The Sweetest Valentine Gifts

As much as I love a heart-shaped box of assorted chocolates, sometimes a small gift is sweeter. Below, a few treats for your Valentine. Or for yourself.

Hibiscus Flowers in Syrup

Plop a syrupy magenta bud into your champagne flute, and watch it bloom in bubbles. These flowers make any prosecco or champagne sparkle pinkly. (Under $10)

FiCoCo

I have not tried this fig and chocolate spread, but it sounds delicious. I imagine dabbing it on pear slices, with a glass of port. Or maybe as a more-interesting filling for thumbprint cookies. Or just eaten by the spoonful. Is that allowed? (Under $10)



Crystallized Ginger
Wanna spice it up? Ginger gives a kick, crystallized or in candy form. I love the Ginger People's Ginger Chews, but this honey-colored pot of candied cubes is a prettier present. Also check out ginger spread, syrups, and confections. ($6.50)




Coppola mini Blanc de Blancs
Planning a V-Day picnic (hopefully in warmer climates than Seattle), or a rom-com evening with lady friends? Pop a pink box of these cute, canned sparkling wines, insert teeny straws, and sip away. Alone on Sunday? At least this single-serving size keeps your wine bubbly. Cheers! (Around $15)

Best Christmas Kitchen Gifts

I tend to pick a theme when suggesting gift ideas, and apparently this year's was food. Or, food-related stuffs. I unwrapped books, a carving set, glassware, and tons of chocolates. Here are a few of my favorite things.

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. While Michael Pollan's The Omnivore's Dilemma certainly carried a message, it attempted to present evidence rather than forcefully argue a point. 48 pages in, In Defense of Food proves to actually be quite the manifesto -- less research-heavy journalism, more crowd-rallying call to arms (or maybe a call to asparagus) against the vast western conspiracy of processed food-like products. It's a short book, and engaging, fairly repetitive and predictable, but still researched, informative, and convincing. In summary (right there on the cover): "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants." Words to live by.

A small covered casserole dish, perfect for side dishes. I used it right away, for a crispy, buttery potatoes on Christmas night -- look for this in another post.

Giant glass canisters for flour, sugar, and ... ? I put these on my wish list, without quite realizing how huge they are. But they're perfect. One enormous tub of flour, one of sugar, and a third currently full of dog biscuits -- while this looks cute, I've discovered that sealed glass jars of meat-flavored treats get smelly when sitting in the sun. The contents may need to change.

Lots of Starbucks. While the 'bucks may not be my favorite coffee ever, I like the Christmas blend well enough. Very fortunate, since we've had about four pounds of it this season. Brian's mom threw in some instant, just in case. :)

Mysterious spinning vegetable chopper. I've never seen this item before, but Brian's mom labeled the gift tag one of her "most-used kitchen gadgets." It works with some kind of pulley, and as long as I don't sent the metal blades flying helicopter-style through the kitchen, the promise of fresh salsa is very exciting.

Stemless wine glasses. Sometimes it pays to ask for exactly what you want. The set my mom picked out are big (17 ounces), which makes them good for things other than wine. Water. Or eggnog. Or maybe something with coffee -- who wants Christmas blend? I've got four pounds!

A Little Trip To Fishs Eddy

Need the perfect platter, quaint cups, or monogrammed mug for a kitchenwares-loving friend? Direct your browser or Manhattan-based feet to Fishs Eddy, the independent retailer of all charming things dining and serving. The name comes from an upstate town.

These vintage flower storage jars were a housewarming present from Kelsey, who told me about the store. Storing leftovers isn't exactly a thrill, but selecting the best retro floral pattern to suit your stew or salad adds some variety.

Seeing Red

KitchenAid Artisan 5-Quart Stand Mixers $299.99 (regularly $349!)


Le Creuset 7-Piece Utensil Set with Enameled Stoneware Crock $69.95 (regularly $84!) or Just buy the crock by itself for $19.99
Cuisinart 1-1/2-Quart Automatic Ice Cream Makers $48.94 (regularly $90)


Crate and Barrel's Cardinal Placemat/Cotton Flame Napkin and Red Rim Dinnerware $13.95 - $54.95
Fran's Salted Caramel's $11.50-95.00

Fall Foodie Fashion

How adorable is this bracelet and necklace? Early Christmas present for the foodie in your life? Yes, I think so. Check out labyrinthvintage's etsy shop for more whimsical creations.