Chicago Chowdown: Wan Shi Da Bakery, Chinatown

Yep, I'm (figuratively) still in Chicago's Chinatown, doing due diligence on all the wonderful treats and tastes I discovered there, and today's post takes us to the delightful little Wan Shi Da Bakery on S. Wentworth Avenue.

If you read yesterday's post, you'll remember that my sister and I started off our visit with a delicious dim sum lunch at Shui Wah, so you might be forgiven for thinking that that was the end of our Chinatown chowdown. Of course, you'd be completely wrong - for the simple fact that no visit to Chinatown can possibly be considered complete without the purchase of at least one BBQ pork bun.

I've explained my fondness for pork buns in a previous post, so I'll just say that after chasing char siu bao through the streets of London's Chinatown and Chinatown NYC, I wasn't about to let them get away from me in Chicago.

So many pork buns!

If I'm honest, I spend more time thinking about these little golden pillows of sweet-and-savory, doughy perfection than I'd like to admit, so I was hardly going to pass up the opportunity to eat one...or several. In fact, for quality control purposes (of course!), my sister and I actually sampled offerings from two Chicago bakeries - the other being Chiu Quon, also on Wentworth Ave. - but determined that the pork-filled buns and other bakery treats at Wan Shi Da were most deserving of a review.

The Traditional

The bakery itself isn't anything to write home about, but the service is friendly and the treats - oh, the treats! In addition to the usual Chinese pastries, there's a large selection of fancy cakes, most of them brightly colored and covered with all sort of glazed fruits. We didn't try any of these. No, our attention was quite focused, as it should be, on the pork buns.

The Dry

Wan Shi Da is a great place to buy pork buns, not simply because they're plump, fresh, and delicious, or because they cost less than a dollar, but because they offer no less than three different kinds. You've got your traditional pork bun, your pork bun with sweet topping, and your dry pork bun (think very lightly shaved jerky-type meat on top and inside). Of course we had to try one of each.

The Sweet-Topped

The sweet topping reminds me of those almond cookies you sometimes get post-meal at Chinese restaurants, and while it couldn't woo me away from my favorite traditional pork buns, it's good for a change of pace. The dry pork bun was also an interesting and tasty alternative, but I still maintain that the original version, with its juicy filling, tender dough and ever-so-slightly-sweet glaze is the best of all.

In addition to our pork buns, we bought a few sweet pastries to carry home - my sister bought a sesame ball filled with red bean paste and an egg custard tart, while I tried a sponge cake and a custard-filled bun. Of these, I'd have to say that the sponge cake was my favorite - a pleasantly light and airy cake, reminiscent of Angel Food Cake in texture, but with a more substantial butter/egg flavor.

Sponge Cake

All of our selections were delightfully fresh and each one cost only pennies - I think I paid under $3 for four items (all carry-out items are 20% off, for an even sweeter deal!). I even bought a pork bun to take with me on my return trip to Tennessee the next day, and it was still fresh and delicious a day later, if a bit smashed from the journey. Overall, I'd heartily recommend a visit to Wan Shi Da. In addition to bakery items, there's a small cafe attached with 'real' food and on-site seating - and if there food is any bit as good as their baked goods, I think a return trip is in order!

Chicago Chowdown: Dim Sum Dining: Shui Wah, Chinatown

Plop me down in any major city and you can safely bet that I'll eventually wind up in Chinatown. I just can't resist the allure of those red-painted pagodas, the restaurants serving dainty and delicious dim sum, and shops selling everything from oolong to oysters, steak knives to steamers, and, of course, decorative vegetable cutters in every imaginable shape (because everyone needs a decorative vegetable cutter). I've eaten and shopped my way through Chinatowns in London and NYC - and now Chicago.

During my visit to NYC last summer, I filled up on dirt-cheap (and delicious) dumplings at the famous Vanessa's Dumpling House and spent some time in pursuit of the perfect pork bun. Since I'm a girl who knows what she likes, I set off to do exactly the same thing in Chicago.

