Favorite Things Foodie Holiday Gifts 2010

Can I even say "Favorite Things" without being sued by Oprah? Actually, can she even say "Favorite Things" without being sued by Julie Andrews??

Here's my Favorite Things Foodie List for 2010. If you have any specific requests, pls post a comment. Enjoy!

1. Table Topics! (you must say "table topics" loudly)
Table Topics come in a broad variety: "for couples", "for kids", "for ladies", etc and they are the perfect seasoning for a weekend getaway, holidays, or reunions. And of course for the obvious application - the [dinner] table!

2. A Beautiful Bowl of Soup cookbook by Paulette Mitchell, $14.00

An all vegetarian soup cookbook. Even meat eaters enjoy a meatless soup.

3. Inside Out Bowls from Anthropologie, $8.00 each

Although everything from the Anthropologie home section could be on this list, these prep bowls manage to grab your attention every time you see them. Use them for mixing bowls, whisking a couple of eggs, a candy dish, soup bowl, etc. The uses and cuteness are limitless.

4. Mexican Molinillo for Hot Chocolate at Dean & Deluca; $14.00

3-in-1 functionality: A hot chocolate mixer and frother, a beautiful and decorative piece, and a weapon.

5. Bamboo Water Bottle; $25.00

Equal opportunity employment for ideal for ice cold water or piping hot tea. No water bottle is as green as this one. It has a bamboo casing, a glass bottle inside, and a cap and bottom that is 100% recyclable. (They are striving to make the next generation plastic free!)

6. Beaba Babycook Baby Food Maker from Williams-Sonoma; $149.95

Foodie is a genetic characteristic. Foodies raise wee-foodies. Bland sweet potato in a jar won't cut it for your cutie. Get that palate adjusted to roasted root vegetable seasoned with basil. The Beaba can do the job. It's a steamer, blender, and a warmer all in one.

7. Adopt an Olive Tree Gift from Abruzzo; $91

For under a hundred bucks, you can adopt an Olive Tree in Italy and they will mail you the fruits of your arbor! You receive an Autumn package of your tree's harvest (~ 2 liters), a Spring package (flavored olive oil, handmade soap, and a cookbook). Oh and FREE SHIPPING. The $91 is all in! There are other adopt-an-olive-tree options, but this one is the best.

8. Fran's Gray Salted Caramels; $12 (+ shipping)

There's nothing like these gray salted caramels. You would be commiting a felony if you didn't buy a box of these for yourself.

The shipping is a bit steep, as it is a perishable item, but SOOOOOOOO worth it. Oh, to live in Seattle...

9. Adjustable Rolling Pin from MOMA store; $20

This is like setting your rolling pin on "cruise control" for baking. No more eyeballing the pie crust thickness which ends up in a lumpy unimpressive mess. 1/4" thick will be 1/4" thick!

10. Finishing Salts at Williams-Sonoma; $42.00

Here's how to impress without lifting a finger. Make an ordinary Caprese salad into another personality with smoky black sea salt or transform a mundane grapefruit into a taste sensation with a sprinkle of Australian pink salt.