Xmas Loot.... (merged w/ "Santa" topic)

[AmbrosiaFood]

I got a double [2roll] vintage country store butcher paper dispenser, which I will use for big rolls of foil and plastic wrap.

I got 3 different rolling pins for my collection.

I got a 3 tier Kitchen Carousel Utensil Organizer.

And a commercial rolling doughnut cutter.

[Dani Mc]

I finally got a copy of 'The French Laundry' cookbook. Quite possibly the most beautiful cookbook EVER.

New french press coffee maker, and a bag of coffee from a friend's favorite coffee spot in soho.

Espresso cups and saucers.

Dinner at Babbo with my husband. We're going monday night. I can't wait. Its our second time, so if anyone has any hidden gem items to try (we've already had the biggies: beef cheek raviolis, the love letters, etc.), please suggest.

Gifts from my parents and brother have not arrived yet, so I may be adding to the list soon.

[markabauman]

A Vita-Mix.

[NulloModo]

Since my smoker has finally arrived I have been very happy with it. Not technically a kitchen gadget (as I don't want to set off the smoke detector and leave the apartment smelling of hickory) but a great cooking tool none-the-less. I made smoked hard boiled eggs the first night (hehe, wanted something fast), and then some pork spare-ribs (rub was a little too intense I think), and I am starting a pork shoulder tonight that shold be delicious by lunchtime tomorrow.

[spice]

Lots o' loot:

a Quick Whip (for making whip cream)

an Ulu knife - really neat!

a new 2 quart All-Clad saucier

a flat-bottomed wok from the Wok Shop in SanFran

2 Korean stone bowls for making homemade Bibimbap

Alton's MORE FOOD

4 classy little oil/vinegar style pouring bottles

stocking stuffers:

cumin

juniper berries

saffron !!!

biscuit cutters

Scharffen Berger - 2 blocks

char siu sauce*

sambal oelek

XO sauce*

Worst-Case Scenario Card Game (cooking version)

*these two I'll have to figure out what to do with as I've never cooked with them before

I got lots of other cool things - mostly various DVDs, CDs and books - my favorite non-cooking item is very likely the Vienna Teng sheet music

[Octaveman]

XO sauce*

*these two I'll have to figure out what to do with as I've never cooked with them before

Spicy or non-spicy? I used the spicy sauce in a Thai fried rice dish. Damn that was good. It's very strong stuff so use sparingly. What kind of wok did you get...carbon steel or cast iron? I love my cast iron wok from them. Tane Tran was very nice to work with.

[saskanuck]

I didn't get many things food-wise this Christmas, but I did get one big thing - a white KitchenAid mixer! I've been wanting one forever.

[andiesenji]

A Vita-Mix.

←

A great gift. I have had Vita-Mix for many years, including a 35-year-old commercial one with stainless steel container that still works.

I got the newer one with the extra "dry" container for grinding grains for breads.

I often make soups with it, especially the ones that are subject to scorching on the stove.

"cooking" them in the Vita-Mix means there is no chance of that.

It is amazing how rapidly the stuff heats up from the action of the blades.

Enjoy!!

[andiesenji]

My final tally, after returning home and finding several boxes left at my neighbor's house, in addition to the things previously mentioned:

A gift certificate to Bristol Farms market for $50.

an 18 quart copper stockpot and a 6 quart copper stewpot, both with SS lining, Mauviel pro line (2.5).

An enormous copper/SS frypan bought in France with a copper-bound glass lid - the card with it says it is 38 centimeters in diameter (15 inches) and 10 cm deep.

I don't know the maker and the friend who gave it to me doesn't recall. She bought it in Marseille last fall. I can't read French so can't interpret the remainder of the text. It has a fairly long cast iron handle and a helper handle with really big rivets. Very, very heavy.

The "Mitford" cookbook and kitchen reader by Jan Karon.

The Curry Club Book of Indian Cuisine : The Best 250 Recipes

by PAT CHAPMAN

Bouchon by Thomas Keller

Dessert University : More Than 300 Spectacular Recipes and Essential Lessons from White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier

and Foie Gras: A Passion by Michael A. Ginor

I also got a gift certificate for $35.00 for the Outback steak house.

[FoodZealot]

I got the gift of bacon, twice! Both from the Grateful Palate - one is a pack including a cast iron pan and four bacons, and another is the monthly bacon package.

I also got a replacement brulee torch, a non-contact infrared thermometer and some gift cards, with which I'm going to break down and get myself a microwave. And a Sur la Table gift card as well.

I'm very fortunate.

[Safran]

an 18 quart copper stockpot and a 6 quart copper stewpot, both with SS lining, Mauviel pro line (2.5).

An enormous copper/SS frypan bought in France with a copper-bound glass lid - the card with it says it is 38 centimeters in diameter (15 inches) and 10 cm deep. 

I don't know the maker and the friend who gave it to me doesn't recall.  She bought it in Marseille last fall.  I can't read French so can't interpret the remainder of the text.  It has a fairly long cast iron handle and a helper handle with really big rivets.  Very, very heavy.

The "Mitford" cookbook and kitchen reader by Jan Karon.

