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Avoid disappointment this Mother's Day

I wrote yesterday about a few ideas on what to get a food loving mum for Mother’s Day. Which kind of got me thinking about the things to avoid. Here’s a few I’d give a wide berth to:

1. Milk Tray – the lady may love Milk Tray, but most food lovers won’t be over-thrilled. Particularly if it’s only a quarter pound box. Honestly, save your money, make cornflake crispie cakes or brownies instead.

2. A Shopping Trolley – you know what, we may look at these and think how practical for touring the farmer’s market and carrying home our purchases. But since when did we want practical presents?

3. Personalised Champagne – or even worse, personalised Prosecco. If you’re going to buy fizz, buy the best you can and go for taste. Make your own label if you must, but put the money into product, not the gimmick.

4. A novelty apron – foodie mums use an apron for practical purposes of keeping food off themselves whilst they’re cooking. Not for a practical joke.

5. Umami paste -this may just be me, but if a dish doesn’t have umami from the ingredients, don’t go messing with it.

6. Cheap truffle oil- a bit like the champagne, if you’re not going to buy the good stuff, then don’t go with the cheap stuff. Truffle oil should be expensive, and that’s why it’s a fabulous gift if you get it right. London Fine Foods do a 250ml bottle of Black Truffle infused oil which is the real deal. A little goes a long, long way. Which at £30 is a good job, but do this or don’t bother.

7. Big bottles of peppercorns or oils with herbs – most of us will want to know what kind of oil it is, possibly where it’s from, and who tended the herbs. We don’t want 50 litres of some unidentified stuff. Thank you.

8. Novelty pepper grinders - there is never a moment for these. Not that much to be said.

9. Ainsley Harriott cookbooks – and possibly no Gary Rhodes either. Cooking has moved on.

So, hope you get your mum something she will really enjoy, rather than what someone wants to sell you under the guise of Mother’s Day. Remember, taste first and foremost, to avoid disappointment. Unlike the pie.

Photo courtesy of raindog on Flickr.

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Can you eat & shop well on the motorway?

I’ve tried giving you the tastiest Christmas gifts for foodies that can be delivered to your door, right up to the last minute (and look out for tomorrow’s post for the really last minute versions). But what happens if you’re heading off on a long journey to somewhere remote, that hasn’t heard of dial up, let alone broadband, and you’ve remembered someone you’ve forgotten?

Well, supposing that you’ll have to tackle the motorway network, then what happens if you pull in and try the shop? Some of you might be lucky and find that Tebay is the nearest services, and perhaps their legendary farm shop might still be open, in which case you’re sorted for the foodie. But from everywhere else?

Well, I tried this this morning at Cambridge services on the M11. I would think I was in luck for most foodies, as there was an M&S Food. Of course, you could choose any of the Christmas specials, but you could also do things like tortilla chips and dips, preserves and pickles, tins of nuts, or a whole bag of clementines. I’d also be tempted to throw in the Ouidinot champagne (especially as there’s £5 off) and a bottle of port.

You might get even luckier if you pull into the services, and find one of the rare, but growing, number of Waitrose versions of these food havens. But what happens if there’s neither or they’re shut?

I wandered round the typical services shop, and was a little stuck. I might be tempted to buy the foot scrub in the foot shaped pack, although it may only be good for the sink. There wasn’t a proper book section, but a small selection of special offer cookbooks. If you could find something on local specialities you might be onto a little winner.

I did think you could do a whole nostalgic tastes bag (couldn’t find hampers, but eco friendly shopping bags). Salt & vinegar Monster Munch, Sherbet Fountain and maybe even a box of After Eights. You could probably find a suitably cheesy CD to really set it off (Best of the Nolans anyone?) although sadly no bottles of Snowball.

Sometimes the answer in these situations is generosity. Plunder the magazine racks, but don’t just buy one foodie magazine, buy a whole stack. Along with Olive, Delicious etc, there was more unusual stuff like Country Kitchen, Country Smallholding, Cake Craft & Decoration and Organic Garden & Home. There was ribbon that wouldn’t have looked bad, and my best tip if the wrapping paper isn’t great is buy the Financial Times. That salmon pink newsprint always looks classy.