My sister and I couldn't find a similarly cheap-and-cheerful eatery to match Vanessa's (but really, is there any place in the world to match their four-for-a-dollar dumplings?) so we ended up at a dim sum restaurant on Archer Avenue.

Now, Archer Ave is full of restaurants and dim sum eateries, so after about 20 minutes of deliberation, we followed our noses into a little place called Shui Wah. As luck would have it, this restaurant has developed a good following for its delicious and reasonably priced dim sum.

This restaurant is tiny, but that doesn't stop it from doing a brisk business. In fact, the place was so full during our visit that we ended up sharing our table with another group - a practice we commonly encountered in Europe but have rarely seen in the US. Close quarters might also be responsible for another of Shui Wah's unusual traits: there are no carts at this dim sum eatery - instead you order on paper, as you would sushi or tapas, and the food is brought out individually. This process takes a little longer than the usual a la carte service, but it does mean that the food is piping hot when it arrives and there's no waiting for your favorite dish to make the rounds.

Clockwise from top left: chive cake, taro cake, shrimp dumpling

Between the two of us, my sister and I ordered steamed shrimp dumplings, chive cakes, fried taro cakes and steamed pork buns. The shrimp dumplings were wonderfully flavorful, if a little too soft, and the taro cake was a pleasant surprise, being both salty and sweet, soft and crispy. Of course, the highlight of the meal was the steamed pork buns - some of the best I've ever had, and I've eaten many. Even my baby nephew tried a bit for his first-ever taste of dim sum!

The delicious steamed pork bun

The atmosphere of the restaurant is a little harried (you'll have to be assertive about flagging down servers during the lunchtime rush) and, for dim sum neophytes, possibly a bit intimidating, but the food is good and the prices are very reasonable.

A few tips: don't be afraid to ask if you're unsure about any of the dishes - our helpful server even pointed out items on others' plates - and if you're really lost, ask for recommendations. The steamed pork buns are a known classic and we saw lots of delicious-looking orders of 'fried dough' and pork shumai. Additionally, the jasmine tea was a warm treat on an unseasonably chilly day - the perfect thing to fortify us for the walk back to the conveniently nearby Metra station. All in all, a Chinatown success!

Note: A message on Yelp states that the restaurant will be closing on August 1st. If true, it's a shame - but that still gives you a few months to get your fill of delicious dim sum!

Chicago Chowdown: Crumbs Bake Shop

I was so distracted by this past holiday weekend (and by tasty, seasonal treats like Avocado Mayonnaise and All-Butter Pie Crust) that I almost forgot I'm supposed to be catching up on posts from my recent Chicago trip.

Foggy day in the Windy City

This happens every time I travel - because every time I travel I end up eating...a lot (is it wrong to admit that most of my trips are 'inspired' by foods I want to try?). Which means I always return with lots and lots of reviews, ideas and recipes to share. I usually manage to dash off one or two posts before I get distracted...but not this time.

This time, I'm making sure I bring you the goods from Chicago. Especially because today's post is about cupcakes. Fancy, designer cupcakes from the legendary Crumbs Bake Shop.

Those of you who were with me last summer might remember my NYC Chocolate Chip Cookie Showdown  - essentially a battle between the highly touted Jacques Torres cookie and the celebrated cookies from Levain. Both were delicious in their own right (you'll have to read the post to find out who won!), but the whole point of the exercise wasn't so much to discover NYC's best cookie as it was to put these well-known sweet shops to the test.

You see, I'm a bit of a brand name skeptic. While designer names may draw crowds, I can't help but be a little skeptical as I'm compelled to wonder what makes this bag, these clothes, these cupcakes better and more fameworthy than the hundreds of others out there. I guess I'm of the opinion that with reputation comes responsibility - and if I have to hold each and every one of these places personally accountable by filling my belly with their sweet treats, well, that's just a burden I'll have to learn to bear!

