Surprisingly, very few of us mentioned our scales. And yet I’d be a bit lost without mine. I guess that if you are cooking then you can do it more by instinct, sight and taste, but if you’re keen on baking then I think you need something a little more than just a good guess. Here’s a few that I’d think would make for great gifts, and get added to the useful kit list of any keen baker:

* These are my scales, and I love them. Probably about the third set I’ve ever owned, and I don’t need another set. I love the add and weigh feature, and that can switch between metric and imperial, both dry and wet measures. And it’s very slim and lightweight and takes up no space. Doesn’t get any better.

* If you’ve got a retro look going on in the kitchen, then these are a good looking set. It does imperial and metric measurements, and would make a great feature if you’ve got space to leave it out on a counter.

* The baking levels may go up around the Jubilee and Olympics, so if you need a new pair of scales at that time, then maybe this is the pair to get. Again, good add and weight facility, as well as wet and dry measurements.

* For those who really love their gadgets, or perhaps just are very short of space, then these Mirja digital folding scales might just be the thing they’ve been waiting for. Will weigh up to 3 kilos but folds up as small as a pepper grinder, and even has its own hanging hook.

* Should you be shopping for someone who wants to make a real design statement, then these Alessi might be the thing. And they are very stylish it has to be said. Not a cheap option at £109, but if design is the most important thing to them, then these can’t fail to impress. That said, there’s a lot of kit you can get for £109.

I couldn’t do without my scales, and sure that any kitchen needs at least one decent set!

And no, I’m afraid it’s not someone keeping an eye on the contents of your cupboard and fridge, and then popping out and filling them up for you! You still need to do some work, but these shopping magnets mean you can keep a check on what you need, in a very visual and colourful way.

Choose from herbs or spices, or more everyday basics. Or even go for magnet madness and get all three. These come from Harrington & Squires,  a small private press that specialises in small, limited edition runs. You could stock up on some beautifully designed cards at the same time, as you never know when you might need those either. And there isn’t a magnet to cover those!

I finally succumbed yesterday, and bought a Kenwood Chef. I admit, I only have the basic model, but it was on special offer at John Lewis, and I didn’t fancy paying another £100 for silver paint and a stainless steel bowl. Those who responded on Twitter seemed to suggest it was more than up to the job, and something they used regularly.

In clearing a space for it to stay out all the time, it made me think about the things that I always have to hand, the things that come out time and time again. These are my top ones, would love to know what yours are:

1. Big plastic mixing bowls – I love the look of Mason Cash bowls, and I’ve had one for ever (I think I’ve inherited it early from my mum). But maybe it’s a sign of old age, but I find them so darn heavy to pick up when pouring things out. So I’m sticking with the big plastic ones, possibly stainless steel, and preferably with a pouring spout.

2. Spatulas – many sizes, many colours, always useful. My favourite is a Le Creuset one that I got as a present, useful for getting to the bottom of bowls, plastic or otherwise. Some are good at sides, but a bit floppy for bottoms, but they all get used.

3. Reamer – just a real basic wooden reamer, still the best thing for extracting citrus juices in my book.

4. Temperature conversion magnets – actually, these do more than temperatures, but these two magnets sit on my extractor hood, and I refer to them often. I guess because I grew up on the verge of metric, I learnt to cook with my mum in imperial, own cookbooks that only do imperial, and have a heap of American cookbooks as well. Having these just there is so useful, and truly time saving.

5. Good knives – I know they’re not cheap, but good knives, kept sharp are the best thing in our kitchen. All the good knives came from Dr T’s side of the dowry, and he keeps them good and sharp. Need to top up your selection? I wrote about some good choices late last year.

Those are my top five, what kit can’t you live without in the kitchen?

Photo of a tribute to a workhorse by Vinni123 on Flickr.

So in hope that it will disappear next year, and a bit of action and energy might emerge instead, here, for one last time are my “favourite” food-oriented versions of the damned phrase:

* Keep Calm and Cook On – Quadrille sent me a copy of this in October and been meaning to review it since. It’s a little book, so would make a great stocking filler. Interesting quotes, and hints and tips for the canny cook. For example, what to do if a packet of brown sugar has gone rock hard. Apparently, add a slice of fresh bread to the bag. More like this, and quotes to make you scratch your head or laugh out loud.

