6 Cutting Edge Gifts For Cooking Enthusiasts, Small But Perfect Home Updates and More

We have a lot of chefs in our family so I always need gifts for cooking enthusiasts! My father was a judge, state senator, mayor and passionate home chef. In fact, I think one of his proudest accomplishments was being inducted as layperson into the Los Angeles chapter of the American Culinary Federation.

It is a happy coincidence that my husband, Howard, our son, Tommy and son-in-law, Luca are all avid cooks, too. Tommy gets it from his dad and Luca gets it from his Italian side (remember his mom’s recipe for The Secret Ingredient To Amazing Mashed Potatoes) and his Spanish side (The Best: Luca’s Paella).

Anyway, lots to share…I want to tell you about the coolest gifts for the home cook, my favorite new pillow (and source), new lampshade update, the stair runner we selected and more!

It’s Five Faves Time With Annie and Cindy!

1. Gifts For Cooking Enthusiasts And Why They Will Love Them!

1. Kitchen Aid Yummly Smart Thermometer “No guesswork here. You can stop slicing into your steaks to see if they’re done—the Yummly wireless thermometer knows how to cook ‘em to perfection. Here’s how: Insert the thermometer into your meat, fish, what have you and open up the handy app on your smartphone. The app will let you know when to flip, adjust the temp, and take it off the heat, so you can focus on prepping all the sides.” $99.95 (Getting my brother who grills and roasts a lot this, but Howard wants it too).
2. Maldon Sea Salt If they like to cook, chances are they already know about this famously flaky crunchy salt. Either way, they will like the gift. $15
3. Vitamix Immersion Blender “This high-performance immersion blender makes easy work of mixing or puréeing directly in a bowl or pot. It’s equipped with five variable speeds to stir delicate sauces, purée baby food, whip cream or blend large batches of soup.” Oh the sauces and whipped cream coming out of the kitchen! $149.95
4. Glass Mixing Bowls 10 piece set These are so handy. Every home chef should have them. We do. $49.95
5. Hestan Provisions OvenBond Stainless-Steel Ovenware “These aren’t your average stainless-steel baking sheets. This ovenware is made of triple-bonded 18/10 stainless steel and has an aluminum core for ultra-fast-and-even heating (broiler- and oven-safe to 600°F). Curved handles give you a firm hold during oven transfers. Every piece is dishwasher-safe for quick cleanup and has a lifetime warranty.” Don’t the baking sheets in your cupboard pale by comparison? Ours do. $64 to $280 for the full set.
6. The Forever Peeler Stainless Steel Vegetable Peeler by Material ” Solid metal construction, feels-just-right weight, and sharp blade for smooth, silky peeling. A replaceable blade means this is a peeler for life.” $28

2. A Single Pillow Can Refresh Your Look

Good pillow covers are expensive and I rarely buy them all at once. Have you checked out my Favorite Online Pillow sources?

Buying one or two new pillows can give you the refresh you crave. In fact, our new 22″ linen pillow (second from right) just came from Pillow Fever on Etsy.

Howard knows I want to get a jump start on Christmas decorating since we will be traveling a bit, so he put up our King Of Christmas 9′ faux king noble tree (above). It’s so nice not to have to worry about it drying up before the holidays. I still need to fluff it a bit.

3. Consider New Lamp Shades To Refresh

We played musical chairs with lamps in our house for the blue guest room design. The 15 year old glass lamps went into my office but with new drum shades by Ballard Design (on clearance!).

This spot seems like everyone’s favorite place to nap!

4. New Striped Stair Runner Update

Did you catch our new stairwell runner on Instagram? This is the Stanton carpet (Antrim Las Palmas in Ocean) that we chose for the stairs. It’s a durable but soft wool weave. Chief doesn’t slip on it and we all love it.

I have ideas to embellish this Cyprus Spruce Faux Lit Garland a bit for an upcoming post after Thanksgiving on our Christmas homes (stay tuned).

5. Keeping Christmas Decor Simple In Toronto

As we head into the decorating season, I’m mindful about keeping it low-keyed. So, I really enjoyed this article in the digital version of House and Home magazine.

“We aim for elegant and understated versus an explosion of Christmas — I think the green keeps it classic” — Colin Baird

Neutrals, modern art and dark woods refresh this renovated 1878 workers’ cottage.

Photography Patrick Biller, Design Colin Baird

6. One More: What To Watch: “All The Light We Cannot See”

I loved the book “All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr. The reviews weren’t great but, Howard and I enjoyed the movie portrayal on Netflix. “In the final days of WWII, the paths of a blind French girl and a German soldier collide.”

That’s all about cutting edge gifts for cooking enthusiasts, our new stair runner, what to watch on television and more.

If you are new here, each Sunday I share my top five favorite things along with my friends, Cindy and Annie. It’s like our weekly “catch-up” phone call. If you would like to receive this series every week, please sign up HERE.

Let’s see what Annie and Cindy’s Five Faves are this week:

Most Lovely Things

Cindy Hattersley Design