Above: Ceramic dinnerware from Terra Firma, available at Kitchen Collage, will delight the entertaining enthusiast on your gift list.
By Wini Moranville
When it comes to shopping for cooks on your list, it’s hard to beat the East Village. Here’s what I found on a recent foray:
• For the Tea Lover: At Gong Fu Tea, you can always pick a few eclectic tea selections for stocking stuffers, but if you’re looking to go big, consider the Tao Level Tea Club. The 12-month membership ($200) includes hand-selected loose-leaf tea delivered to the recipient’s home each month for one year. (414 E. Sixth St., 515-288-3388; gongfu-tea.com)
• For the Eco-Conscious Cook: Eden offers dishwashing liquid ($9) and other household cleansers from Common Good, a line of products made with plant-based ingredients and scented with 100 percent pure essential oil. Even better, the bottles are refillable at Eden to help recipients in their quest to go litterless. (418 E. Sixth St., 515-282-0669; edeniowa.com)
• For the Entertainer: From tidbit plates to platters, Kitchen Collage serves up pieces from the Terra Firma line of New York-made ceramics. They offer the entertaining enthusiast a striking way to showcase appetizers. Prices vary. (430 E. Locust St., 515-270-8202; mykitchencollage.com)
• For Any Cook: Rory Brown, owner of Allspice, has debuted or revamped some gift sets for the season. The Barnyard collection ($24), for example, now has Prime Rib Rub and an artisan Worcestershire sauce, in addition to New York Steak and Burger Seasoning, Quebec Steak Seasoning and Espresso Rub. Other new sets include Double Dipping ($30), featuring four dip seasonings and a pretty glass container, and Mucho Mexican ($24), a collection of six seasonings for South of the Border cooking. (400 E. Locust St., 515-868-0808;allspiceonline.com)
Wini Moranville writes about food, wine and dining for dsm magazine and dsmWeekly. Follow her on Facebook at All Things Food–DSM.
• For the Tea Lover: At Gong Fu Tea, you can always pick a few eclectic tea selections for stocking stuffers, but if you’re looking to go big, consider the Tao Level Tea Club. The 12-month membership ($200) includes hand-selected loose-leaf tea delivered to the recipient’s home each month for one year. (414 E. Sixth St., 515-288-3388; gongfu-tea.com)
• For the Eco-Conscious Cook: Eden offers dishwashing liquid ($9) and other household cleansers from Common Good, a line of products made with plant-based ingredients and scented with 100 percent pure essential oil. Even better, the bottles are refillable at Eden to help recipients in their quest to go litterless. (418 E. Sixth St., 515-282-0669; edeniowa.com)
• For the Entertainer: From tidbit plates to platters, Kitchen Collage serves up pieces from the Terra Firma line of New York-made ceramics. They offer the entertaining enthusiast a striking way to showcase appetizers. Prices vary. (430 E. Locust St., 515-270-8202; mykitchencollage.com)
• For Any Cook: Rory Brown, owner of Allspice, has debuted or revamped some gift sets for the season. The Barnyard collection ($24), for example, now has Prime Rib Rub and an artisan Worcestershire sauce, in addition to New York Steak and Burger Seasoning, Quebec Steak Seasoning and Espresso Rub. Other new sets include Double Dipping ($30), featuring four dip seasonings and a pretty glass container, and Mucho Mexican ($24), a collection of six seasonings for South of the Border cooking. (400 E. Locust St., 515-868-0808;allspiceonline.com)
Wini Moranville writes about food, wine and dining for dsm magazine and dsmWeekly. Follow her on Facebook at All Things Food–DSM.
