Guy Gift Guide – Chef Edition

Your significant other is a guy and a chef, and you are looking for ideas to get him for Christmas and/or other Holidays celebrated at the end of the calendar year. I’m here to help… I’m Jesse, the husband of Tipsy AK, and a self-proclaimed chef wannabe.. mostly wannabe. Here are seven ideas to purchase for that inner chef of yours:

1. Square grill pan ($99) so most guys grill steaks outside, but at some point try to move it inside, searing the steak on the cooktop and finishing in the oven. The trouble I always found was that most grill pans have this very annoying long handle. With this grill pan, you can put the grill directly in the middle of the oven without a handle. Score!
2. Shun Japanese Vegetable ($119.95) Knives are pretty personal, but if he doesn’t have this knife he’s missing out. This knife is very sharp, fits nicely in your hand, and is unique (which helps increase bragging potential).
3. Food Grinder for Stand Mixer ($49) Things guys enjoy: sausage and hamburgers; with this grinder, your man can buy steaks and grind his own hamburger meat which is cool for 2 reasons: a) ever had a burger thats 1/3 brisket, 1/3 sirloin, and 1/3 chuck? (Thomas Keller has). b) Making your own sausage? come on, that’s just awesome.
4. Herb Grinder ($9.95) Many recipes, such as homemade pizza, call for fresh herbs… I’d like to use this to grinder up and chop fresh rosemary for focaccia bread, or maybe some fresh thyme for a steak. Either way, simple and easy gift.
5. Granite Mortle & Pestle ($32.95) I heart this, honestly I do. You use this to grind up garlic, or create your own spice rub with whole peppercorns. You can even grind up the avocados and ingredients and serve guacamole at the table in this thing. love it.
6. Bialetti Mukka Express Cappuccino Maker ($72) I like to think that Mukka really means Mocha, even though there’s no evidence to support this theory… What I like about this maker is that you can make cappuccinos, or in my case mochas, with no fuss at all. You add water, ground espresso, milk and you set it on the stove. Consider this a way to save much moneys in 2010 (cow or aluminum … your choice!).
7. Cooking Class ($60 or so) .. Houston has Leisure Learning, Texas has Central Market cooking classes , and everywhere else has Sur La Table cooking classes has excellent cooking classes too. I’ve been to several and have loved every.single.one and learned something new every time.

Jesse is a guest author; his claim to fame is being Tipsy Society author AK’s husband. He creates websites at http://comalproductions.com.