Crumbs' Earl Grey Cupcake

On some level, I know that my logic is seriously flawed (I mean, aren't I just feeding the frenzy by purchasing these items?) but it was exactly this kind of tasty, twisted reasoning that brought my sister and me into Crumbs on a Saturday morning. The location we visited was tiny, but seriously crammed with cupcakes. In fact, it took us some minutes before we finally zeroed in on an Earl Grey variety and made our purchase.

In retrospect, I'm really not sure why I chose Earl Grey when other, more sultry offerings like Red Velvet and Dulce de Leche were available. Most likely, it was a combination of the fact that it was still early in the day (so I hadn't had my morning cuppa), and the fact that Earl Grey sounds so much less guilt-inducing than Peanut Butter Cup or Blackbottom Cheesecake Brownie.

In reality, the Earl Grey is probably just as calorie-laden, thanks to the rich slab of buttercream that covers the tea-infused cake, the generous dusting of cupcake crumbs on the side, and the hearty drizzle of caramel that tops it all off. And in case that's not enough, all of this obscures a gooey caramel center which was easily the best part of the whole cupcake.

I love the idea of a tea-infused cake, but I just wasn't completely sold on the execution. While the cake was nicely moist (overly dry cake is one of my celebrity cupcake pet peeves, so Crumbs gets high marks here), and the caramel was a surprisingly complimentary flavor, the whole thing was massively let down by the artificial-tasting frosting. I was expecting a creamy, dreamy, vanilla-scented buttercream, but what I got was starch-white, grocery-store-birthday-cake icing. Not exactly what I was expecting from a $4 celebrity cupcake. True, the Crumbs cupcakes are enormous - my sister and I shared one easily - but even its mammoth size couldn't make up for the unappealingly stiff and waxy frosting.

I'm loathe to pass a verdict on Crumbs on the basis of one cupcake, but I will say that next time I'm craving an Earl Grey cupcake, I'll be making my own. I guess I have Crumbs to thank for that tasty, tea-time inspiration!

The Bohemian Crystal, Westmont, IL

Deep dish pizza may top most people's list of Chicago must-eats, but when my family visits Chicago, there's only one place we have to go - The Bohemian Crystal in Westmont. Back in the early days of The Traveling Spoon, I dedicated a post to exploring my culinary heritage, and The Bohemian Crystal was an important landmark on the journey.

Legendary Breaded Pork Tenderloin and Bread Dumplings at the Bohemian Crystal, Westmont, IL

To make a long story a bit shorter, I trace my culinary roots to the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Germany, so the Bohemian Crystal - which specializes in Bohemian, Slovak and Moravian cuisine (with a few classic German and Polish entrees thrown in for good measure) - is the perfect place to sate my ethnic food cravings. But this restaurant isn't just a mecca for my extended family, it's also a favorite of the sizable Czech population that makes its home in the Chicago suburbs.

Main Dining Room at the Bohemian Crystal

My family has been going to 'the Crystal,' for as long as I can remember - quite possibly, in fact, since before I was born, and I'm quite sure the decor hasn't changed a bit since those early days. Stepping into the Crystal really is like stepping back in time: leather-backed chairs, low, heavy-beamed ceilings, and brick interior accents speak to its 1960s-70s heyday, as does the superannuated clientele. On any given visit, my siblings and I are usually the youngest patrons by a few decades at least, but this is actually a positive because it means that the Crystal really understands good, stick-to-your ribs food, with generous portions that represent a value for money reflective of a bygone era. Simply put, it's good, old-fashioned food and a lot of it!

Start 'em young: my nephew, James' first visit to the Crystal

The Crystal is modeled on a traditional, Old World Czech restaurant, which means it's dark, dated, and decorated with masses of tchotzkes - including, of course, its namesake Bohemian crystal. Add to that the traditional dress of the young, female waitresses and you could be forgiven for imagining yourself in a pub in Prague.

