas that can help your foodie friends not just with their holiday masterpieces but also with their culinary creations all year long.

Gefu Spirelli Spiral Slicer ($30) This tool makes creating julienne vegetables a breeze. It works with firm vegetables such as carrots, squash, zucchini and cucumbers, and is perfect for slicing veggies for stir-fries and pasta.

Chef’n MixQuick ($30) Chef’n is a company that’s “always coming up with improvements in the kitchen,” says Jim Hill, owner of KitchenWares by Blackstones in Boston, who cites the Chef’n strawberry huller as a perennial big seller. The MixQuick is a manual hand mixer that comes with interchangeable blades: a single or double-wire whisk, a frother and a universal mixer. “It’s better than, quite different and more functional than any other mixer we’ve seen,” says Hill.

Vacu Vin Coconut Opener ($12) Coconut water has become one of the hot beverages of the last couple of years. This tool now allows you to get your own supply directly from the coconut. “It also halves a coconut quickly so you can get to the meat easily,” says Liz Songer, buyer at The Chopping Block, a cooking school and housewares store in Chicago.

Shucker Paddy Oyster Knife ($20) Seafood lovers can have a devil of a time getting oysters open, but Songer says this tool makes it easy to shuck them. “This distinctively shaped oyster knife, designed by the world’s fastest oyster shucker, makes it easy to pop open oysters with less pressure than traditional knives,” she says.

Prepara Evak Food Storage Containers These award-winning glass and stainless steel storage containers (prices vary) are perfect for the friend who has a lot of specialty ingredients on hand. The container has a twin-valve system that releases air as you push down the lid, which keeps the food fresher for a longer period of time. “It’s perfect for storing coffee, tea, dried fruits, granola, herbs, et cetera,” says Songer.

Slate Serving Trays Slate boards are perfect for serving cheeses, charcuterie platters or other hors d’oeuvres. With a piece of chalk your friend can label each item to make a beautiful display.

All-Clad Copper-Core Cookware For the high-end gift, check out cookware manufacturer All-Clad’s line of stainlesscovered copper cookware (from $140). These pots have “all the wonderful benefits of copper cookware, but with a regular stainless steel cooking surface,” says Hill. The copper promotes better conductivity, while the stainless steel is easier to clean.