I know it might seem early to some, but I'm already thinking about my holiday gifts. This year I've decided to stay with a theme that I call 'A Cookbook and …' which means that all my gift recipients will get a cookbook plus a little something extra that relates to that book. An example would be a cookie cookbook with a baking sheet and a roll of parchment paper. Read on for my pairings and add a few of your own!
Here are just a few of my ideas. I'm also pairing the cookbook with the recipient, so my niece in her new apartment will get a copy of The Joy of Cooking and a few kitchen basics like measuring cups and spoons. All cookbooks will be wrapped in a tea towel or large napkin and tied furoshiki-style.
• On Food and Cooking and a kitchen scale
• Jamie at Home and several packets of vegetable seeds
• The Blue Chair Jam Cookbook and a case of canning jars
• Tartine Bread and a cast iron combo cooker
• Plenty or Moro and hard to find, related spices like saffron, nigella seeds or sumac
• Canal House Cooking subscription wrapped in a tea towel and tied with a tin of good anchovies or a jar of truffle salt
• Good to the Grain and an assortment of unusual whole grain flours
• Thai Street Food and essential Thai food ingredients like palm sugar, kaffir lime leaves and a bottle of fish sauce
Well, you get the idea. What are your cookbook pairing ideas?
Related: In Praise of the Well-Used Cookbook
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I LOVE this idea! A fun way to share recipes, encourage home cooking and maybe get yourself invited to a few future dinner parties. Totally stealing this gift idea for myself.
Great I idea, I love paired themed gifts, its so nice to start people off on the right foot by giving them the tools they needs to get moving on their next cooking adventure!
Last year, when "Julie & Julia" came out on DVD, I bought that and paired it with the Julia Child cookbook Julie was cooking from in the movie.
I love this idea too! I think I'm going to do this next year, perhaps with a donation to a hunger-related nonprofit. We like to do a gift to a different charity each year on behalf of all the adults on our list (kids still get toys or money) and a small token that relates to the charity. Last year it was Pennies for Peace, the organization supporting the work in "Three Cups of Tea", which we gave with a copy of the book and handmade teacups and tea. This year we're adopting a bonobo through Friends of the Bonobos and I'm thinking banana-related baked goods?
I'm thinking of doing something similar, we're giving jarred mixes (cookies, bars, breads, soups, etc) and I'm thinking I'll add a related utensil with each gift. I love the idea of wrapping in tea towels!
Lynnebee.....love that!