THE MATCHING GAME A Foolproof Plan For Selecting That Perfect Gift For Each Cook On Your List
Whether it’s pressed duck, chocolate body paint or crab fresh from our waters, holiday time is food time in the Bay Area.
Being the food freaks that we are in Northern California, our gifts must have that quintessential twist. They must be sophisticated . . . or at least quirky and humorous. Here at The Chronicle Food Labs (i.e., Ye Olde Foode Department), we have developed a simple quiz to help you match the gift to the recipient. Is your giftee a true foodie, a skilled cook or someone who doesn’t necessarily like to linger in the kitchen? Our test — using the same state-of-the-art technology that brought you New Coke and Crystal (clear) Pepsi — will help you hone those shopping decisions to a fine edge. You’ll look savvy and the giftee will feel special.
And while you’re at it, take the quiz yourself — it may help you drop just the right hint to culinarily challenged family members and friends (you don’t want another “Kiss the Cook” apron, do you?).
Once you’ve found the category of cook you’re shopping for — Foodie, Skilled or Basic — check inside for suitable gift suggesteions. We have dozens of ideas to help you find an artful, useful — and thoughtful — gift for everyone on your list — including crafty little you. Happy shopping!
THE QUIZ
Keeping your gift recipient in mind, circle the appropriate response to each statement. When cooking, I/they might grab a copy of:
a. Larousse Gastronomique
b. anything by Julia Child
c. anything by Betty Crocker
In the last month, I/they flipped through a copy of:
a. Cooks’ Illustrated
b. Gourmet
c. People Magazine, while in the checkout line
In the last two months, I/they:
a. went to the opening of Jardiniere
b. used the word “Stars” in some context other than Hollywood or celestial bodies
c. got excited that a Boston Market was opening up in the neighborhood
In the last three months, I/they cooked:
a. a deboned chicken, stuffed with Yukon gold potatoes, sage and lemon on a bed of white truffle risotto with a gratin of autumnal vegetables
b. a great roast chicken, garlic mashed potatoes and mixed baby- green salad
c. Phyllis George-marinated chicken breasts
My/their favorite kitchen utensil is:
a. a sawed-off PVC pipe to use for layered terrines
b. a thermometer and/or timer
c. a telephone
When planning a vacation I/they go:
a. to Vietnam to find the mother of all pho
b. to Provence to check out every two-star restaurant
c. wherever those cute paper umbrellas are perched in the drinks
When asked for a restaurant recommendation, I/they point the way to:
a. the newest Japanese-Cuban fusion cuisine hot-spot
b. the little neighborhood Italian place with Chianti bottles on the tables
c. that wraps place with a special turkey-cranberry holiday combo
Now, tally your score: (a) answers are worth 2 points each; (b) answers are 1 point each; (c) answers score zero. points, Foodie: You/they are officially a member of the food elite and quite at home in the kitchen. Real foodies plan their vacations as epicurean adventures, regard a meal in a top restaurant as the greatest play ever written, and most likely have made it through an entire book by M.F.K. Fisher. points, Skilled: To these people, food — to quote Martha Stewart — is “a good thing.” They’re skilled cooks who like to experiment in the kitchen but don’t treat it as an amateur chemistry lab. They eat out for fun, enjoy reading cookbooks, and often pass good recipes on to friends. points, Basic: These are the salt of the earth. They may be familiar with basic cooking skills, but often they are pressed for time, are just getting started on their own, or simply don’t have the funds to live the gourmet life. They may not know the difference between bechamel and bolognese, but they’ve got the phone numbers to the best takeout Chinese, Mexican and pizza places in town. SURE-TO-PLEASE PRESENTS FOR THE COOKS ON YOUR SHOPPING LIST
Here are some hot suggestions for the cook on your list, whether an experienced Foodie, a Skilled cook or a Basic kitchen doodler. (See Quiz, Page 1.)
SMALL KITCHEN APPLIANCES
— Foodie: A kitchen torch caramelizes creme brulee or toasts sugar on top of a tart. Its adjustable flame melts sugar quickly, so the filling stays cool. Butane fuel not included. $34 at Williams-Sonoma throughout Northern California, or call (800) ; similar devices available at other cookware stores. — Skilled: Williams-Sonoma’s electric hand-held whisk/blender, with attachments for whisking, beating and mincing, is $99.95 from the catalog only. (800) .
