2012 Holiday Gift Guide for the Foodie in your life

I decided that since I love everything food and food related, what better way to bring in the Holiday shopping season than compiling a list of the top 30 items (in no particular order) for that special food-lover, or “foodie”, in your life! You know, the one who loves to cook and bake, and lives for all the latest and greatest cooking gadgets and accessories. This list is for them, including some of the hottest kitchen tools for this Holiday season!
Whether they are a gourmet chef, a young adult just learning their way around the kitchen, the hostess with the mostest, or even your Mom, Aunt, or Grandma – there’s something for everyone here!
Now, I’ll admit, most of the things on this list are things I love, or want (covet would be more accurate!), but I think any home chef can appreciate a lot of the things on this list.
There’s a lot more I could have added, and when in doubt cash or gift cards are great too. But there’s nothing like a gift that was handpicked by someone you love.
I have a wide variety of prices here as well, from a small fortune to just a few bucks, there’s something for every budget. From investment gadgets to stocking stuffers, I hope you find this list useful.

For most items I’ve linked to the actual manufacturer, but a simple search online can find you many great deals and prices on these items. As you can see, I have a penchant for colorful, fun items as well as good quality stainless steel.

Everybody who even remotely spends a significant amount of time in the kitchen know that cutting, chopping, slicing, dicing and mincing takes up a significant amount of time in the kitchen. I know for me, it takes far more time than the cooking process itself. A food processer would make this part of food preparation a breeze, and with the ability to chop up to 7 cups worth of food, it’s a huge timesaver!

Every kitchen should have a scale. Some cooks don’t measure, they weigh. This is also great for health buffs that count calories and need to know how many grams are in a particular food item. This is a great, inexpensive piece to add to any loved ones kitchen.

A Panini maker can take an ordinary sandwich to extraordinary in just a few minutes. A must have in every kitchen; just think of all the possibilities!

This vegetable slicer can cut anything into a spiral. It’s not just for vegetables! You can use it on oranges for zest, or chocolate for garnish, you can use spaghetti squash with this and have wonderfully curly squash noodles, or carrots and any other vegetable. The possibilities are endless!

Nothing compares to the taste of real, “cooked from scratch” pasta. This is an old fashioned pasta machine, made in Italy. It’s wonderfully made, and what an amazing price for authentic Italian pasta! It comes in 2 colors, so you can pick according to your chef’s personality.

With deep pockets and the rotary feature, this waffle maker will surely become a favorite in the kitchen. With this, your loved one will be making thick, fluffy waffles like the pros! With a control button that lets you set the crispness and a sound feature to let you know when the waffle is done, this is a great buy!

Some coffee enthusiasts have been resistant to the Keurig system because they love their own brand of flavored coffee. This is an excellent marriage of both worlds. The reusable K-Cup filter allows the user to use whatever brand coffee they love, and best of all it’s eco-friendly!

This is a commercial quality potato ricer, and holds almost 3 cups of potatoes. For a job that big, you definitely want something sturdy that’s going to press the potato easily and is durable enough to do the job repeatedly for a long time. It’s a great, quality item for a reasonable price that’s sure to for years!

This ice cream maker is a great gift! It serves soft serve ice cream, and has compartments for sprinkles, chips, and any other little mix-in’s. There’s a cone holder and it even comes with a recipe book. Last, but not least, a great 3 year warranty. Let the fun begin!

The Ninja blenders are very popular at the moment, and with a large pitcher and 6 blade assembly, it’s no wonder why. With various attachments, this should be able to create many masterpieces. And the smaller bowl can be used as a food processer. I love multi-use gadgets!

Hand mixers are notorious for being a little too powerful to mix cookie dough or knead bread dough – but not this one! With 5 speeds and a quiet motor, this is a great alternative to the big stand mixer. It comes with 3 different types of beaters, it’s sure to be a welcomed accessory in any kitchen.

Silicone accessories, like a whisk, cupcake liners, a pastry brush or a spatula are always welcome in any kitchen. Silicone won’t melt, it’s heat resistant, it’s sturdy, and won’t scratch up your pans or glasses. It’s also pretty inexpensive, so these items would make a great stocking stuffer!

I love these stacking mugs, and they’re nice and big. These would look perfect on the counter next to that nice new Keurig coffee system (see where I’m going with this?). One can never have too many mugs, and when company is over during the holidays or for brunch, it’s nice to have a few mugs that match, and you can just grab one from the stack.

Wilton is known for having some pretty great baking products available to the public at a decent price. Now you can make donuts in the comfort of your own home, imagine the possibilities! Pick one up for your loves one, and a second one for yourself!

This three tier rack is genius! Space is always an issue in a busy cook’s kitchen, no matter how much space they have. So what better way to go, than up! Even if they already have some cooling racks, it’s just one of those things you can’t have too many of!

Every busy kitchen should have at least one bundt pan. There are so many great ones out there; it’s hard to pick just one. They come in so many designs and shapes. There’s nonstick, silicone, and anything else you can think of. I make so many things from my bundt pan; it’s my must-have accessory.

A lot of folks love sushi, and this kit is great for that sushi enthusiast in your life. It has all you need to make up to 125 pieces of sushi, from the wrappers to the seasonings, it’s fully stocked. It also comes with recipes and a how-to manual. What could be better?

Cast iron skillets have long been a kitchen favorite due to the even cooking and heating provided by this material. The 10.25” skillet shown here comes in a range of colors to suit the taste of your beloved foodie, and Le Creuset is known for their quality items that are sure to last for years to come!