So now that I've set the scene, what about the food? Well, since I've been to the Crystal so many times, you think I'd be able to give you a detailed run-down of the menu....and as a champion of variety, I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I've only ever ordered one thing off their ridiculously extensive menu (seriously, you might want to do an online recon to nail down a few options beforehand, or you'll be reading for a while). That's right - I've ordered the same meal every time I've visited the Crystal, but when your meal is as good and authentic as their Breaded Pork Tenderloin, why mess with perfection?

See? Perfection.

The Crystal is known for hearty favorites like duck, lamb shank, pork tenderloin, or veal cutlets, but it also boasts an extensive list of sides, including potato pancakes, both bread- and potato-based dumplings, veggies, and sauerkraut - all of which can be topped with the thick brown gravy that they serve in abundance. Each entree includes a choice of sides and is served with a choice of soup or salad and some rye bread and rolls. You also get a bottomless mug of coffee or tea and a choice of dessert to finish.

Liver Dumpling Soup with Rye bread

The breaded tenderloin is massive and crisp (ask for a lunch portion or half portion if you're intimidated), but lightly breaded and usually not too greasy. Taken alongside some pillowy bread dumplings - my favorite part of the meal - and a river of molten gravy, it's a richly satisfying culinary trip to the 'old country.' I usually preface mine with a slice of caraway-infused rye bread and a bowl of liver dumpling soup, popular for its clear broth and tender, lightly spiced dumplings.

Poppyseed Kolacky

For dessert, I always choose kolacky, but kolacky-lovers should be warned that it's sometimes a bit hit-or-miss with the quality of the pastries at the Crystal. They're sourced from different bakeries and suppliers in the area (I always imagine some little babushka churning out hundreds of pastries in her kitchen!) which means that they're often slightly different from visit to visit. Thankfully, we were in luck this past time and feasted on some of the fattest, juiciest poppyseed kolacky I've ever seen!

Fruit Kolacky

Sure it's a nostalgic eatery for me - just the smell of the Crystal's over-strong coffee is enough to bring back memories of childhood visits with my grandparents and extended family - but it's also a great choice for anyone who values good, rich food and good value. Of course, you can't keep such a great place secret, so if you find yourself craving old world favorites you might want to make a reservation - the Crystal is especially packed on Sunday afternoons and is closed on Mondays.

Giordano's: Chicago's Famous Stuffed Pizza

This is quite possibly one of the most long-awaited posts ever to appear on The Traveling Spoon, but for fans of deep dish and enormously cheesy pizzas, it's worth the wait. The pies served up at Giordano's are, without exception, the most gooey, cheesy, saucy, hefty and, well, simply enormous pizzas I've ever seen. I offer this as evidence:

That mass of crust, sauce and molten cheese may have just blown your pizza-loving mind, but before I launch into my review, I have something very important to disclose: I'm not a deep dish pizza girl. I know it's a disgrace to my largely Chicago-based extended family, but I'll take a thin crust over a deep dish any day - and don't even get me started on stuffed pizzas! I love the crispness of a Neapolitan pie, and the bendy, trendy flexibility of a New York slice. I love the little bubbles that erupt from the wafer-thin crusts of wood fired pizza, and think that dough should be more than just a vehicle for sauce, veggies, and meat.

With all that in mind, you're probably wondering why I ever set foot in Giordano's, right? Well, apart from a serious case of 'When in Chicago...,' sometimes even the most devoted thin-crust lover just needs a bit more. And where better to get it than at Chicago's premier stuffed pizza eatery, Giordano's.

Although the restaurant offers other classic staples of Italian fare, the pizza is definitely the main attraction. Unlike some of the other Chicago deep dish hotspots (I won't go into the rivalries here!), Giordano's specializes in stuffed pizza - not stuffed crust, stuffed pizza.

Essentially, each pizza is a layer of buttery crust, suitably weighed down with the toppings of your choice, smothered with masses of molten cheese, topped with another layer of buttery crust and slathered with tangy-and-sweet tomato sauce. With this method, you can easily see why these bad boys are called pies!