— Basic: The Cuisinart Classic LC10 is indispensable for the college student, newlywed or those just getting started on the cooking trail. $175 at Macy’s Cellar, Union Square; (415) ; and other Macy’s locations.
GADGETS
— Foodie: For a little gleam, try a silver-plated pizza cutter, ice cream scoop or the most popular, a silver- plated Tabasco sauce holder (includes Tabasco sauce), $8.50, Wishart, 664 Post St., San Francisco; (415) . — Skilled: Try anything from Cookin’. This cluttered shop off Haight Street stocks previously used, antique and superior copies of classic kitchen gadgets, pots, pans, salt and pepper shakers, Fiesta ware and anything else the home cook desires. Cookin’, 339 Divisadero St., San Francisco; (415) .
— Basic: Japanese-made Global Knives, the newest craze in kitchen cutlery, are light, sleek and hold as good an edge as any knife on the market. These are what the pros use. The line contains more than 40 varieties, from $15-$45. Available at Dean & DeLuca, 607 S. St. Helena Highway, St. Helena; (707) ; and at Edge of the World, Jack London Village, Oakland; (510) .
COOKING CLASSES
— Foodie: Culinary Institute of America at Greystone is the creme de la creme of cooking schools. The CIA’s West Coast satellite in Napa Valley offers a variety of classes ranging from two-week courses on flavor dynamics and menu development to 21-week comprehensive classes for the professional cook. Prices start at $1,100 for two-week classes and a minimum level of kitchen experience may be required for certain classes. Call (707) . — Skilled: Tante Marie’s Cooking School is the place to bone up or focus on special skills. 271 Francisco St., San Francisco; (415) .
— Basic: HomeChef Cooking School is reasonably priced, and participants get a 10 percent discount on cookware and gadgets they buy the night of the class. Three locations: 3525 California St., San Francisco, (415) ; 329 Town Center, Corte Madera, (415) ; 451 University Ave., Palo Alto, (650) .
SPECIALTY FOODS
— Foodie: Grow your own shiitake log from Lost Creek Mushroom Farm. Each log will produce mushrooms every two months for up to four years, with larger harvests as the log matures. Yields from four to 16 ounces of mushrooms. Producers claim mushrooms from this log have a meatier flavor and aroma than do commercially produced shiitakes, which are grown in sterilized sawdust. These long-lasting gifts have a full guarantee, and come in 13- to 15-inch logs ($36.45) and 19- to 20-inch logs ($41.45). Prices include shipping and handling (shipping to Hawaii and Alaska is extra). Lost Creek Mushroom Farm, P.O. Box 520, Perkins, Okla. ; (800) . — Skilled: The Breakfast Basket from Dean & DeLuca will brighten up a weekend morning with an assortment of jams, honey, granola, breads and other a.m. sundries. While the varieties and sources are numerous, try the standard $75 Breakfast Basket. Or upgrade to one of the numerous basket options, from $100-$1,000. Call (800) .
— Basic: Grab a jar of Mendocino Mustard — either Original or Seeds and Suds — a salami, some Havarti cheese, an onion and a small baguette. Get two six-packs of beer or soda, take the cans out of one of the cartons (save them for yourself), and put each of the ingredients in a slot of the empty six-pack container, tie bows through the handles of both cartons, and present to your favorite snacker. Ingredients cost from $7- $30 at Andronico’s, Draeger’s and other Northern California specialty food grocers.
CHOCOLATE
— Foodie: Weighing in at a hefty 3.3 pounds, this chocolate bar from Sharffen Berger, the Bay Area’s newest chocolate-maker, is for the accomplished cook or baker, not just chocolate nosher. $29.50, The Epicure Shop in Neiman-Marcus, Stockton and Geary streets, San Francisco, (415) ; and Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto; (650) . — Skilled: Seasonally shaped chocolates like pumpkins, turkeys and fall leaves — by Joseph Schmidt Confections. The well-appointed retail store is filled with truffles, chocolates and confections, many of which can be found at other retailers including Peet’s Coffee and Tea, Starbucks, Macy’s and Draeger’s, in locations throughout the Bay Area. $1.50-$25. th St., San Francisco; (415) .
— Basic: See’s Candies is a Bay Area classic. Two pounds of assorted creams, $21.40, at various locations.
