Scanner : holiday gift guide: kitchen

Holiday Gift Guide: Tumblers

Wendy Atterberry — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 22:00:00 GMT

There are plenty of things that go well with a cold beer: New York style pizza, making out, a second beer. Somehow though, it's all just a little bit better when the beer is served in a great glass, like these tumblers made from recycled Mexican Sol' bottles. Then again, you can stick to a lame glass and just wait for the fifth beer for everything to get a bit better... (Elsewares, $32)

Holiday Gift Guide: Modern Day June Cleavers

Wendy Atterberry — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

Women of the 70's may have burned their bras and aprons and lipgloss and who knows what else, but modern women, or post-post modern women, or whatever you want to call us have re-embraced our feminine sides. We're hanging out in the kitchen and we like it *. And we're even happier in there when we've got pretty stuff to look at, use, and wear like these dish towels ($14-18), oven mitts ($7.95-$14), and aprons ($28-$38) from Anthropologie.

* Okay, not all of us like hanging out in the kitchen. In fact, some of us would rather stick our tongues in an electric mixer than use one to bake cookies, but that doesn't mean we don't still appreciate pretty towels and stuff. After all, we want nice things to look at when we go rummaging through the kitchen drawers looking for our favorite take-out menu.

Holiday Gift Guide: Endo Magnet

Wendy Atterberry — Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:39:00 GMT

Strong enough to hold kitchen utensils, an iPod, and even a Chuck Taylor, the endo magnet is an attractive, well-designed, super functional magnet that's ideal for the cook who needs easy access to his or her recipes, or the person who'd lose his head--or at least his shoe--if it weren't magnetized to something. With a simple push of a button, the endo magnet releases whatever it's holding, without the need to release the magnet itself from its place...making it a perfect stocking-stuffer for lazy people, too. (The Endo, $10-12)

Holiday Gift Guide: CafeSolo

Alex Zalben — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 21:00:00 GMT

Let's see... This Holiday Season, I got a sweater. My dog got a sweater. So, what still needs a sweater? Oh, I know. My coffee maker.

Lucky for me (and my coffee maker), the Eva Solo CafeSolo isn't adorned with reindeer, or a big smiley Santa. Instead, you get the sleekest, warmest coffee maker around. According to Eva Solo, this brewer is the "natural way to make coffee:"

- Add ground beans.

- Add water.

- Pour.

Luckily, there's also a filter inside, so you won't be drinking sludge (boy, they thought of everything). And, there's the aforementioned sweater, which keeps the carafe warm, and comes in chile pepper, pale khaki, or chocolate brown.

For your friends tired of constantly buying coffee filters, or pressing their French Press, this just may be the perfect gift. (Eva Solo)

Holiday Gift Guide: Cup it in your Hand

Wendy Atterberry — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:00:00 GMT

I know that with some wines, you're supposed to hold the stem of your glass when you're drinking them, but I can never remember which ones. I end up cupping the glass and pinching the stem at all the wrong times...which seems to be a recurring theme in my life. I say make it easy on everyone with these stemless wine glasses--they're cool looking and they remove all the anxiety of where you're supposed to put your hand...at least when it comes to the wine. (CB2, $1.95-$2.50)

Holiday Gift Guide: Stuff their Stockings with Bottle Openers

Wendy Atterberry — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:31:00 GMT

Bottle openers are like pick-up lines--if you've got a good one handy, you just might score a drink with someone hot. Slip one of these awesome bottle openers in the stocking of your favorite boozer...or just someone who might need a little help meeting someone: ribbon opener ($25), wall-mounted opener ($13.95), razor wire opener ($5), drunkard opener ($19.95), mood bottle opener ($13).

Holiday Gift Guide: Coffee Lover's Set

Michael Martin — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 21:20:00 GMT

My boyfriend is, affectionately, a coffee snob. He buys his beans from a restaurant down the street (not coffee shop, mind you, a restaurant whose coffee he prefers), grinds them every morning and uses a French press to create the best coffee I’ve ever had. I’ve become a convert, and now an evangelist. For anyone who likes coffee, the ultimate luxury gift is a French press, bean grinder and, to personalize things, a custom-blended mix from Deans Beans, makers of fair trade, organic coffee. (My bf’s restaurant gets their custom blend from Dean’s.) The gourmand thing really does make a difference; press pots and freshly ground beans preserve the coffee’s essential oils, creating a stronger, more flavorful brew, and ordering vacuum-packed bags online means the beans aren’t exposed to air, which can dry them out. — Sarah Harrison (French press $19.95, Bodum; Bean grinder $89.95, Bodum)

Holiday Gift Guide: Bella Cucina 17-Piece Blending System

Michael Martin — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 22:30:00 GMT

A friend just gave me this smoothie-maker, and now every morning I throw a bunch of fruit in (those $3 Dole bags of frozen fruits are perfect), put on the blender part and whip one up. It's super-easy, doesn't take up much counter space, and is pretty quiet for a blender (which is nice for those of us who don't like intense whirring sounds before we've had our coffee). Plus, because you mix each cup individually, you can ask whoever's joining you for breakfast what their favorite fruits are and make them exactly what they want in about two seconds. If that doesn't impress them, you should immediately mumble something about being late for work and make sure you don't go home with such an ingrate ever again. ($39.99, Macy's) — Ada Calhoun