Gifts to get a foodie

So, while I am completely shocked at how quickly October flew by, it made me grudgingly wake up to the fact that the holidays are literally right around the corner. This was made even more obvious to me when I stopped by the mall before Halloween and saw that several stores were already decorated for Christmas! This was certainly not appreciated by me. But it did make me think that some of you may be more organized than myself when it comes to getting your holiday shopping done and out of the way early. No black friday madness for you. This year, I may try to turn over a new leaf and do that as well. I thought that I might get this ball rolling with some fun ideas about what to buy for a friend or relative that is a foodie, or to drop hints about what you might want for yourself. By the way, this collection of ideas is just a few of my favorites from the online store called "Uncommon Goods". I will probably be posting some subsequent lists from other places.

I thought that I would start with a useful keychain bottle openers. I like these alot because they are dual purpose. I am not at all adept in using a lighter to open bottles as some of my friends, so I can certainly see a use for a keychain that would be there to lend a hand when called upon. These are made from old street signs (so you are recycling too, yay!) and they cost $16.oo bucks a pop.  

Next, I discovered some awesomely shaped Udon Noodle bowls. They are designed to be part mug, part bowl and to fit nicely into the curve of your palm. Every review that I read about them said that people had so much fun holding them that they were trying to think of more meals that could be enjoyed out of them. They are kind of pricey at $26.oo a piece, but I think that I need one for myself at the very least.

On the not so pricey side, there are the very fun looking wine and food books. They are priced at a lovely $5.oo at the moment. Personally I have a great deal of trouble remembering all the wines that I have tried and liked over the years, so this book looks like a great place to capture that information. Plus the one for the restaurants has a very cool cover of a waiter's order tablet. Nice touch.

The pizza cutter is really a dazzling piece of equipment. It would never pass through airport security though, so plan on having it shipped directly to somebody's house. It is hammered from recycled steel using traditional blacksmithing techniques. It is handmade and is supposed to last a lifetime. I surely would hope so, because this is something worthy of hanging on the wall and admiring when you are not using it. The price runs you $36.oo.


I am not exactly sure how this item works, but I am dying to try it. Supposedly if you have been chopping onions, garlic or anything else that leaves an odor on your hands this is the solution. It's a stainless steel shaped bar of soap. Yup you heard me right. All you do is rub it in your hands under running cold water and voila, the smell will dissappear! This nifty item costs $14.oo and it will never run out, so you shouldn't ever need another one.

 
The Herb Keeper is really a fabulous idea. The basic premise is that herbs that are kept in a bag or even loose in your fridge wilt and die quickly, as we all know. So, why not put them in a glass jar where they can stand upright in water on the door of your refridgerator? For $20.oo, I love it! 

The last gift idea is a slate cheese board. It is made out of reclaimed pieces of slate chalkboards from Franklin Elementary School in Quincy, IL. It has reclaimed wine corks as feet so that it doesn't slip away from you, and it is divided into 4 squares and comes with a piece of chalk so that you can start labeling your cheese at your holiday parties. Delicious idea! This costs $48.oo.

Stay tuned for more holiday foodie gift ideas....