The chocolate selection wasn’t inspiring, so I would have followed the same principle and just bought up every flavour of Green & Black chocolate. You can make pretty patterns with the colours, and the flavours are pretty good, with something for everyone. I’m very partial to the cherry and the almond, and you could do a fruit theme, all milk, all plain, or just go mad with the whole range.

I ignored the Slankets and strange electrical gadgets that only seem to come out at Christmas. I would go for a good flask, a water bottle, and a waterproof backed picnic blanket, as everyone can always use extra of any of those. And they speak of warm days ahead, which is always good.

And if you’re tempted to buy flowers, again be generous. The Christmas bouquets they had weren’t bad, but were mean. Buy three or four, and wrap them together. Again, you could employ the Financial Times trick, it’ll really upgrade those carnations.

So, I hope you turn up where ever you are going safely, after not too long on the road, and bearing gifts for everyone, and gifts that will ensure everyone is still talking by Christmas lunch. If in doubt, watch this to see the hazards of raiding the wrong part of the shop!

Fabulously atmospheric post of dining at motorway services by rightee on Flickr.

An alternative to the caterpillar cake

Another month gone, and we’re getting so close to Christmas now. After last month’s obsession with unusual foodstuffs like the Gummi Bear, this month has swung into full on gift searching, but at a more general level. And then the usual array of odd searches that cause me amazement, bewilderment and the odd giggle or two.

So, the top 5 things everyone had on their mind this month were as follows:

1. Foodie gifts and presents – bit obvious with the title of the blog, but a big switch, which suggests everyone is looking for ideas for the foodies in their lives. Over the month my ideas have included where to buy a whole pig, gifts for the tea and coffee lovers, gifts on a budget and what to serve if David Tennant pops round for dinner. Always best to be prepared. And if anyone wants to know, David coming to dinner could be the best gift you could send this foodie!

2. Cupcakes – you weren’t so much making your own as looking for two fabulous suppliers, Bedazzled Cupcakes for if you’re up here in the East Midlands, and The Kent Cupcakery for those in Kent. I would think. Great choices, and I would be getting a move on to get my Christmas order in quick with both, or your local provider. Would make a fabulous alternative to mince pies, or to a Christmas cake. For the adults, have a look at what Sally at The Kent Cupcakery is doing with Limoncello cupcakes! Definitely not one for the kiddies!

3. Hampers – these were definitely beginning to creep up the presents chart, all ready for the festive season. I wrote a piece on hampers back in October, and there are some specific posts on hampers from M&S, Not On the High Street and Funky Hampers. A number of you were looking at hampers you could put together yourself, and I’ll be posting some ideas around this shortly.

4. Caterpillar Cake Tins – wow, this really is the cake of the moment!  Don’t get me wrong, I love a caterpillar cake as much as the next mum, but this month I will be attempting a stable with three horses heads, thanks to MGG and her flicking through of Debbie Brown’s 50 Easy Party Cakes. Photos and tales from the kitchen to follow before much longer. The cake tin is a great route though to a very quick and easy cake, so to be recommended for working parents everywhere who want to turn out a great homemade cake.

5. Alcohol free drinks – some of you are getting ready for Christmas, and providing interesting options for those who don’t, or can’t, drink. I’ve written a few times about how much I like the cordials from Belvoir Fruit Farms, and I will certainly be stocking up on Spiced Winter Berries cordial this weekend. I’ll also be testing my resolve with the Bottlegreen limited edition sparkling presses, which are very pretty, not to mention very tasty.

And for entertainment value, these are my choice searches of the month:

1. Lambrini gifts – stop asking me, I still loathe all of them. Please don’t send me one.

2. Turkey twizzlers – please, I’ve told you before, not on my watch!

3. Campbells condensed soup vol au vent filler – ah, retro food lives on for another month!

4. Asda Vin du Soleil – really, once in this lifetime was enough!

5. Comedy photo aprons – just picture your face on Christmas morning if this one is coming your way!

Looking forward to seeing what comes out top of the pops on the foodie present front come Christmas time. Here’s hoping it’s both tasty, and tasteful for all our sakes!

Buy it for someone else who needs it

It’s coming round to that time of year, when you’ve ticked all the easy ones of your list, and you’re facing into the fact you’ve only got that one awkward so and so to still shop for. We all have at least one, and every year it’s tough going. My best advice is shop early for these ones, it doesn’t get any easier the later you leave it!

