Three More Shopping Days Left

If my calculations are correct, there are only three more shopping days left until Christmas. For those of you looking for last minute gift ideas for the foodie on your list, please let me help. Here are five gifts for that certain someone who spends way too much time in the kitchen. Each shows how smart and thoughtful you are and can still be purchased before that deadline on Christmas Eve.

Cooking Lessons
- In my experience, everyone loves to learn something new in the kitchen. It could be the opportunity to further develop their skills, expand their knowledge, or explore an all new cuisine entirely. Think about the person you have in mind, the budget, and options around you before selecting the best class. If possible, choose a class you can both take together to share the experience.

Wine
- Wine is often dismissed as the gift that you give to the person in the office that you don’t know very well or you bring to a holiday gathering out of obligation. OK, it is both of those. However, it can also be a very heart-felt gift. If they have favorites, buying them will show that you know the person and you are just that thoughtful. If you don’t know their favorites, give them your favorites and share with them why they are your favorites and what you enjoy them with.

Retail Gift Cards
- You may be thinking this is a phone-it-in gift, but there is not a chef in the world that wouldn’t like a new toy or two in the kitchen. I know that I am very difficult to buy for in this regard as I have particular tastes and already have a lot of strange kitchen tools. For someone like me, this may be the best way to go. Find a store that you know they already like (ie: Crate & Barrel, Williams Sonoma, etc.) and present them with the gift card as the opportunity to pick out exactly what they want.

Restaurant Gift Certificates
- Again, don’t dismiss this one as being too easy. I learned from shopping for my father – a very difficult person to buy for – that often, an experience is more fun than an item. By giving a gift certificate, you are doing just that in giving them the experience of a new or favorite restaurant. While they may love to cook, I’m sure they love to go out and experience someone else’s cooking as well.

Magazine Subscriptions
- When I am not in the kitchen, I am often reading about food, wine, cooking techniques – you name it. If the person on your list falls into the same category, a subscription to a magazine within their specific interest could be just the thing. There are plenty to choose from, like Food Network Magazine, Food & Wine, Cooking Light, or others, and they all have great content in each issue.

Have a Merry Christmas. Enjoy!