COFFEE
— Foodie: Tired of the usual double decaf-non-fat-soy latte? Then opt for an Italianate copper and brass or all- chrome high-speed espresso machine. Thomas E. Cara, Ltd., stocks ‘em, fixes ‘em, and has been since 1946. From $990. 517 Pacific Ave., San Francisco; (415) . — Skilled: Packaged in a handsomely designed box, a 32-ounce glass and chrome coffee press is still the greatest coffee innovation since boiling water. Add one pound of Major Dickenson’s blend. $35.95 at Peet’s Coffee and Tea, various locations.
— Basic: Starbuck’s Ice Cream. Any of the several coffee flavors are great to bring to a party for an easy dessert — they’re rich, creamy and sure to please coffee- as well as ice cream- lovers. One quart, $4.29, at supermarkets throughout Northern California.
OILS, VINEGARS
Foodie: Olive Oil Tasting Box comes with four oils — from Napa, Sonoma, Italy and Greece — along with a pouring spout, tasting notes, score sheet and place cards, all packed in a wooden crate, $100. Oakville Grocery, locations in Oakville, Healdsburg, Walnut Creek and Palo Alto, or call (800) . — Skilled: Fig Balsamic Vinegar from Restaurant LuLu comes in a beautiful bottle topped with yellow wax and twine, and bottle, it tastes as good as it looks. $29.50, $18.95, at the Epicure Shop in Neiman-Marcus, Stockton and Geary streets, San Francisco, (415) ; and Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto; (650) .
— Basic: To spice up the holidays, a trio of Asian cooking accents — Thai dipping oil, sesame chili oil and seasoned rice vinegar — are packaged in a pretty black box with chopsticks. $29.95, Crate & Barrel, various locations.
CHAMPAGNE
— Foodie: Give the person who has absolutely everything a hand-numbered Jeroboam of Perrier-Jouet Fleur de Champagne, 1995. It’s adorned with platinum and gold anemones and comes in a beechwood box (useful for storing stock certificates). It won’t be delivered until the fall of ’99, but since it comes with dinner for two and a one-night stay at the winery’s 18th- century guest house in Epernay, France, the recipient has time to start hoarding frequent flier miles for the trip. Jeroboam of Perrier- Jouet Fleur de Champagne, 1995, with winery overnight, $2,000; contact a fine wine dealer for details. — Skilled: A bottle of Veuve Cliquot, $25-$50, at well-stocked wine shops.
— Basic: Champagne gift set. A Trader Joe’s exclusive gift set includes a Spanish sparkling wine, salmon spread, After Eight mints and crackers. All you have to supply is someone to share it with. $19.99, Trader Joe’s, various locations.
TEA SERVICE
— Foodie: Imperial Tea Court offers world-class teas in a beautiful tea house, with rosewood fixtures, silk, marble and imported furniture from China. Give a gift certificate for tea service (no reservations necessary), with a large selection of green tea, oolong, black tea, pu-erh (widely acclaimed for its health benefits), white teas and flavored teas (including jasmine pearl), or select tea bathbags, tea sets, covered tea cups and canisters. 1411 Powell St., San Francisco; (415) . — Skilled: A small place tucked away in Noe Valley, Lady Sybil’s Closet is a filled with tea accessories, teapots, cups and saucers (most hand-crafted or antiques), from $5-$50. 1484 Church St., San Francisco; (415) .
— Basic: An antique tea set. After enjoying a late afternoon tea on Lovejoy’s antique tea plates, saucers and cups, take them home — everything is for sale, including the furniture. Tea, too. From $4-$40. Lovejoy’s Antiques and Tea Room, 1195 Church St., San Francisco; (415) .
FOR THE BAKER
— Foodie: Springerle plaques or cookie stamps. Sur La Table has a particularly large selection with traditional European motifs — angels, Santas, grape clusters, winter scenes, even a Hanukkah mold with menorah and dreidl designs. When not in use, the plaques and molds make great kitchen decorations — most come with loops for hanging. From $12.95 to $74.95, Sur La Table, 77 Maiden Lane, San Francisco, (415) ; and 1806 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) . — Skilled: Fill a basket with high- quality bread flour, yeast and other assorted ingredients to make bread, cover with a pretty towel for rising the ingredients, and tuck in a recipe card. Available at Rainbow Grocery, 1745 Folsom St., San Francisco, (415) , some other natural foods stores, and in the grocery and giftware sections at Draeger’s, 222 E. Fourth Ave., San Mateo, (650) ; and 1010 University Drive, Menlo Park, (650) .