So, what would I suggest for those awkward ones that say “don’t get me anything”? Here’s a few ideas:

1. Don’t. Literally. Don’t buy anything for them, buy something for someone else who is in much greater need. You can even get them with a food theme. With Gift in Action from Action Aid, you could buy cocoa tree saplings, a community garden or a goat breeding programme. Practical Presents offer a fireless cooker, a cool zeer pot or some funky chicks. Someone else gets to cook to survive, they don’t get a blueberry vodka filled stiletto.

2. Buy them something they have forgotten they loved. I think this is where the more unusual nostalgic sweets come into their own, and I love the decade boxes that A Quarter Of have. There are boxes from the 50s onwards, with the 50s having Pontefract Cakes and Peanut Brittle, whilst the 70s (peak sweet eating time for me) has Tooty Frooties, which makes it all worthwhile for me. The other good option for foodies is a much earlier cookbook, to revisit food from your childhood. Nothing for me makes a day better than cooking up cakes from the BeRo cookbook. Check out Alibris for out of print stuff.

3. Buy them something they’ve always wanted to do. I think experiences rather than things are often a better bet, and memories have value for such a long time afterwards. Long after the blueberry vodka has gone. I would think even the least festive feeling person in the world would be happy to find themselves the recipient of a booking on a course at The School of Artisan Food or perhaps bread making with Richard Bertinet in Bath. For something even more niche, how about a sugar decorations masterclass or even a home food smoking course. Smiles guaranteed, both on Christmas Day and on the day of the class.

4. Do something for them. Be the commis chef on Christmas Day, without complaint or tutting. Sort out their cookbooks, or put all the recipes they’ve been collecting into some sort of sensible system for future reference. Get the oven professionally cleaned. Plant salad ready for next year (sorry, can’t remember, sure there are types you could plant now). Just think about the things they always complain they never get round to doing.

5. Go all out and spoil them. Notch up a Michelin starred restaurant or two, or at the nearest top one from the Good Food Guide. Travel overseas and exploit their best food offering, or even just different food offerings to what’s on offer near you.

Don’t leave this till the last minute, as you may need to do more question asking to just get a really good feel for anything except option 1. Failing that, just buy them the Giant Gummi Bear and a jar of Marshmallow Fluff. That’ll teach them.

Nosy or just curious?

Being nosy and curious are good attributes for what I do. Which means I am quite fascinated by what terms people search on to end up on the blog. The popular stuff gives a feel for what people are thinking about and looking for, and the random stuff gives you an idea on what’s happening on the edges. Sometimes, on the very surreal edges.

Given the title of the blog, and the key thing I write about, it’s probably no surprise that foodie gifts is the top term, so I’m going to ignore that each month, along with anything with the blog’s title in. So, here we go, a view of October

Top 5

1. Top of the shops is the Giant Gummi Bear. Who can tell why? Although I think they’d be fun to watch someone unwrap one. But I’m sure you’d get fed up of it by about half way through!

2. In a similar theme, lots of people were looking for, and buying, Baconnaise. I love bacon and I love mayonnaise, but I think I’d rather have the two things separately. It seems lots of you disagree and are busy stocking up on this.

3. There must have been a lot of kids having caterpillar birthday cakes if the searches were anything to go by! No more M&S cake though, you were after the cake tin, and Lakeland can oblige.

4. Lots of you are on a retro food kick, with vol au vents featuring highly. I think this must be something that’s passed me by, but now determined to see if I can come up with some fabulous versions. Or at least ones that don’t involve Campbells condensed mushroom soup!

5. Finally a lot of you were looking out for a local supplier to me of gorgeous cupcakes. Bedazzled Cupcakes really do put on a dazzling display and you’ll often find them at food festivals in the East Midlands. Worth a mid morning sugar snack!

Top 5 oddities

1. Unless he has a brother, as far as I know it’s Richard Corrigan. Not Keith.

2. What pepper is in the Jamie Oliver kilner jar? Black

3. Sorry, no idea on Thomasina Miers wedding. But hope the half dozen of you looking on the blog for it got her something nice. A quince tree hopefully.

4. How not to burn jam. Keep stirring it. Or buy a Tefal jam maker and let it take the strain.

5. Buy turkey twizzlers? Not on my watch you don’t. I’m not even sure making your own is my favourite idea.

So, bring on November and December, as running into Christmas always throws up some interesting and obscure stuff. Can’t wait!

