Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you are well aware of the food craze that is sweeping our nation. Whether it is cooking, eating, or just learning about food, I have no doubt you or someone you know is obsessed. Well, good news! Your food-obsessed friends will be the easiest to shop for this holiday season. With items ranging from cookbooks to kitchen appliances, the gift ideas are endless! But since I’ve never heard someone brag about the knife set they received on Christmas, it’s time to get more creative people! And here to make your holiday shopping a breeze, I’ve done my research and compiled the greatest list of unique, quirky, and useful gifts to please all the food lovers in your life. They range from having a “Top Chef” cook your dinner to the perfect stocking stuffers. Just don’t be surprised if you find yourself ordering two of each, one for your friend and one for yourself. And just for fun, I’ve added some of the most extravagant food gifts on the market, because nothing says “Happy Holidays” like an $8,000 Espresso Machine! Am I right? Eat Up New York York’s Top Holiday Gift Ideas For Foodies: 1) What’s better than recipes from one chef? How about over 100 recipes from your foodie favorites right here in New York. The Chelsea Market Cookbook collects the most interesting and famous recipes from the market’s eclectic vendors and celebrity food personalities. Help your friends avoid the crowds this season with this cookbook full of market favorites like Buddakan’s Hoisin Glazed Pork Belly, to Sarabeth’s Velvety Cream of Tomato Soup, to Ruthy’s Rugelach. Available at Amazon, $23.01 2)This kitchen gadget is a sure way to impress all your friends, and maybe even turn them into veggie lovers. (Psst it’s my favorite, EVER!) The Spiralizer will surely change your food lover’s life. With this powerful, yet easy to use gadget, you can turn almost any fruit or veggie into a big pile of pasta. Okay, not real pasta, but the closest thing to pasta minus the carbs. For beginners in the world of spiralizing, I would recommend starting with the Vegetti. A no-fuss tool that will give you great results. For those looking to advance their spiralizing experience, go for the Paderno. Both available on Amazon. Veggetti – Easy Pasta Making Tool Paderno – You might want to consider starting with the Veggetti because it is a little more straight forward and has less options/parts/attachments. The Paderno, seems to us, is for folks with a little more pasta making experience under their belt…and for those who are good at keeping instruction and attachments! 3) Help your egg loving friend avoid the pain-in-the-butt experience of trying to separate an egg with this fun tool! With the squeeze of a bottle, this tool sucks up the yolk of a raw egg and deposits it into a separate dish. This made the list of the Top Holiday Gift Ideas because it’s a no brainer for the bakers you know Available at Quirky for $10.39. Cool Egg Separator 4) An iPad is the kitchen’s ultimate friend, assisting a chef in all their cooking adventures. But without the right stand, things could get messy real quick. Help your sous chef protect their goods with this food-proof plastic sleeves and a stand that keeps the device upright and ready to assist. Available at Food52 for $20-55. 5) Personally, the hardest part about baking a cake is figuring how take a nibble (err I mean test-taste) before serving it, without ruining its appearance. Usually I’ll just cover it up with loads of icing, but the folks over at quirky are smarter than I. They have solved my problem by creating a tasting cup attached to the cake pan, allowing you taste-test your sweet concoction without damaging its beautiful shape! Genuis! Nibble is available at Quirky, $12.99 The Nibble 6) A zester, muddler, reamer, channel knife, jigger, stirrer, strainer, corkscrew, bottle opener, and knife, OH MY! Now that’s efficient. This is like the MacGeyvor of Top Holiday Gift Ideas and it’s the perfect stocking stuffer. Available at Bed Bath & Beyond, $29.99 Bar10der The Ultimate Cocktail Tool 7) Even if you’re not meeting your friends for ice cream in this year’s polar vortex, we know you’re still craving it. I present to you the easiest, most low-stress way to whip up your favorite ice cream. Your friend will feel obliged to whip you up your favorite frozen treat after you gift them with this! Zoku ice cream maker, Williams-Sonoma. $25.95; Zoo Ice Cream Maker 8) Is she a cat or a dog person? Question answered, gift solved. Cheese board and spreader set, $38; C. Wonder. Cat Cheese Board & Spreader Dog Cheese Board & Spreader 9) With salt and pepper being the two most essential items in most kitchens, why not shake it up this holiday season with this set? We know your food lovers will appreciate this pinch of love. Available at Uncommon Goods, $10 Salt & Pepper Shakers 10) Help your indecisive friends make their cooking and drinking decisions much easier. These dice won’t help you in Monopoly, but they will decide what’s on your next dinner plate or drink. Simply roll, and accept your challenge. Both are available for purchace on Uncommon Goods. Top Holiday Gift Ideas: Foodie Dice & Mixology Dice 11) This is the perfect gift for the Top Chef-obsessed. With Kitchit, restaurant fanatics can bring actual chefs into their homes. This private dining startup connects you with past “Top Chef” contestants, who are offering a variety of menus, such as The Italian Fest or “Ultimate Challenge” meal, inspired by the hit reality-TV show. Pick one and your next dinner party will be epic. Available at Kitchit starting at $45 per person. 12) And finally, help kick start your friend’s 2015 goal of becoming a world famous sushi chef with this beginner’s kit! With Sushi Quik, your favorite sushi lover will never have to settle for a mediocre overpriced California roll. Let them entertain and impress with this easy make-your-own sushi kit from the comfort of their home! Available at Uncommon Goods, $34.95 Sushi Quick Set So there you have it. Our 2014 Eat Up New York Top Holiday Gift Ideas. Happy Shopping & Happy Holidays