The Curry Club Book of Indian Cuisine : The Best 250 Recipes

by PAT CHAPMAN

Bouchon by Thomas Keller

Dessert University : More Than 300 Spectacular Recipes and Essential Lessons from White House Pastry Chef Roland Mesnier

and Foie Gras: A Passion  by Michael A. Ginor

Oh Andie!! You did WELL!!

[Dani Mc]

Parents and brother were very generous.

Amongst other non-cooking items, I got:

Bouchon-Thomas Keller

East of Paris-David Bouley

Patrick O'Connell's Refined American Quisine (The Inn at Little Washington)

[bilrus]

2003 was a big cookware christmas so this year was a little less intense. Nonetheless, my big gift of this year was a Weber Smoky Mountain smoker with some other gear to go with it (BBQ mitts, a charcoal chimney). I also recieved a cool christmas ornament that looks like a stack of Le Creuset.

I thought for sure I was going to get the Bouchon cookbook, but noone picked up on those hints.

[joey madison]

I made off with quite a good haul this year. And someone must have been snooping in my kitchen, because many of these things I needed/wanted, but weren't on my list.

3qt All-Clad stainless cassulet

3qt All-Clad stainless sauce pan

A really cool looking narrow rectangular serving platter (looks like it's for sushi, but big enough for a roast)

Wustoff Santko Knife

2lbs of Shelbourne Farms 3yr raw milk white cheddar

And the obligatory coffee mug with strange matching mixing-spoon rest thingy.

[ruthcooks]

One more for me...a baking stone from my son, Chris, who makes his own pizza every Friday night. Now, I need a peel.

[hathor]

Thanks to this thread, I got a fancy-dancy immersion blender. What a wonderful toy! Nothing was safe.... I diced, whipped and beat everything I could get my hands on. Excellent fun...!

I also got new tongs. Can you imagine your faithful, trusted tongs up and dying on you?? New tongs are nice, but they haven't stood the test of time yet.

[peppyre]

Not Christmas, birthday, but still close enough that I think it counts With gift certificates, I picked up On Food and Cooking and Soul of a Chef. I think my sister is getting me Bouchon.

[plax]

I didn't get much in the way of food gifts this year-- the odd Godiva and so on-- but did get a nice olive oil & cruet set from a colleague (last year he gave me a book of knots, so this was definitely an improvement). Also a digital scale from the BF, though I had to buy it myself and collect the cash from him, so not necessarily the most thoughful of gifts.

[MicBacchus]

My husband is happy to give me cooking things because he ultimately reaps the benefits -- a Boos cutting board (you don't want to know what I'd used before - it's a wonder I still have fingers left!), silicone spatula & spoon, serrated knife, Les Halles, Hot Sour Salty Sweet cookbooks & - almost the best gift - help cleaning/straightening out my kitchen cabinets and drawers

[Sleepy_Dragon]

Not for the holidays, but a gift nonetheless: 35 quart stainless steel Crestware stockpot from my partner. She asked me what I wanted, I pointed at this, and et voila. Best thing was finding it as a return the store wanted to off-load, so it was only US $67 rather than the usual US $275.

It just arrived today. I'll be cooking out of The Saucier's Apprentice this weekend.

Pat

[winesonoma]

Not for the holidays, but a gift nonetheless: 35 quart stainless steel Crestware stockpot from my partner. She asked me what I wanted, I pointed at this, and et voila. Best thing was finding it as a return the store wanted to off-load, so it was only US $67 rather than the usual US $275.

It just arrived today. I'll be cooking out of The Saucier's Apprentice this weekend.

Pat

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Dat's a lotta sauce.

[Sleepy_Dragon]

Not for the holidays, but a gift nonetheless: 35 quart stainless steel Crestware stockpot from my partner.

....

It just arrived today. I'll be cooking out of The Saucier's Apprentice this weekend.

Pat

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Dat's a lotta sauce.

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Hehehe, yeah I know, but that was the size recommended by the book, for brown stock which will eventually reduce down to 20 cups o' demi to whack in the freezer. Still, I know what you mean... Though with 26 small sauces for brown demi in the book, I will go through it all!

Pat

Edited January 6, 2005 by Sleepy_Dragon (log)

[winesonoma]

Not for the holidays, but a gift nonetheless: 35 quart stainless steel Crestware stockpot from my partner.

....

It just arrived today. I'll be cooking out of The Saucier's Apprentice this weekend.

Pat

←

Dat's a lotta sauce.

←

Hehehe, yeah I know, but that was the size recommended by the book, for brown stock which will eventually reduce down to 20 cups o' demi to whack in the freezer. Still, I know what you mean... Though with 26 small sauces for brown demi in the book, I will go through it all!

Pat

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Keep us posted, My GF has the book.

[morela]

I got a "Rabbit" wine key that doubles as a vibrator...and a mini ipod.

Somebody loves me !

[Kevin72]

This is the Christmas where we officially outgrew our rather spacious kitchen. Got a number of serving platters, bowls, and utensils, so now they are jammed and stacked haphazardly in whatever cabinet space we can find. Any more and we'll have to >shudder< clean out our closets and use them for extra storage space.