More Gifts for Foodies

You know how it is with foodies - because we have everything, or have tasted everything, we are darn hard to buy for! I've got a couple of suggestions for the foodie in your life. This time, it's some of my favorite seasonings and flavorings. Hopefully, some or all of these will be new to you.

Gullah Luv seasoning is my go-to seasoning salt. According to the Gullah Luv website (you can visit here), the Gullah are, "African Americans who live in the lowcountry region of South Carolina and Georgia, which includes both the coastal plain and the Sea Islands. Historically, the Gullah region once extended north to the Cape Fear area on the coast of North Carolina and south to the vicinity of Jacksonville on the coast of Florida. Today the Gullah area is confined to the South Carolina and Georgia lowcountry. The Gullah people are also called Geechee, after the Ogeechee River near Savannah, Georgia. The Gullah are known for preserving more of their African linguistic and cultural heritage than any other African American community in the United States." So, I feel like I'm helping to preserve a little of our ethnic diversity when I buy my $9.95 bottle of yummy Gullah Luv Seasoning salt. It really is a "win-win" kind of a thing.

Black truffles are one of my favorite flavors, but are they expensive! I find that I can add a little of that wonderful earthy flavor to mushroom omelets, pasta dishes, and even just grilled baguette using black truffle salt. But because black truffle is such an expensive and rare commodity, there are a lot of substandard products out there. I've had great success with Fusion Black Truffle salt. You can find it here.

Speaking of black truffles, I'm also a huge fan of black truffle honey. This is honey that has a slice of truffle in it. You may think this is a weird combo, and I guess it is. But take a really strong cheese and add a stripe of truffle honey, and my oh my! You've really got something special. Here is one I have bought on Amazon that you might want to try. Yes, it is pricey, but a little goes a very long way and I'm talking about $15, not $150. So think of it as a rather pricey stocking stuffer.

Your favorite foodie probably knows about Penzey's Spices, but likely hasn't tried them all. I love "Tsardust Memories", a spicy mix of salt, garlic, cinnamon, pepper, nutmeg and marjoram. I really love this in butternut squash soup, meatballs, and grilled meats. You can snag a bottle here.  



So, there you go - some stocking stuffer ideas. Next time, I'll share my favorite cookbooks with you. Happy shopping!

Gift Ideas for the Foodie in your Life - Part One

Are you looking for a holiday gift for that foodie in your life, but really don't know where to start? In my next few posts, I'll share some of the things that have made my heart sing. And good news: most of them are very inexpensive!


First up: a magnetic knife rack. I never trusted those knife blocks. What's in there? At the very least the dust of the ages. The whole thing just makes me feel ooky. So when my better half surprised me with this magnetic knife rack, I was thrilled! As you can see, I have a nice little collection of knives, but if I had some extra room, I'd add my church key (that's "bottle opener" to you!) and my potato peeler. This thing is a champ. And you can get one for your favorite cook for under $11 for 12" of magnetic goodness. Trust me on this one: everyone who comes in my kitchen and lays eyes on this wants one of their very own.

My second suggestion is this flat, mesh skimmer. I originally got it to help fish out poached eggs. I hate it when my toast gets soggy from the cooking water, don't you? This does the trick. But it is good for a lot of jobs. For example, when I pop corn (in my wok!) I can use this to stir the corn while I spray butter on it. It's fabulous. It's good for fishing solids out of broth. I have had this for about 15 years and I bet I've used it 3 times a week every week since I bought it. I got mine at Williams Sonoma, but you might want to check out Amazon where I saw a nice one in the $8 neighborhood. Don't spend too much for this. You shouldn't have to!

Now, haven't you always wanted to own something by Ronco? Well, here is your chance! Let me introduce you to a little piece of heaven on earth - the Ronco ST3001SSGEN Showtime Compact Rotisserie. Yes, this is a little more expensive than the other two items in today's post, but at $80 it's still quite a bargain. This gem makes the juiciest, most delish chicken you have ever tasted, I promise you!. It takes a little effort to truss up a chicken and get it balanced on the rotisserie, but after you've done it a few times, you will be a pro. It takes about 15 minutes a pound to cook a chicken, and the drippings make a luscious gravy. I'm not a fan of those mega chickens they seem to have in the grocery stores these days. A chicken is not supposed to be 5 pounds! I find then to be rather tough. But not when they are cooked on this beauty - I guarantee they will be tender and juicy. My experience with small birds (cornish game hens, for example, that come in at a pound - pound and a half range) are not as good because they just don't take long enough to cook. But the smaller 3 pound organic free range chickens are wonderful Cleanup isn't hard because all the main parts break down and will go in the fridge. I think we use this about every other week when the outdoor cooking season comes to an end.

So, there you go: three ideas for some kick-ass presents! Next time we will talk about a noodle maker, a really nice frying pan, and mixing bowls.