Anatomy of a Slice

The Varsity (The World's Largest Drive-In), Atlanta, GA

I'm sorry I've been a bit MIA lately, but I promise I have a good excuse. You see, while everyone else was unpacking their Easter baskets, Matt and I were making our way to Atlanta, to the world's largest drive-in fast food restaurant, The Varsity.

While others were gorging themselves on chocolate bunnies and sharing marshmallow Peeps with family, Matt and I were noshing on juicy burgers, crispy onion rings, and The Varsity's signature chili dogs. Okay, so our real business in Georgia involved visiting family, too, but our trip to The Varsity was a nice perk!

The Varsity looms large in Atlanta lore, and also in the fast food world (it even has its own extensive Wikipedia article - which is naturally the pinnacle of culinary achievement), but I have to admit that Matt and I approached the place with a somewhat critical eye. When it comes to fatty, greasy, fast food goodness, Matt's allegiance belongs securely to The Beacon Drive-In, in Spartanburg, South Carolina. So as the dutiful wife, I promised to be scrupulous and stringent in my evaluation of The Varsity - which makes it even more impressive that the place gets my thumbs-up seal of approval.

Like The Beacon, The Varsity has a storied past. Although it has moved and expanded several times since - there are now several satellite locations in the Atlanta area - the original Varsity was established back in 1928. At that time, it was called 'The Yellow Jacket,' but booming business and expanding clientele earned the place its current location and its current, more inclusive name (for more info, you can check out the snazzy interactive timeline on their website).

Source

The Varsity is famous for its chili dogs and Frosted Orange drinks, but like The Beacon, it also has its own deeply-ingrained and much-loved culture. While signs at The Beacon urge you to' 'Call it,' The Varsity's ordering catchphrase is 'What'll ya have?" There's also an unofficial menu - in which a 'Walk a Dog' is a hot dog to-go, a 'Bag of Rags' gets you potato chips, and a 'Squirt One' is the famous Varsity Orange soft drink.

Source

The Varsity boasts a lot of fast food choices - mostly variations of burgers and dogs - but Matt and I kept it classic, with a pair of chili dogs and a cheeseburger, respectively. Of course, we just couldn't resist adding an order of onion rings on the side (that's 'sideways' in Varsity lingo).

We'd arrived some time after lunchtime, but the place was still packed - hardly surprising for a Friday afternoon on a holiday weekend. Nevertheless, the service was swift and before we knew it, we had our food in hand. Matt found us a table in the elevated dining room overlooking the drive-in and the parking deck, or 'Lunching Pad' (an amusing nod to John Glenn's space flight). This proved to be the perfect spot, giving us an entertaining view of all the non-stop hustle and bustle below.

Of course, we weren't really there for the view or to be entertained - we'd come for the food, and we weren't disappointed. The onion rings were pretty amazing: thick with juicy strips of onion, and breading that was suitably greasy but not too overpowering (I like my fast food to feel indulgent, not endangering!). With a bit of ketchup, they were pretty close to fried perfection. Matt seemed more than pleased with his chili dogs and my burger really hit the spot. It wasn't huge or fancy, just a good, solid burger - and that's not something I get to say very often.

So how does The Varsity stack up against Matt's cherished Beacon? Well, for being so outwardly similar, they're actually quite different. Where The Beacon serves up heaping plates of fresh-from-the-fryer fare, The Varsity's offerings are a bit simpler - dressed down burgers and dogs with simple sides. The food is a little less greasy (which is usually good) but also a lot less filling (which is usually bad). If Matt and I weren't headed for dinner at his sister's we'd have had to order seconds. Thankfully, their menu is pretty inexpensive so if you're really hungry, a second burger won't break the bank.

With dinner in mind, Matt and I decided to forgo dessert, but The Varsity also caters to the sweet tooth, offering their famous 'fried pies,' brownies and ice cream, as well as frosted beverages. Their Frosted Orange looked especially thirst-quenchingly delicious - I guess we'll just have to order one next time!