— Basic: Bread machines can bake loaves in dozens of varieties and shapes. They truly are as easy as pie, although they cannot make those. Program the timer to have bread ready upon wake up and start the morning off right. Williams-Sonoma two-pound bread machine with recipes, $149 at various locations, or call (800) .
BAR STUFF
— Foodie: A sterling silver vodka set, with six petite glass decanters designed to nestle in a glass bowl filled with cracked ice and accented with sterling silver ($325), beats getting your fingers stuck frozen on the Stoli bottle trying to get it out of the freezer. Or Baccarat martini glasses, at about $100 per stem. Both at Gump’s, 135 Post St., San Francisco; (415) . — Skilled: Economy Restaurant Supply carries lots of stuff to stock a plush bar: a three-piece martini shaker set ($8.75), martini glasses from $16.25-$30 per dozen, even a neon martini sign, $229. Economy Restaurant Supply, th St., San Francisco; (415) .
— Basic: Crate & Barrel (various locations) offers the person just starting out or the individual into minimalist classics a venue to purchase the basics. Pint glasses, working glasses (with rubber lids), wine goblets, martini glasses, simplicity coolers, jelly jars, bistro ware, all available individually from 95 cents-$4, and can be boxed in any number for gift-giving.
LIQUOR
— Foodie: Johnnie Walker and Co., the store not the liquor, wraps up bottles of booze as gifts, the perfect last-minute purchase. A highland single-malt scotch like Macallan’s, aged 12 years, is always welcome. $37. 175 Sutter St., San Francisco; (415) . — Skilled: If you want to stick to something U.S.-bred, what’s more homegrown than bourbon? There are many new small-batch bourbons being produced in the South. A favorite — Knob Creek ($25), far removed in price and taste from its cousins Old Crow and Jim Beam. The Jug Shop, 1567 Pacific Ave., San Francisco; (415) ; and well-stocked liquor stores throughout Northern California.
— Basic: Kahlua is offering a small Kahlua-drenched cake with the purchase of a 750 ml bottle. The gift set also includes a 32-page entertainment guide with recipes. The cake is made by the Sara Lee Co. and is worth drinking white Russians for a month. Available wherever Kahlua is sold, suggested retail price $16.99.
COOKIES, CONFECTIONS
— Foodie: From the Williams-Sonoma catalog comes a set of holiday lollipop molds, recipe and sticks to delight children of all ages. $28. Call (800) Skilled: Who needs paper place cards when you can have one that you take home and eat with fond memories of a good party? Cheryl Lew, owner/baker at Montclair Baking, sugar-coats the name on palm- size, seasonally themed, good-keeping gingerbread and marzipan cookies (stars or gingerbread men/women for Christmas). Keepsake Place Card, $3 each; Montclair Baking, 2220 Mountain Blvd., Oakland; (510) .
— Basic: Any assortment from La Tempesta is great insurance for drop-by holiday guests. The veteran biscotti maker has a new entry this season: almondy amaretti cookies, about 2 3/4 inches across, in a variety of flavors, most coated with chocolate on one side. They start at $8 and go up to $20 for a festive, star-studded tin — wherever La Tempesta products are sold.
CHEESE
— Foodie: The Big Cheese — or a not-so-big one — is a perfect cocktail party centerpiece. True Confections, the excellent Mill Valley patisserie, bakes ripe brie in buttery brioche in three sizes — 4.5 ounces serving four to six, for $8.50; 16 ounces serving 12 to 16 people, $25; and 2.2 pounds serving 16 to 20, $36. For the almost-from-scratch home cook, the bakery sells brioche, pie, puff pastry and sweet doughs. The shop makes the dough, you do the rest. True Confections, 17 Madrona St., Mill Valley; (415) . — Skilled: Enjoy three months of some of the world’s best English- speaking cheese. Among the nine cheeses, three per month through March, that will arrive at your door in a wooden crate (two pounds of each) are a Colston Bassett Stilton, Chesire, Aged Vella Dry Jack and Bell Weather Carmody. Three Months of Fine Cheeses, in the Williams-Sonoma catalog (not in stores), $152. Call (800) .
— Basic: Assemble a cheese tower. Using a cheeseboard as a base, place a bottle of wine in the center, surround it with an assortment of cheeses, pears, apples, a cheese spreader and a corkscrew. Wrap with tissue paper, coming from underneath and gathering at the top of the bottle with a bow. Ingredients cost from $10-$50 at specialty grocers, including The Pasta Shop, 5655 College Ave., Oakland, (510) ; and 1786 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) ; and at Trader Joe’s throughout Northern California.
