Your Loved Ones Will Drool Over These Foodie-Approved Gifts

If you’ve never been to the John Derian store in New York, I urge you to pay it a visit whenever you can. I could stay in there for hours admiring the beautiful plates and ornaments and decor. This sticker book offers a little taste into the John Derian world, including plenty of beautiful fruits and vegetables. The only problem? It’s so beautiful and artfully arranged that you won’t want to use any of the stickers. 

This is a Mark Bittman recommendation — so, in his words: “I was never a huge apron wearer, but I got sick of thinking of even my nice shirts as disposable — and when aprons nicer than my mother’s became available, I started wearing them. My favorite (aside from “I’ll Feed All You F*ckers”) is ​this one from Tilit​—it’s waxed cotton (canvas?), has a great feel, resists staining, washes like a dream, and has nice ties that even work for those of us of a certain girth.” (Use code ​Bittmanbites10​ for 10% off your order.)

My husband and I are not what you’d call “adventurous” cocktail people at home; that’s not because we’re picky or boring (I mean, maybe the latter, sure) but because we’re such martini people. But after making batched Negronis for guests a few months back, I realized that I wanted to up our game, because it’s fun. The Caraway set is really good looking, with pretty storage and every tool you’ll need to make every drink you want. (That spoon!)

First of all, ​this thing​ is gorgeous. It makes me happy when I see it. But, more importantly, it’s good for just about anything. Roasting vegetables or meat, for sure. But also — it’s meant for baking. A slab pie, a sheet cake, pizza (I’ve done this!). It’s much more fun than a traditional sheet pan, and just as versatile. 

My dad and I recently had Dorie on our podcast, Food with Mark Bittman, and I just love her. (Okay, and so does everyone else in the world.) She has such a non-fussy approach to baking, yet she knows it better than just about anyone. Her new book focuses on easy and snackable cakes, and even my 9-year-old was intrigued when he saw it — and he dogeared pages! Cocoa-Swirled Pumpkin Bundt, Cafuné Corn Cake, BFF Brownie Cake, Apple Custard Cake… those are just a few of the “snacks” I have my heart set on.

With a subscription, every week (or less; that part is flexible and up to you), a selection of seasonal flower arrangements (local and North American as much as possible) is delivered (free delivery!) to you/your giftee. Every flower in the arrangement is different, which, in my opinion, makes for the most stunning bouquet. A sweet bonus is that each delivery includes a photo of how the brothers arranged their bouquet, along with information about each flower and a flower arranging tutorial.

Botanical Brothers is currently delivering to Manhattan, south of 125th Street; a decent chunk of Brooklyn (Sunset Park to Greenpoint); Long Island City; Hoboken; and Jersey City. The pricing is more than reasonable — and be sure to use the code BITTMANPROJECT20 when you check out for 20% off your first delivery. Apologies to those of you who aren’t yet eligible to receive these flowers, but the Botanical Brothers tell me they’re working on expansion, and the flowers are too wonderful to not share immediately.