* Keep Calm and Carry on Mints – useful to carry around, will be gone quick to stop you committing a trend faux pas by February, and you could hang onto the tin for the next time the phrase is trendy.

* Keep Calm and Enjoy Tea & Biscuits – which sounds like a much better idea than just carrying on. All things look better after tea. And if not, then there’s always its non identical twin, Keep Calm and Bake Cakes. Much better ideas.

* Keep Calm and Drink Wine Canvas Print – if we’re going to keep calm, then we may as well keep the wine producers busy!

* Gan Bwyll a Daliwch Ati - keep people on their toes/confused with this mug. Unless all the people around you are Welsh speakers of course.

In 2012 I hope we get creative and make things, as well as getting angry, in a positive way, and making things happen. Even if it’s only make all of these go away!

Just a quick one to say if you have an Emma Bridgewater  fan to shop for, then they are having a flash 20% off sale from now until midday tomorrow. Applies to all full price items, and certainly lots of lovely looking pots to consider. I hadn’t looked a the site for a while, but now there’s also beautiful glasswear as well, as well as all the kitchen accessories.

Order quick, just bung in FLASH20 at checkout for the discount, and the things will be with you for Christmas. With a little more left in the bank for January!

Go for the cute factor with these stacking Russian doll measuring cups. Space saving, and practical, but not boring for sure.

Not strictly measuring cups, but useful as an add on, these measuring spoons go for full on colour, and accuracy of measurement from a quarter of a teaspoon up to a full tablespoon.

If it was the pretty colours of Rosie’s cups that were appealing, then these measuring jugs from John Lewis might fit the bill.

I’ve never had a posh set of measuring cups, but I’ve had the same set of stainless steel ones for about 20  years, and they are still going strong. Function over style maybe, but darn useful!

For the retro look, then the Tala Cook’s Dry Measure Cup might be useful too. I like one of these for if we are renting somewhere, which we often do for our holidays, and can’t guarantee a set of scales.

Also keeping with the retro feel, then these Mason Cash cups would do the trick as well. With quarter, half and full cup, these are very practical and quite lovely. Look great hanging up in a country style kitchen.

The only issue I have with my cups is I’m always losing one. So these magentic measuring cups would be incredibly useful. As long as everyone is trained to put them back together in one set in the drawer!

Maybe these will be a good substitute, maybe not. Just goes to show that even on the high street, you have to sometimes buy stuff when you see it, as there’s no guarantee it’ll still be there when you need it. I’ve still not bought Yum at Heart, and sure I deserve a Soap & Glory apron! And I never even got close to this year’s Heston pudding! I mean, anyone would think that Christmas is coming.

I’ve got mixed feelings about this post. I know that decent knives make all tasks in the kitchen easier, safer even, and definitely give the pro touch. Yet I’m slightly hesitant, having spent quite a lot of time agonising over business gifts for a number of trips to Japan, where giving of knives would be a no no. You can sort of see the point, as the knife represents the severing of ties or friendship. Not the best message to give on Christmas morning!

But if you’re more likely to be greeted with much joy at upgrading their kitchen kit than an awkward silence, then these are some great places to stop by:

* As you would expect, Divertimenti have a fantastic range of knives that any cook would be pleased to offer space to. You can choose Sheffield knives or Japanese knives, carving knives and steak knives, single knives or sets of knives. It all comes down to what your recipient needs or wants, and want your bank balance has to spend. If my bank manager was feeling ok, I’d be very happy to find Santa delivering a set of Laguiole steak knives and forks. Or just one.

* We always do the joke about Kin Knives being kin expensive, but I know that Dr T was massively impressed with them. These are Japanese knives made to all the best traditions of knife making, beautifully balanced in the hand with layered steel blades. Of course these are an investment piece but if they’re serious about their cooking, then this is one heck of a gift.

* If you want to go one step further on the whole Japanese journey, then JapaneseChefsKnife.com ships directly from Japan, from Seki City, apparently the knife capital of Japan. I have no idea what most of these knives are for, or which are the best, but if this is their thing, then do your research, maybe even ask them what they’d like. If you’re going to spend this kind of money you probably want to get it right.

* Go beyond the Japanese at Knives.co.uk, and get it to brands like Victorinox and Henckels. Still plenty of variety to go at, and to give you plenty of options on budget. Still plenty of possibilities to make their day, not to mention improve their cooking.