My Memories Suite GIVEAWAY! (UPDATE: We have a winner!)

Last week, I mentioned my desire to get a little 'crafty' on The Traveling Spoon...and I believe I promised you an exciting GIVEAWAY. Well, it's here!!!

 

I've dabbled in all sorts of crafting, using everything from macrame to Mod Podge, but most of all I love working with paper. I love scrapbooking (I even made my husband a scrapbook of 52 handmade postcards - one for each week of the year - sent during his last trip to Afghanistan), but I don't love the mess, the expense, and the endless boxes of equipment that seems to come with it these days. So you can imagine how excited I was when Liz from My Memories contacted me about hosting a giveaway of their award-winning digital scrapbooking software, My Memories Suite.

I made this page for my adorable nephew in under 10 minutes!

My Memories Suite was rated #1 by Amazon and TopTen reviews, but more importantly its incredibly fun and easy to use! It takes the mess and mistakes out of paper-craft and allows you to create exciting, professional-looking scrapbook pages on your own computer, with no need for all those pricey scrapbooking gadgets (the page above was created in under 10 minutes, using one of their design templates). It's Windows and Mac compatible (which is good news for divided Mac/PC households like mine), but the best part is that it's not just for scrapbooking. That's right, with My Memories Suite you can also create cards, calendars, photo albums and gifts.

This page was made 'from scratch' in less than half an hour

I was provided with a copy of the software for review (the pictures about are just some of the ideas I came up with), and I can honestly say that it is really easy and fun to use. Oh sure, it takes a little while to figure out how to use all of the features, but if you use their album templates, you can create a professional-looking page in just minutes!

Pages can be exported as jpegs, which makes it easy to drop them into blog posts or e-mails. And - my favorite part - you really can do a lot more than just scrapbooking. In fact, you can come back later this week for a sneak peak at my latest My Memories project. 

But in the meantime, why don't you hurry on over to their website and take a look for yourself? In fact, I'll sweeten the deal:

My Memories is offering $10 off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook Software plus a $10 coupon for any purchase in the My Memories store. 
That's a $20 savings for every Traveling Spoon reader! 

Just copy and paste this promo code: 


STMMMS22562

If you've ever spent money on scrapbooking supplies, you know that's a great deal, but that's not all...

My Memories is also giving one Traveling Spoon reader the chance to win their very own My Memories Suite software (a $40 value!)


Here are 6 things you can do to enter
(Please leave a separate comment for each entry, or it won't count!):

1. Follow The Traveling Spoon via GFC or Linky Followers (and let me know you did!)

2. Visit My Memories.com and leave a comment below telling me what products you love! 

3. 'Like' My Memories on Facebook (Bonus: Facebook fans can get a $5 coupon code for the store!)

4. Visit and Follow the My Memories blog.

5. Share this giveaway via Facebook or Twitter.

6. 'Like' The Traveling Spoon on Facebook.

You'll get 1 entry for each of the above actions, but make sure to leave a comment below. 

The giveaway will end at 10pm EST on Monday, 13th February. Winner will be notified via e-mail and have 48 hours to respond (so make sure I have access to your contact details!).

Good luck and Happy Scrapbooking!

UPDATE: The Winner of the My Memories Suite Giveaway is Alecia! Thanks so much to all of you who participated!

Note: This is my first sponsored giveaway! I was given a copy of the software to review, but all opinions are entirely my own.

The Beacon Drive-In, Spartanburg, SC (aka Matt's All-Time Favorite Restaurant)

Everyone knows that the best way to woo a food lover is to ply them with delicious dishes and take them to all the best restaurants: so it should be no surprise that Matt won me over with his 'Smothered Grilled Chicken' (I must get him to do that for the blog!), his baked havarti, and his stories of a magical place called The Beacon Drive-In, in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Serving up heaping plates of burgers, fries, and onion rings (with a generous helping of grease) the Beacon is not haute cuisine, but it is home to some of the sweetest tea on the planet and, what's more, it's Matt's favorite restaurant...on earth.* It's only right, then, that we made time during our Christmas visit to make the pilgrimage - and I'm only sorry that it's taken me this long to write it up!

