Whether your sweetheart is a whiz in the kitchen or is just getting into cooking, a culinary gift is always appreciated. There’s definitely no shortage of great kitchen gadgets, cookbooks and knives out there, and we looked to a few well-known brands – Wusthof, Kuhn Rikon and Bodum – to curate this year’s guide. Hopefully you’ll find something to inspire you for gifting that special person who makes your palate sing.
Wusthof Classic Knife Block
This beechwood knife block plays off the classic look with updated straight edges lines over older, rounded versions. It’s got room for seven knives plus a sharpening steel and kitchen shears. Rubberized feet keep the block firmly positioned on your counter too. CAD $115
And while you’re at it, why not give your chef a head start to his or her collection with a few essentials, like a pair of kitchen shears (model 5558, CAD $42) and a sharpening steel (model 4473, CAD $50).
Handy for snipping fresh herbs, twine, flowers and opening food packaging, these 21 cm (8”) well-designed, stainless steel shears even snap apart for easy cleaning.
Sharpen those knives with Wusthof’s classic sharpening steel. The model we received has a solid handle, metal hoop and 26 cm (10”) of sharpening surface.
In Vancouver, find these and other Wusthof products at Gourmet Warehouse, House of Knives, Kitchen Therapy, Atkinson’s and Vinca’s Kitchen. Visit Wusthof online for more Canadian/US retailers and availability.
Epicurean Ratchet Grinder
We’ve been long-time fans of Kuhn Rikon’s ratchet grinder, but this one takes their basic model to a whole new level! Look at this gorgeous silver grinder with a see-through window to your fave spice mix, topped with a wooden knob. We make our go-to herb mix and keep one in the kitchen and the other table side to enjoy with all our home cooking.
The sleek design is BPA-free and contains that same ergonomic handle as their original ratchet grinder, for easy grinding, from coarse to fine. To fill, you just unscrew the grinder by holding with one hand below and one above window. Add your salt, pepper or spices then close it up and grind by moving the handle back and forth.
On the bottom is a knob to adjust level of grind (clockwise = fine, counter-clockwise = coarse). Kuhn Rikon’s ceramic grinding stone inside is built for years of use. USD $50
COLORI® Paring Knife
This versatile, all-purpose knife handles just about any kitchen task. It’s got a non-stick Japanese stainless steel blade, perfect for slicing cheese, chopping veggies or peeling apples and pears.
As well, the knife’s nonstick coating ensures foods will release from the blade, making for neat cuts. It comes with a matching sheath for storing, picnics and road trips.
They’re available in eight colours plus black for customizing a set of your own. USD $10
COLORI®+ Classic Fruit & Veggie Set
Kuhn Rikon’s colourful red and orange fruit and veggie duo includes a paring and a serrated utility knife, for multi-purpose kitchen prep.
Use the paring knife for cheese, veggies and peeling, the serrated knife for slicing fruits and veggies with smooth skin, as well as meat and bread.
Both are lightweight in design and sport a sharp Japanese stainless steel blade with matching sheath (for travel and storage) and ergonomic handle. Both this set and the paring knife above come with a two-year warranty and are dishwasher safe. USD $20
Bodum is one of our go-to fave brands for the kitchen! These are just a few of their handy, colourful and well-designed products to gift your chef this year.
Bodum Bistro Electric Coffee Grinder
A perfect mate for French press lovers like ourselves, Bodum’s compact and stylish BISTRO Blade Grinder grinds your beans to the exact grind, quick and easy.
The strong, durable stainless steel cutting blade spins at a precise RPM, and you can view the progress through the easily removable transparent plastic lid that contains a push button to power on the grinder.
You can either go for pulse or continuous grind (up to 60 seconds, to avoid the motor overheating). The Bistro grinds up to 60 grams of coffee beans (filling the volume of the lid). The cord wraps nicely on the bottom when storing the grinder.
Made of stainless steel, plastic and rubber, the Bistro comes in Aluminum Copper, Aluminum Silver, Black, Red and Off-White with a two-year warranty against defects. CAD $60/USD $45
Yohki Storage Jar with Cork Lid
Look no further for your food, coffee and tea storage needs than the minimalist Yohki storage jar system, a simple duo of lead-free borosilicate glass with a cork lid.
Borosilicate glass has a brilliance like no other industrial manufactured glass and won’t absorb aromas once you’ve run it in the dishwasher. We still have BODUM jars we purchased in Europe circa 2000 and through the years, continue to store our freshly-ground coffee.
The Yohki is available in various sizes as well. 0.6 liter/20 oz.; CAD $16/USD $13
Classic Storage Jar
The classic, European-made Chambord storage jar complements BODUM’s expansive line of coffee and tea products of the same name, including French press makers, tea pots, milk frothers, coffee glasses and sugar and creamer sets.
Chambord jars are sealed with a thin removable silicon gasket to keep it shut tight for safe storage and just like the Yohki, the lead-free borosilicate glass won’t absorb aromas once washed in a dishwasher. They’re also microwave-safe.
These beauties come in various sizes to store anything from pasta to popcorn kernels. 0.5 liter/17 oz., CAD $20/USD $15; 1 liter/34 oz., CAD $28/USD $20
Find Bodum products online at Amazon, Kohl’s and The Bay.
