Food Lover's and Chef's

Food lovers have a tendency to get oddly excited over an exotic salt collection. I am one of them. We can appreciate the subtleties in flavor, and our imagination goes wild with how the salts can be used. Here is a list of my favorites:

Maldon Sea Salt: They're delicious on sliced Heirloom tomatoes.

Celtic Gray Salt: It's like you can taste the fresh ocean. They're moist and flavor soups beautifully.

Haleakala Red Sea Salt: An unusual and nutty flavor

Himalania Pink Salt: Couples beautifully with fish.

Alternatively, you can make your own salt rub to personalize it. Rosemary Sea Salt is a delicious choice especially for lamb lovers. (I'll post the recipe under Rosemary Sea Salt).

Cookbooks can also be great choices. You have to carefully evaluate your gift recipients, though. I personally prefer specialty cookbooks. That's the beauty and appeal of buying a cookbook because authentic recipes can be found, unlike online sources that don't share a passion to preserve the culture and tell a story through its food. However, busy minimalists may feel otherwise. Having a tangible book increases a person's likeliness to make those recipes, rather searching online. It's all about what works for the recipient.

-Specialty Cookbooks-

A Taste of Guam
Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Classic Indian Cooking
Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 1
Please to the Table: The Russian Cookbook
The Complete Book of Greek Cooking
The Irish Heritage Cookbook
The Silver Spoon
The Wisdom of the Chinese Kitchen

-General Cookbooks-

Everyday Food: Great Food Fast
O, The Oprah Magazine Cookbook
Rachael Ray Cookbook of choice
The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook: The New Classics

Even a cooking class may spark their interest especially if it's a class on pickling or something obscure like that.

Spa Theme

For the friend who does too much and never takes a break, this is the perfect gift. I recommend adding a terry cloth toiletry bag or a monogrammed tote, a plush bathrobe, fuzzy slippers, candles, eye pillow, and face mask for the gift recipient's skin type. This may not seem affordable, but you'd be surprised how reasonable this gift set can be especially if you make the products from scratch. A simple bath treatment can be made out of milk powder and lavender flowers. A honey face mask or exfoliator can be made with honey, baking soda, and milk powder. A body oil, which can double as a massage oil, can be scented with lemon or lavender or whatever essential oil and grapeseed oil, an unscented base oil for a luxurious treat. Bath bombs fizz in the water and are luxurious treatments. LUSH sells them for about $5 a pop, but you can also make them yourself. The same go for candles. I'll be sure to include recipes in a later time.

Italian Theme Gift

This is a great gift for food lovers, chef's, travelers, or even couples. Include red wine, wineglasses, pasta (homemade preferably), a jar of homemade bolognese sauce, a bottle of extra-virgin olive oil, bruschetta, marinated artichokes, unscented candles (for consideration and to be on the safe side), and an Italian mixed CD. You can add more to this gift set, if you'd like, but I specifically chose the following because it covers drinks, appetizers, main dish, dessert, and entertainment. Some wonderful additions would be sundried tomatoes, canned tomatoes, cheese sticks, or Italian coffee.

Gift Baskets and Care Packages

I know that they're a clique, and not everyone enjoys them. But there's a greater chance that your gift recipients will like what you get them if there's more than one gift. Besides, by taking the time to personalize a gift, you're more likely to find something your friends will like because of the extra consideration you put into it. Here are some ideas:

*Italian Dinner Theme
*Movie Lover Package
*Jams & Preserves
*Spa Girl or Guy
*Relaxation Kit
*Beauty Set
*Bookworm
*For the Green Thumb
*Exotic Salt Collection
*Craft Lover
*Art Student