Keen cooks are easy people to buy for – from recipe books to kitchen gadgets, there’s always something on our wishlist. Here’s our pick of the top ten presents we’d love to find beneath our Christmas tree. Not that we’re dropping any hints or anything.
1. Spice carousel, Boutique Provençale
If your kitchen cupboard is stuffed with loose spice jars waiting to leap onto the head of the unsuspecting door opener, then this retro wooden spice carousel is for you. Made by Natives, a family company based near Aix en Provence in the south of France, it’s guaranteed to add a little je ne sais quoi to your kitchen. £52.50 from Boutique Provençale.
2. Wooden crate, Lovestruck Interiors
We love these quirky wooden crates, made from offcuts of solid pine. Divided into two compartments, they make perfect herb pot holders or tidies for kitchen utensils or all those little odds and ends that seem to haunt even the neatest kitchen. Available in small and large sizes from Lovestruck Interiors, prices start from £35 including free UK delivery.
3. Fish trivet, The Nautical Company
Trivets are often a necessity to protect worksurfaces from hot pans, but can be more functional than stylish. This lovely fish trivet, £14 from The Nautical Company, is a decorative addition to your kitchen, and looks good enough to leave out even when it’s not needed. Other designs in the range feature a starfish, racing yachts and boats.
4. Apron, bread basket and oven glove set, Ville et Campagne
The sun’s shining. Bees are droning lazily past the open window. We’re lifting the hot baguette out of the oven, and slicing it into the bread basket….and then we wake up. Oh well, at least this gorgeous French-inspired fabric set will keep us going until the spring. Available from Ville et Campagne, priced at £26.
5. Robin tea towel, Annabel James
This cute tea towel couldn’t be any more seasonal, and should lift flagging festive spirits after dinner. You might even be able to talk someone else into doing the drying-up for a change. Available from Annabel James, priced at £12.
6. Cookie cutters, The Oak Room
These heart-shaped cookie cutters make us smile – maybe because they remind us of Loveheart sweets, a throwback to our misspent childhoods. With a choice of three different messages, they’d be an unusual addition to any cook’s kitchen equipment. £6.99 from The Oak Room.
7. Camper van toaster, The Great Gift Company
We just couldn’t resist this toaster (okay, we didn’t try that hard). Its kitsch camper van styling will turn every breakfast time into an holiday – but don’t blame us if your whole household suddenly decides to start living on toast. £40 from The Great Gift Company.
8. Lidded jar, Aston pottery
With its delicate pattern of wintery snowflakes, this pretty hand-painted lidded jar would suit any décor. Great for storing tea bags, sugar, spices or dozens of other kitchen necessities, it costs £14.99 from Aston Pottery.
9. Mixer, Kenwood
Unleash your inner Nigella with this stylish Kenwood mixer – ideal for whipping cream, making mousses, beating batter or even kneading bread, it’s a kitchen essential. We like this eye-catching raspberry red version, available from Red Candy for £69.
10. Personalised recipe print, Betsy Benn
Any keen chef worth their salt has a signature recipe – whether it’s a tried-and-tested family hand-me-down, or a new, adventurous combination. Immortalise your dish with this fun personalised recipe print, £40 from Betsy Benn, perfect addition to any kitchen wall.
