On nurturing your favorite cook and/or baker this Christmas

When I got my first apartment after college, I bought a handful of things for the kitchen, probably from an aisle or two at Target: measuring spoons and cups, a dish-drying rack, some kitchen towels. Nearly everything else was covered by gifts and hand-me-downs. For someone who's never had a wedding registry, I've cleaned up quite well over the years, thanks to the loving folks in my life who know how much time I enjoy in the kitchen.

Perhaps you're already done with your shopping, but just in case you're out of ideas, here are a few things that I highly recommend for cooks - from the newbies to the ones who seem to have everything.

Little somethings

1. Measuring spoons. Most people already have a set, but having two sets can be a lifesaver from time to time. Plus, they come in all sorts of fun designs, like these, these and these ones. 
2. Pan scraper. Because new and seasoned cooks alike get stuff stuck to the bottom of the pan. The best ones are the size of a credit card and are just as flexible, but I've learned they're not easy to find unless you go to the right kitchen store (we stocked up at a store in Petaluma, Calif., knowing we might not find them elsewhere). They are also a dream for scraping out dough remnants from your mixing bowl. If you don't know the difference, a hard plastic square variety still works great.
3. Paring knife. Another item it doesn't hurt to have a few of. I like the ones that come with their own plastic sheath, making it easy to stash in a lunch bag.
4. Cookie and biscuit cutters. People like me don't need much of a reason to make cookies, but the opportunity to use fun cookie cutters is a compelling incentive.
5. Poach pods. I'm lousy when it comes to poaching eggs the traditional way, so these silicone wonders changed my breakfast life. You simply simmer some water in a pan, crack an egg into each pod, float them on the water, cover the pan, and in 6-7 minutes you have a perfectly poached, English-muffin sized egg. It's really fun.

Joel uses the microplane for fresh nutmeg topping on our adult drinks

Solid gifts

1. Microplane. Your life is made instantly easier and fancier in owning one of these. I use it almost every time I cook for mincing ginger and garlic, zesting citrus fruits and grating nutmeg and really hard cheese. 
2. Baking stone. Those who are serious about good pizza and crusty loaves, and who don't happen to have a wood-burning pizza oven, shouldn't attempt either without a baking stone.
3. French Press or Aeropress. I don't like taking up space on my counter with coffee machines, which is one reason I've loved my French press for so long, plus it makes really good coffee for one or two people. After developing a post-dinner espresso habit, however, the Aeropress came into our lives, and none to soon. We love it so much, it even comes on vacation with us. It's lightweight, stashable, simple, and makes a mean cup of coffee and espresso-like sips. 
4. Whirley Pop: I am normally not an advocate for single-purpose appliances like these, but for people like me who make a lot of popcorn and like having a seasoned pot for it, the Whirley Pop brings much joy. Include a bag of Tiny But Mighty heirloom popcorn for extra loveliness. 
5. A cutting block with a good chef's knife. Don't underestimate the power of one good knife on a sturdy surface. 
6. Pasta maker. It took me awhile to drum up the courage to make pasta, but after my first successful try (after a major fail), I was hooked. I started off with an Imperia, before I got my Kitchenaid attachment (even more fun to use), which came with two attachments for spaghetti and fettuccine noodles. Once you know how to make pasta, I say, you're set for life.

Cookbooks: The basics

1. The New Best Recipe cookbook (or any big book from Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen). This was a gift to myself right after college, after one of my friends used it for a recipe for calzones with perfect results. Years later, I still use this regularly for basic recipes and guiding principles, and its recipe for molasses spice cookies. There are no photos, which I think is important because it makes you read their detailed instructions carefully. 
2. The Art of Simple Food. Alice Waters is a wonderful teacher in showing us how to prepare food in a way that celebrates what it is, without all the fancy nonsense.
3. Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child. I love venturing into this beauty of a book whenever I want to tackle something new. Turns out that it's not all that difficult. 

Once you know how to do it, you can bake these babies anywhere. These were made at Mom and Dad's.

Cookbooks for expanding horizons

1. Ratio by Michael Ruhlman. This book, along with Tamar Adler's An Everlasting Meal, has made me a much more confident cook because it's taught me principles of cooking. No longer do I need a recipe for a vinaigrette, beef stock or bread dough because I know the ideal ratio and key ingredients for making them. This breeds much creativity in cooking, too; people might think you're a real whiz kid.
2. Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day. A great companion gift with the baking stone. There is no easier way to make your dinner more luxurious than by pulling a crackling round of bread from the oven. Thanks to this book, you'll usually find a bucket of dough in my fridge, ready to parse out over a couple weeks' time for loaves and pizza crust.
3. Smitten Kitchen Cookbook. There's a good variety of beautiful and approachable recipes in here. I make Deb's recipe for granola regularly.

An old trick on cold winter nights - soup on the stove, bread under the broiler, hands near all elements.

Pièce de résistance gifts

1. Pots and pans. This was my parents' Christmas gift to me when I was a senior in college. It made me feel like I'd arrived. I still love the set. It was from Macy's (Belgique brand) and it came with a stock pot, a large, medium and small sauce pan, a 10-inch skillet, and a steamer pot that fit on the large saucepan. I use them all.
2. Stand mixer. I was shocked when I received my Kitchenaid for Christmas. I was totally fine with the handheld mixer I had, but having the ability to machine-knead dough and whip egg whites while I readied other ingredients changed everything for me. And they come in such pretty colors.
3. Food processor. Another thing I didn't realize how much I'd love until I had one. I love mine for pasta dough, pie crust, big batches of well-whipped hummus, and pureeing nuts.
4. French or Dutch oven. My 5-quart red Le Creuset gets a lot of love. Everything I make in it looks so much more thoughtful, expertly assembled and delicious. And it just cooks things better, I'm convinced.
5. Cuisinart griddle/grill/panini press combo: I have fallen in love with this thing. I use it to grill meat, smash panini and fry pancakes. It's versatile and easy to clean, and I learned you can also buy waffle plates for it (!!).