Cooking Up Some Christmas Love
I love to cook and entertain – all thanks to my college roommate and life-long buddy, Emily, who got me started. I don’t think I knew how to boil water before I met Emily.
With the kitchen being one of my favorite rooms, I thought it would be the perfect place to start my room-by-room gift guide. To give it a little twist, I’ve selected gifts with a ‘60’s-inspired theme.
Let’s go!
Aprons are back in style. And they’re actually very practical – as long as you’re prepared to get it messy. This vintage-look number is one of many styles from Etsy‚Äôs Snappyshop, $35.
It’s just the thing to wear when making the real thing – authentic, percolated coffee. Misterarthur, who has made “throwback” his modus operandi, has one in his office and is often receiving compliments. I chose Hamilton Beach’s 12-cup percolator, available at Target, for $44.99. Be sure to buy some Chock Full O’Nuts, too. Aaah, the aroma. Heavenly. It beats Sanka any day.
Okay, you have to be careful when giving tea towels. Some girls think they’re the weirdest gifts ever. Personally, I use them instead of paper towels. So I buy plain ones from IKEA. There are many, many girls who love a nice tea towel – just for show. That’s why I selected these retro styles from Bunny Maxwell, $38. Check out the cars on top.
I really like these Rif & Raff salt and pepper shakers from Rosenthal, $35. They’re part of a series of cute (too cute?) dishes and accessories. I really, really like these. But not the whole set. One or two from the set would give a kitchen an individual look.
Hailing directly from the 1960′s, may I suggest one of these Majamoo wood trays? Super hip and only $88. You can find them over at FinnStyle.
I would love to personally bring fondue made at home back into style. Your male friends should wear cardigans and turtleneck sweaters. The ladies wear theme sweaters (duh!).
If you drop your bread in the cheese you have to kiss someone. That could porribly bring new meaning to melted cheese. I like this Swissmar Lugano (ooh la la) design from FonduePots.com, $80.
Finally, I threw in a picture of Tang. It’s available everywhere. Back in the ’60′s they tried to pass it off as a perfectly healthy substitute for orange juice because astronauts drank it.
While we’re in the kitchen, you don’t want to forget a nice, vintage cookbook. I have a few from Betty Crocker. They’re more entertaining than useful. For example, my favorite receipe is a luncheon dish made with a slice of turkey lunchmeat (cut thick) topped with 2 slices of hard boiled egg and a slab of aspic (chicken flavored jello). Even the picture is nautious.
According to my mom, aspic was very refined back in the day. Therefore, I’d like to suggest The Betty Crocker Hostess Cookbook, 1967. It’s currently available at Vintage Cookbooks for $17.75.
I’ve followed that with more holiday tea towels I couldn’t resist. These elves, from Bunny Maxwell, are $15.
Back to the coffee for a mo, why not serve some cake with that cup of Joe? These Andy Warhol plates are from Rosenthal, $45 each. The collection includes this vase, which sells for $165.
A final word. Be careful about buying gifts that plug in – especially if it’s the sole present for your wife or girlfriend. Here’s why.
