"GiftIdeas" news and stories

On Monday we kicked off our 12 days of chef-inspired gift giving. Stay tuned every morning from now through December 24th for ideas from the pros on the best gifts for cooks. And see the links at the bottom of the post to catch up on days you've missed.

On the seventh day of Christmas, a cupcake connoisseur gave to me...

The Chef: Candace Nelson, judge on Food Network's "Cupcake Wars"

Restaurant: Sprinkles Cupcakes (Beverly Hills, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Newport Beach, Phoenix-Scottsdale, San Francisco-Palo Alto)

The Gift: Every year I send Frog Hollow Cal-Red peaches. They are the best peaches in the world. I like to send them to friends and colleagues as gifts in August instead of waiting until the holidays when everyone is overwhelmed by food. They come beautifully packaged and in perfect condition.

Where to Get Them: available by mail order from Frog Hollow.

Find out the other chefs' suggestions:
The First Day of Christmas: Carla Hall, The Second Day of Christmas: José Andrés, The Third Day of Christmas: Wolfgang Puck, The Fourth Day of Christmas: Lidia Bastianich, The Fifth Day of Christmas: Gail Simmons, The Sixth Day of Christmas: Alex Guarnaschelli

I like to give one of my cookbooks, which I sign with a personal note and add a sticker to a recipe that would best fit the personality of the person I'm giving it to. With that I also pair one or more of the items on the ingredients list.
• A magnum of the Bastianich wine that would best pair with the recipe.
• A Lidia-designed platter that the dish from that recipe could be served on.
• A cluster of products to make that recipe...for example, if the sticker is on the Truffle Risotto page, then I'd give Carnaroli Rice and a fresh truffle.

Walk into almost any liquor shop after Halloween, and you'll see an army of old bottles dressed up in holiday clothing. Sometimes the booze has been rendered festive with tinsel or bells. Or there's a sexy cocktail shaker -- or frosted glasses -- sitting next to the vodka bottle in a shiny Christmas-themed box.

Nobody buys these gift-box bottles for themselves; they are quintessential gifts (and re-gifts). But that doesn't mean you can't appreciate the alluring tchotchke inside.

This year's crop elicits many of those "I-want-that!" responses whether you're a fan of vodka, gin, tequila, whiskey, rum or Champagne. Though most are fairly priced between $20 and $60, the gift sets range from $15 to $425. Just remember: Prices and availability may vary.