"gifts" news and stories

Like any socio-cultural subset (gamers, tweens), foodies speak their own language, and if you're looking to chow down with the haute-cuisine set, well, you've got to come up with something better than "tasty" or "awesome" to describe that savory, paper-thin slice of imported Italian bresaola that practically just melted on your tongue.

What better way to expand your culinary vocabulary than this set of Foodie Flashcards? After all, if flashcards could get you a passing grade in high school French, then surely they can help you to pass as a foodie at your next farmers-market-themed potluck.

There's more than a hint of irony here -- just take a look at the Fifties-style "Dick-and-Jane" artwork. And there's the question of whether anyone short of Alice Waters would ever use a term like "mouthfeel" in actual conversation. (Well, ok, maybe Kristine Hansen, our wine critic.)

Yesterday we kicked off our 12 days of chef-inspired gift giving with Top Chef Season 5's Carla Hall. Stay tuned every morning from now through December 24th for ideas from the pros on the best gifts for cooks.

Chef: José Andrés

Restaurants: The Bazaar by José Andrés (Los Angeles, CA), Jaleo and China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas (opening December 2010), and Washington D.C.'s Café Atlántico, Minibar, and more.

The Gift: "Spanish olive oil is the ingredient I cannot live without -- and that I love to give as a gift. It goes in everything and these days you can find great brands like Nuñez Prado or el Señorio de Vizcantar at supermarkets everywhere.

Where to Find It: The Bazaar by José Andrés, Los Angeles, CA

Follow the chefs' suggestions by clicking the links below:
The First Day of Christmas (Carla Hall)

Love means never having to say you're sorry (thank you, Love Story), and it also means never giving your beloved a canned ham. Or a fruit basket filled not with exotic cherimoyas or passion fruit but a big pile of bananas and Red Delicious apples. OK, it is the thought that counts. But it shouldn't take a trip to The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus to come up with gift ideas that food lovers in your life can drool over. Of course, maybe a canned ham is just the ticket for that special frenemy. The editors over at TheStir give you the lowdown on gift-giving don'ts.

It's true that the 12 Days of Christmas are officially from December 25 to January 5, but maybe you need some gift-giving inspiration now instead of after the big day. And who better than a chef to give gift advice for all the cooks in your life. Our 12 Days of Christmas starts today, with the fabulous and funky Carla Hall.

The Chef: Carla Hall, Owner of Alchemy (Washington, D.C.), finalist in Season 5 of Bravo TV's Top Chef

The Gift: "There are a couple of directions I go in when giving holiday gifts. My first go-to gift would be a kitchen tool. I'm not a tool-chick, but I feel that every kitchen should have certain basic tools, other than knives, that serve more than one purpose or are used regularly – a microplane, a good peeler (not a harp peeler), a serrated peeler, a benriner (not that I'm cheap, but an inexpensive mandoline) and metal tongs."

Where to Find It: Williams-Sonoma.

When it comes to giving a cookbook as a gift, there's no such thing as one size fits all -- sometimes you want a cookbook for a serious cook; sometimes you want a sweet-and-simple general-interest cookbook, and sometimes you want a cookbook for someone who doesn't actually cook but likes to read about cooking. We've asked T. Susan Chang -- food writer, cookbook reviewer for KitchenDaily and The Boston Globe, and a frequent contributor to NPR's Kitchen Window series -- to do the sorting for you. Here are her favorite gift-cookbook picks:

Cute little books for anybody:

• Tea and Cookies: Enjoy the Perfect Cup of Tea--with Dozens of Delectable Recipes for Teatime Treats, by Rick Rodgers (William Morrow, $21.99). Cookie cookbooks are a gift that keeps on giving, especially if you happen to be invited over for tea. A smart selection in a delightful package.

• Simply Ming One-Pot Meals: Quick, Healthy & Affordable Recipes, by Ming Tsai (Kyle Books, $29.95). Nobody likes cleaning pots. Keep it to a single one, with Asian-fusion how-tos from the cutest Chinese chef on TV.