Ergo, this week I bring to you the second part of my recommendations for Christmas presents that will ingratiate you with the people who matter, and ensure you a standing invitation for any and all events your recipients will be hosting in the new year. And just as last week’s recommendations were geared towards rather more economically considerate suggestions, this week let’s see just how far that plastic can stretch without protest, shall we?
For the clumsy friend who always manages to burn her hands, this handmade Borough 9″ frying skillet (USD$280, boroughfurnace.com) isn’t just magically versatile, it also dissipates heat and is cool to the touch on the stovetop. Best of all, it’s brimming with eco cred, because it’s made from 100% recycled iron which was melted with waste vegetable oil, and each hand-cast (and numbered) skillet has also been pre-seasoned with organic kosher flaxseed oil. What’s not to love about this mean, green, cooking machine?
As for the relative who purportedly has everything—and doesn’t hesitate to tell you that at every opportune moment—you will not only impress him with this spherical ice ball maker (USD$399, whiskey-ice.com), you’ll also enjoy a little one-upmanship when you present him with this gift. The knowledge that you are responsible for the perfectly round ice spheres that his guests are enjoying with their Christmas cocktails will go some way towards allaying the burn of the spend-off you had to incur to achieve this little triumph.
The next best thing to a table at Noma could well be A Work in Progress – Journal, Recipes and Snapshots by René Redzepi (phaidon.com). This gift of a journal, recipe book and photo album is the collective chronicle of a year in the life of the multiple award-winning restaurant, and gives readers an inspiring and candid insight into the workings of Redzepi’s mind. And if your friend has a penchant for unusual recipes, the crispy reindeer moss recipe that’s in the book will more than satisfy this culinary predilection.
First it was the KitchenAid standing mixer that was all the rage, then ice-cream makers were de rigueur in gastronomically-driven homes, why not start a new trend with the Chadwick pizza oven (£385, chadwickoven.com)? Not only does it produce deliriously crispy, Italian style pizzas in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it time of under four minutes, it’ll also mean your recipient’s kitchen will always be infused with the inimitably seductive aroma of baking.
As unique as it is distinctive, the gift of a row of St Emillion Grand Cru vines (www.vintagewinegifts.co.uk) means the recipient will receive bottles of wines from vintage years, a wine thermometer, and a personalised tour of the vineyard. It also ensures you, the altruistic giver of this generous present, a standing invitation to partake in said wines whenever a new shipment arrives. Yes, you could call it the gift that keeps on giving.
And, finally, if you happen to have a friend who thinks that popping the cork the traditional way is just too, well, pedestrian, then this Selfridge’s champagne sabre (£349, selfridges.com) is perfect for him. Just remember to stay out of the way when he’s using it for the first time!
And before you complain that I’ve divested you of your hard-earned cash, remember, it’s always better to give than to receive. With that in mind, have yourselves a very merry Christmas, ho ho ho.
Follow Fay on Twitter and Instagram at @misskhoo.
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