Inspiring Foodies with My Favorite Christmas Gifts

I feel that when you have great equipment and kitchen tools in your space, it’s the equivalent to having a new pair of tennis shoes that inspire you to get to the gym. I make a habit of giving kitchen tools as Christmas gifts to friends and family, hopefully inspiring them to get more comfortable in the kitchen and make them want to “play” a little more with their food! Here’s a list of my favorite Christmas gifts to give.

1. Box of Kosher Salt with a beautiful Bamboo Salt Box

Release your friends from the prison of the salt shaker and “fancy” up your kitchen with a lovely salt box. Make sure to accompany it with a box KOSHER salt, the only salt you should be cooking with! Both practical and decorative, this combination salt and salt box is one of the fun Christmas gifts you’ll enjoy giving.

2. Vanilla Bean Paste

Not the easiest find in town (I usually find at either TJ Maxx or Season to Taste on Lineville), but if you have bakers in your family, this is bar none the best gift you can give. It is used the same way as Vanilla Extract is, but Vanilla Bean Paste has a thick, syrupy texture that is pure vanilla bean. Even if you don’t know bakers, it’s amazing in coffee and tea!

3. Kitchen Aid Pasta Attachment

It’s pricey, but if you have someone in your life who has a Kitchen Aid mixer, this attachment is amazing! Fresh pasta at your hands in a matter of minutes! Such an easy attachment to use, clean and store. It’s worth every penny.

4. Instant Pot

Digital pressure cookers take all the guesswork out of using a pressure cooker (that has often intimidated the home cook). Make braised short ribs in 35 minutes (instead of 3 hours), mashed potatoes in 8 minutes, or a quick weeknight soup. People are obsessed with these for a reason! They make great Christmas gifts for Foodies and anyone who likes to experiment with new recipes and home-cooking tools.

5. Dutch Oven

Not having a heavy-duty Dutch oven in the kitchen should be a crime at this point. Perfect for stews, braising, soups and a myriad of other uses, Dutch ovens can be beautiful (every color under the rainbow is available), various sizes (the larger the family, the larger the Dutch oven!), and they last 100 years. Even heat distribution makes burn spots and uneven heating a thing of the past. Can’t live without mine!

Have a delicious holiday everyone!! ~Jyll