Small Holiday Gift Ideas?

[Heckel7302]

I thought it would be fun to share some of our favorite kitchen related stuff that can work as small gifts (thinking under $100, stocking stuffer, gift exchange type things). KKF has steered me well in this department before. Awesome utensils you love? Indulgent ingredients that you'd balk at buying for yourself but would love to see in your stocking?

For example, someone recently posted about Earlywood spatulas. Never heard of them, but they look awesome and already sent to my wife to make sure they are under the tree this year. Someone posted some great looking aged shoyu, that got added to the family gift exchange list. Kuhn peelers and GIR spoonulas made it into the stocking last year.

What say you KKF? What are a few of your favorite things?

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

I was gonna say Earlywood spatulas and Kuhn peelers but ya got those checked off.

So, I'll toss out Chef's Press. I have a pair of the standards and love 'em. Will likely add a couple more.

https://bernalcutlery.com/collections/chefs-press

 

[esoo]

The Earlywood tasting spoons are cool (admittedly don't use them a lot), and I was just giving the cooking chopsticks which I haven't had a chance to use yet.

I like the Sawyer Ceramics butter keeper, salt pig and garlic keeper:
https://sawyerceramics.com/collections/all-products

 

[Pie]

I’m polishing up individual Higonokami for each of my coworkers, and time/skill allowing making little wooden charms to attach. Trying to make it a bit more personal, because I find stuff with less meaning gets put/thrown away quicker.

I think they’re around $30 each, the investment is in the significant amount of time each one takes. What else am I going to use the jnats for?

Good thing there’s only 4 of them.

Last year was a solid pair of Milwaukee scissors. Much less personal, but quite useful.

 

[tostadas]

 

[MowgFace]

Kunz Spoonz
Tengui
Opinel Paring Knives
Chef's Press (+1)
Spurtles
Rosle Tongs
Lava Tools Instant Read Thermo

 

[Jovidah]

Robert Herder paring knives >>> Opinel paring knives... but I guess the Herders are a lot harder to find in the US. I have both and Opinel just doesn't hold a candle to the Herder... in fact the Opinel folders actually have far better grinds than their paring knives.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Oh, and all things Microplane. Truly a jump in zesting and grating quality.

My wife now jokes that her Microplane grater is her favorite kitchen knife. She's only half-kidding.

 

[Heckel7302]

Robert Herder paring knives >>> Opinel paring knives... but I guess the Herders are a lot harder to find in the US. I have both and Opinel just doesn't hold a candle to the Herder... in fact the Opinel folders actually have far better grinds than their paring knives.

My wife loves using small serrated “tomato” knives (bless her heart). I picked up a Robert Herder one and wasn’t very impressed. Maybe I’m just not used to such thin flexy blades.

 

[Jovidah]

My wife loves using small serrated “tomato” knives (bless her heart). I picked up a Robert Herder one and wasn’t very impressed. Maybe I’m just not used to such thin flexy blades.

Honestly I've never seen any of their serrated knives. Their main virtue is that they're ground proper thin behind the edge - something unseen in their price range. Never considered the thinness an issue in short paring knives.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Fish spatulas are another favorite, unsung hero in the kitchen. I like these two:

https://www.amazon.com/Matfer-Bourg...ocphy=9033786&hvtargid=pla-321558285754&psc=1
https://www.knifemerchant.com/produ...MIraLa37S9-wIVJxCtBh1YuQBVEAQYASABEgKHS_D_BwE
I do think there are left handed versions too.

 

[Jovidah]

Has anyone ever found one of those that had a handle that:
-wouldn't melt (problem with plastics)
-is dishwasher friendly (problem with wood)
-wouldn't get hot (problem with metal)
Have yet to find one that ticks all those boxes...

 

[stringer]

Has anyone ever found one of those that had a handle that:
-wouldn't melt (problem with plastics)
-is dishwasher friendly (problem with wood)
-wouldn't get hot (problem with metal)
Have yet to find one that ticks all those boxes...

I have a Dexter with a wood handle that's been run in the dishwasher hundreds of times no issues over the last twenty years. If it ever does get messed up I'll get another one. But if you really just need something indestructible you can't beat the Mercer Hell's Handle stuff. It's plastic but takes quite a bit of effort to melt. This is what I buy particularly destructive line cooks.

 

[WildBoar]

Unicorn pepper mill

 

[MarcelNL]

-a selection of GOOD peppercorns....so folks can taste what pepper ought to taste like (provided they have a grinder)

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Here's another little gem that I absolutely love.

https://www.foodsaver.com/food-vacu...eld-food-vacuum-sealer-black/SAP_2159391.html
So much better for freezing than Ziplocks. Yes, the bags cost more but I think it's well worth it. I have a small kitchen so a full sized sealer is cumbersome and while this guy may not be as good as one of those, it still does a nice job and I love having it. Also, as long as the bags weren't for raw meat, I typically wash and re-use them They do also sell dedicated washable bags but I've never tried them.

Since you press these down on a flat surface like a counter top, sometimes you can actually seal off the ring that it evacuates through and it won't seem like it's doing anything. You just back off your pressure a bit and even rock it slightly and you'll see it start going.

This is one of those items that if and when it dies, I'll be online that same day buying a replacement.

 

[daveb]

Rosle Tongs
Rosle "Y" Peeler
Toadfish Fish Spat
Toadfish Oyster Knife and Cloth
Unicorn Pepper Mill (and peppercorns)

 

[M1k3]

Arkansas, BBW and Coti pocket stone.

 

[HumbleHomeCook]

Arkansas, BBW and Coti pocket stone.

What is me left alone for four minutes in @cotedupy's house?

 

[cotedupy]

ATM I want more kiridashi in my life I think.

But here's another option that I've bought a fair few of for myself and others - Okeya Unagisaki in Shirogami 2, which costs about $50USD. Even if you're not into live eel butchery they're excellent for polishing practice, and just generally awesome-looking!

 

[bsfsu]

Stuff

 

[Qapla']

But here's another option that I've bought a fair few of for myself and others - Okeya Unagisaki in Shirogami 2, which costs about $50USD. Even if you're not into live eel butchery they're excellent for polishing practice, and just generally awesome-looking!

I have to ask: How do these others (who presumably aren't trad-j knife enthusiasts?) most often use this sort of knife?

 

[cotedupy]

I have to ask: How do these others (who presumably aren't trad-j knife enthusiasts?) most often use this sort of knife?

Do you mean for stuff that's not eels...? Dunno really.

For eel filleting you can google a few youtube vids, including one done by a friend of mine. I would link here, but it's slightly brutal as the eel is alive and it might put people off their cornflakes.

 

[Jovidah]

Do you mean for stuff that's not eels...? Dunno really.

For eel filleting you can google a few youtube vids, including one done by a friend of mine. I would link here, but it's slightly brutal as the eel is alive and it might put people off their cornflakes.

You mean corn also gets skinned alive? I never knew!

 

[cotedupy]

You mean corn also gets skinned alive? I never knew!

The sheer inhumanity of the cinema popcorn industry is inexcusable.

 

[blokey]

You mean corn also gets skinned alive? I never knew!

Human are savages, they even eat baby corns.

 

[WildBoar]

We call that 'corn veal'. They are raised in tiny pens that do not let them even walk around.