* I asked Dr T, as the main cook in our kitchen, which knives he would like and he said Wusthof. These seem to be based on German technology, precision forged from one piece of steel. If you only buy one piece, buy them a cooks knife.

So, if this would make their Christmas then go ahead and treat them. You could always do what happens to offset the giving of knives in Japan, in that the recipient pays for them with a token amount. Try taping a 5p piece to the top of the gift, and all superstitious nonsense is out the window! And don’t forget to drill them to sharpen it regularly, otherwise the hard earned cash spent on a great knife is wasted.

Photo by juniorbird on Flickr.

* For those that like to cook up a roast on a regular basis, then I really like the Cut & Carve Tray, which will give you a secure place to carve, but also capture all the great juices. And it can go in the dishwasher, a definite plus in my book!

* Got a lover of breakfast in bed? Or want to drop a hint to a loved one? This oak breakfast tray would definitely cut the risk of breakfast being more on the bed than in bed.

* I’m not even mad keen on vodka, but love this vodka set. Perfect for shots, more likely to be sloe gin in our house than vodka. Fill the carafe with spirit of choice and put in the freezer, and stand it over the base filled with ice when ready to go. Pretty coloured glasses too!

* I can think of someone that would love an apple press like this and will be busy sending this link to BFF. Although imagine her fella is less likely to leave the end product as just apple juice! If you always have an excess and wonder what to do, then this could be brilliant come next autumn. Local pig keepers will thank you for the leftovers too!

* For someone who is vowing that next year they are going to grow their own, then give them a real incentive by treating them to some great seeds. The beginner’s vegetable garden seeds gives them some interesting but straightforward stuff to grow, like French beans, minature cucumbers, cut and come again Green Oak Leaf lettuce and cherry tomatoes. If they’re more experience, then check out the large variety of single seed packets, for things like Green Globe Artichokes or Red Rubine Brussel Sprouts.

There are also great courses for cooking and gardening for cooking, and kit for the kitchen and obviously for the garden. A  taste of the good life for Christmas Day and beyond.

We were given one of the Chocolate Panettones a couple of years ago and it was delicious. Whether just sliced off, toasted with butter, or converted into an amazing panettone and butter pudding, everyone who tried it loved it. Sophisticated white and gold packaging almost doesn’t need wrapping.

Discover what chocolate and orange can be like without Terry’s being involved. The Chocolate Clementine is the real deal, candied Calabrian clementines enrobed in thick dark chocolate. Delish!

Need a bigger gift? I like the Dinner at Home (Cena in Casa) hamper, which they describe as being ideal for a kitchen supper. For £35 you get coffee, fig jam, linguine and a good pesto, pappardelle and ragu and some anchovies. Now, there’s a good few great suppers in there, making it great value in my book.

Normally olive oils and oil gifts make my heart sink, as they have little provenance usually, or taste. Not so with this useful trio of a Ligurian Extra Virgin Olive Oil, a Chilli and a Lemon infused EVOO. Great for salad dressing or finishing dishes, I don’t think anyone would turn their nose up at this threesome.

You might know by now that I love a teatowel, and I’m particularly fond of a fairly kitsch one. Which I think this one definitely qualifies as!

So, stop in, have a good coffee, a slice of toasted panettone, and give them your shopping list whilst you eat! Sorted!

Ok, declaration of conflict of interests and bias upfront: I work with the team at Soap & Glory every day, they keep me very busy but we have some brilliant times. I am very proud of the cosmetics range they’ve just launched into our shops, and I’m delighted to give them a shout out for this brilliant gift.

Things you can’t have too many of: aprons and storage tins. And Yum at Heart gives you both, to keep you baking long after Christmas 2011 has disappeared from our memories. But there are even more benefits, as you get the daily delight of Breakfast Scrub. We could all tell you the lengths that were gone to to get this product to market, and I know more about the buying of oats than one person needs to, but boy, was it worth it!

Think warm bowls of porridge smothered in maple syrup. Now, keep it on the outside of your body, and you get a fabulous smelling, effective but gentle body scrub. Love it, love it, love it! Cheers shower time up no end.

And every cook and baker needs a good hand cream, and Hand Food will definitely tick all the right boxes to keep cooking hands in great shape. The gift is £16 at Boots, and is also part of the mix and match so maybe buy two for someone else and keep one yourself! Treat them, treat yourself, make us happy! Please!