Domestic Details: Holiday Gift Guide For Domestic Gods and Goddesses

‘Tis the season for giving and receiving, friends, and needless to say, I’m pretty excited about it. I finally sent my Christmas list to my family yesterday, and while this year’s inventory is more of a “shoot for the stars” type of wishlist, I’m feeling hopeful. I’ve been very good this year.

In case any of you are scrambling to put together your own wishlist, or trying to find something special for your family/friends/significant other/roommate, I have compiled a handy gift guide of awesome and useful items that you’ll be excited to both give and receive this holiday season. So, in the spirit of bringing a little domestic joy to you and yours, I proudly present…

Domesticate Me’s Holiday Gift Guide for Domestic Gods and Goddesses: 1. Wusthof Classic 3-Piece Knife Set. These are the only three knives anyone needs in their kitchen. We’ve discussed this.

2. Sur La Table Kitchen Towels. Because dish towels are a necessity and these ones look classy and French.

3. Reidel Stemware. Grown-ups deserve to drink their wine out of fancy glasses, and Reidel’s stemware is beautifully made and reasonably priced. I’m a big fan of their stemless collection as well.

4. Brookstone Connoisseur’s Compact Wine Opener. Struggling with a shitty corkscrew is annoying and painful to watch. This idiot-proof wine opener is a lifesaver.

5. Le Creuset Cookware. The best cookware you will ever own. If you can afford a whole set (booyah, moneybags!) awesome.  If not, I recommend asking for/investing in a French oven, a grill pan, a skillet or a gratin dish.

6. Brooklyn Slate Cheese Board. Make cheese and meats look rustic and fancy! It’s also perfect for serving any and all finger foods, sandwiches, etc.

7. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. For thoughts on the joys of cast iron, please see here.

8. Ina Garten’s Foolproof. Ina is a genius, and every single recipe in this book is actually foolproof.

9. Cuisinart Elite Mini Prep Food Processor. This baby bad boy will help you accomplish everything from chopping onions to making sauces without taking up all your counter space. It’s a great starter tool for those peeps dabbling in domestic endeavors.

10. All-Clad Stainless-Steel 7-Piece Cooking Tool Set. A useful collection of basic kitchen tools in one sleek stainless-steel canister. You can also have it monogrammed if you’re into that. (My roommate gave me this a couple years ago, and I was pumped.)

11. Williams-Sonoma Smart Thermometer. Because everyone needs a meat thermometer, and this one is the best. (For reasons one requires a meat thermometer, please see here.)

12. OXO V-Blade Mandolin. From julienning vegetables to slicing potatoes, a mandolin will change a cook’s life. I chose this one because it has a pusher to hold food in place and protect people from slicing off their fingers. You’re welcome.

Happy Holidays! Domesticity is all in the details, friends. Bow to your sensei.

*If you have a burning question that you’d like featured on a future edition of Domestic Details, don’t hesitate to contact me or leave it in the comments. Help me help you.