This is the Beacon Burger Plate-a-Plenty

Trader Joe's: Eggnog Emporium

You may have noticed a surge of eggnog-related posts on this blog recently. That's because I love it, and although I'm aware that not everyone shares my enthusiasm for all things eggnog, I'm also aware that in a couple of weeks, the cheery little cartons will disappear from the shelves and I won't be able to get it in the stores until next Christmas. So, until that time, you'll have to bear with me and my shameless eggnog-chugging ways.

Trader Joe's Eggnog Almonds and Cookies!

Since we're away from home for the holidays, I haven't been spending very much time in the kitchen; I did, however, spend some time at Trader Joe's yesterday, where I found not one, but two eggnoggy treats (in addition to their Premium Eggnog)!  With no recipes to share at the moment, I thought I'd review these festive finds.

All I Want for Christmas...

This is NOT the post I'd planned to share with you today, but since Blogger just ate the one I've just spent two hours writing, my cabbage soup will have to wait. So, while I re-create an entire recipe from memory, you can have fun shopping!

Well folks, it's that time of year again. The time of year when Christmas shopping ceases to be proactive and becomes almost last-minute. This year, I've managed to get most of my list covered, but I'm no stranger to the last-minute dash. In fact, I'm sure we've all been there at some point, so if you're still searching for the perfect present for a foodie friend, here are some hot kitchen ideas:

Cooking Classes - Whether it's sharpening your knife skills or picking up some new baking tips, there's a cooking class for everyone. Check out your local community college (even better if there's a culinary school nearby!) or community events center. In some areas, you need look no further than your local Whole Foods or Williams-Sonoma.

Photo from Williams-Sonoma.com

Le Creuset Cookware - Speaking of Williams-Sonoma, this high-end store is one of my favorite places to browse. Notice I said browse, because unfortunately, their beautiful high-end items also have high-end prices - which is why it's doubly awesome that they're in the middle of a 25%-off cookware sale! I've been in love with the silky enamel finish of their Le Creuset cookware (which comes in all those gorgeous colors) for years, and I guarantee you there isn't a wannabe chef on your list who wouldn't be thrilled by finding one of those under the tree!

Pocket pie maker (photo from Williams-Sonoma.com)

Pocket Pie Mold - This is another Williams-Sonoma favorite (I promise I don't get sponsorship), although I'm sure you'd be able to find similar products elsewhere. The good news is that it's a lot more budget-friendly, and still makes a great food-centric gift. For those who follow the culinary zeitgeist (where all things molecular are becoming all things miniature, and cupcakes are supposedly making way for pocket pies) this gift is right on trend. Look for other shapes which could be used with savory pies, or gift a whole set for the true pastry lover in your life.

The Flavor Bible - I've reviewed this book before, but I can't say enough good things about it. Innovative and encyclopedic, this volume really changes the way you think about food and will free you up in the kitchen like you never imagined. If that's not a good enough sell, read the review!

Measuring spoons by Fred (photo from Amazon.com)

Basic Utensils - After working my way through several vegetable peelers and surviving numerous unpleasant wooden spoon incidents (I'm convinced wooden spoons leave the nastiest splinters), I can't overemphasize the importance of having a really good set of basic tools. Peelers, can-openers, kitchen timers, graters, wooden spoons, measuring spoons, and measuring cups are the workhorses of the kitchen, so you may as well invest in good ones. And you don't have to sacrifice form for function anymore; companies like Fred offer whimsical kitchen gadgets (like the Russian Nesting Doll measuring spoons above), while others like Blomus offer sleek, stainless steel style. That being said, my drawers and cupboards are full of cheap-and-cheerful items that I'll use to death - but I'm sure I'll pay the price for my penny-pinching stubbornness in hands full of splinters.