COOKS’ CLOTHING
— Foodie: Forget “Kiss the Cook.” The ’90s chef needs a denim double- breasted jacket, which can be monogrammed in white. To be really hip, add the matching pull-on baggy pants in a check motif. Denim jacket, with monogram: $68; pull-on drawstring pants, $56. Both from the Williams-Sonoma catalog. Call (800) . — Skilled: Extra-large, all-cotton white men’s shirts beat aprons by a mile when it comes to really protecting clothes. And the more petite the cook, the cuter they look. From $50 on down (way down if you go second-hand), at department stores or thrift shops.
— Basic: A sturdy heavy-duty cotton chef’s apron, in white or various colors, $4.99-$10 (look for other chef’s workclothes, too), at East Bay Restaurant Supply, 49 Fourth St., Oakland; (510) .
TABLETOP
— Foodie: Even gnocchi looks pretty in a hand-painted Italian serving bowl, and Biordi in North Beach is a great place to find one. Open for more than 50 years, this shop is a blaze of color and excitement. Serving bowls range from $70-$300. A popular ashtray covered with Italian proverbs is only $7. Biordi Italian Imports, 412 Columbus Ave., San Francisco; (415) . — Skilled: Hit Chinatown for inexpensive woks, butcher knives and classic tableware. Two well-stocked shops: Ginn Wall, 1016 Grant Ave., San Francisco, (415) ; and Tai Yick Trading Co., 1400 Powell St., San Francisco, (415) .
— Basic: Mexican tablecloths made of oilcloth wipe clean and come in bright fruit and vegetable patterns reminiscent of the ’40s and ’50s, $15- $18. Galeria de la Raza, th St., San Francisco; (415) .
FOOD OF THE MONTH
— Foodie: Harry and David’s Fruit of the Month Club brings an assortment of beautiful fruits from the great Northwest. $59.95-$239.95. Call (800) . — Skilled: Beer of the Month Club members get two different six-packs of micro-brewed beer each month. Beer Across America, $29.95 per month (two-month minimum). Call (800) .
— Basic: Pasta of the Month Club features two gourmet pastas, two pasta sauces and recipe ideas monthly. $19.95 plus $5.95 shipping per month from Flying Noodle, (800) .
RANDOM IDEAS
— Foodie: A solid brass duck press from Sur La Table, $995. 77 Maiden Lane, San Francisco, (415) ; and 1806 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) . — Skilled: An assortment of meats from the charcuterie counter at Cafe Rouge — wonderfully coarse real liverwurst, pork rillettes in crocks and fresh California foie gras. Loin pork chops are cut as thick as you wish and you can also get such delights as Saratoga pork roast and fresh hams. Old-fashioned as these are, they are also PC — all from free- range animals raised without hormones and other suspect substances. Beef is from Niman-Schell. You may need to order ahead. Rouge Meats at Cafe Rouge, 1782 Fourth St., Berkeley; (510) .
— Basic: Hanukkah gifts are easy to get from this one-call-meets-all- your-needs company for Jewish foods and Judaica. Among this year’s delights: Hanukkah Sweets Basket including chocolate dreidls and gelt (chocolate coins o’ plenty) for $49.95; and The Deluxe Lox Box containing Pacific smoked salmon, bagels, cream cheese and a variety of desserts for $39.95. Call The Source for Everything Jewish, (800) .
STOCKING STUFFERS
— Ghirardelli chocolate cable car, 2.5 ounces, $2.99, at Ghirardelli Square, 900 North Point, San Francisco, (415) ; and Ghirardelli Union Square, 44 Stockton St., San Francisco, (415) . — Garlic Cracker, a mushroom- shaped piece of wood to smash or muddle your garlic. It “wipes clean,” says the manufacturer. $5.95 at Crate and Barrel. — Mini-cookie cutters in assorted shapes, $1 each, at Sur La Table in San Francisco and Berkeley. — Candles in the shapes of fruits and vegetables, $3.99-12.99, at Sur La Table. — Chocolate Body Paint (with paintbrush) — “rich velvety French style milk chocolate that is also great on ice cream,” 8 ounces, $8. Fancy Foods Gourmet Club, (800) . — Ravioli Stamp, a large waffle edged stamp, $5.95 at Sur La Table.