For the Foodie

The best gift for a keen cook is not a gadget. They already have the gadgets. It is the thing they would never buy themselves: the new cookbook, the board that makes a cheese plate look intentional, the journal for the recipes that currently live on the back of envelopes.

This edit covers cookbooks including Ottolenghi FLAVOUR, Supergood by Chelsea Winter, Simple Fancy by Two Raw Sisters and The Kinfolk Table, plus linen recipe journals from Write To Me. For the bench there are enamel ladles, bowls and mugs, beechwood spoons and pastry brushes from Dishy, a Tasteology herb salt grinder, terrazzo boards from Zakkia, and Food Huggers and Stasher silicone storage.

Build a small bundle rather than one big thing: a cookbook, a serving piece and something nice for the sink. The Ecoya Tahitian Lime & Grapefruit Kitchen Gift Set is a bundle already done for you. For plates and platters, see our tableware and serveware.

What is a good gift for someone who loves cooking?
Something they would not buy for themselves. A new cookbook, a recipe journal for family favourites or a handsome serving board all get used. Pair a cookbook with a Dishy beechwood spoon or enamel bowl for a gift that feels considered.

What is a recipe journal for?
It is a bound home for the recipes that matter: handwritten family dishes, notes on what worked and clippings. Write To Me make linen-covered recipe journals, including Recipes Passed Down, which suit a new home or a new cook.

How do I care for enamel kitchenware?
Hand wash where you can and skip metal scourers, which can scratch the glaze. Enamel can chip if it is dropped or knocked, so store bowls and mugs where they will not clatter together.

Do you have foodie gifts that are not books?
Plenty. Try beechwood tools or a folding dish rack from Dishy, silicone Food Huggers or Stasher bags, a Tasteology salt grinder, or the Therapy Kitchen hand wash and candle from The Aromatherapy Co for the bench.