Fabulous photo to illustrate this by jin.thai on Flickr.

Wine please!

We’re obviously running into pre-Christmas discounting time as offers seem to fly in every day. As of now, Majestic are offering 20% off a huge range of wine, which makes it the perfect time to stock up, either for your own consumption or for gifts, of either the planned or last minute type. Having some decent wine tucked away will save you the embarrassment of presenting someone with a last minute bottle of Lambrini.

Or even worse, Black Tower.

So right now you can get 20% off a selection of great wines from New Zealand, Chile or the Rhone, and 20% off some decent sparkling as well when you buy at least two bottles from that selection. And some have further money off, so something like the Ned Black Label Waihopai River Sauvignon Blanc 2008 has £2.49 off a bottle, and then with the further 20% off takes it down to just £5.99. That’s a quality bottle for just over £1 more than the Vin du Soleil I wrote about.

There’s also really good offers on sparkling wine, with between 25% and 50% off two bottles. Fizz makes any celebration to me, and a nice fizz always makes a good last minute gift. The Lindauer Special Reserve is an IWC Silver winner, and you save £10 when you buy two, and it’s a nice light drink. This has definitely been the year of Prosecco and for something as far as you can imagine from Lambrusco then I’d buy Prosecco di Conegliano Valdobbiadene Extra Dry NV.

If you require the real thing, then there are champagne offers too. I would be happy to stock up on the Taittinger Brut Reserve, and could be tempted to try the Oeil de Perdrix Rosé at these prices. I think one bottle for Christmas Day and one for New Year’s Eve feels not completely out of keeping with the way the year has gone! Although I think we might be doing nostalgia too, so will be looking for a bottle of Advocaat to make a few Snowballs with!

Beautiful wine shot by billaday on Flickr.

You've got mail

Ah, September. Month of mist and mellow fruitfulness. And catalogues.

Yes, an almost daily deluge in our house, driven by my addiction to online shopping and from my work on ProblemPresents.com in the past. Some are good, some are bad, and some are laugh out loud awful. But what about if you’re trying to find a gift (or write a wish list) for a foodie? Lets have a look, given the odd selection I have already.

1. Joules – tough call on the foodie front, can only suggest that if it’s a foodie with an allotment or raised beds, then you check out their wellies. They are still the best designs going for not looking dull in the garden. For her I would be tempted by the plain purple or possibly the Paul Smith like multi-stripe. For the guys, well, sorry, nothing doing. Next!

2. Hamptons Hampers – hampers from the shop of the same name in Stow on the Wold, which provided us with some very nice little foodie treats last weekend, with my favourites being Oxsprings English Air Dried Ham, and Woodchester’s Cherry & Balsamic Fruit for Cheese. On the hamper front, depending if it’s for now or later in the year, I could be tempted by the indulgent Christmas Cheese Hamper or the Luxury Cheese Hamper, and then the Swell Hamper, just for the name really. Great quality contents, some of the best I’ve seen.

3. The Original Gift Company – we went into this shop just to laugh at the really naff stuff. Of which there is plenty. If this was the only place to shop for the foodie in your life, then I would possibly risk a personalised plum pudding, or even a personalised party bucket, as being kitsch, probably tasty, and possibly useful. I would avoid the personalised wine like the plague. Likewise the personalised plates, mugs, tea towels and one touch electric wooden pepper mill. And the chocolate fondue. I’d maybe just give up and buy a penguin dynamo torch instead.

4. Bright Minds – really sad to see no kids starter kit in molecular gastronomy, although there are plenty of other science kits. Might have to settle for buying future Heston’s their own personalised apron instead!

5. Presents For Men/Gifts for Girls – a little similar to The Original Gift Company. What can I say? You must know a man who is crying out for a lager bottle pepper mill, or a toilet shaped mug. Or a female foodie who would love a kitchen utensil wall clock or pink lady gardening gloves for tending only pretty vegetables. If you forced me, then I would choose to buy: a pack of 5 Envirosax to save the planet with, a PinQY Fire Extinguisher for those who practice smoke alarm cookery, the whisky decanter set as it’s actually quite tasteful and Drinking Roulette. Well, too much good taste is boring!

6. J Parker - for the grow it yourself foodie, then I would look at some of the more unusual stuff in here. How about a loganberry or tayberry plant? A talking point with red gooseberries? Or health on the patio with goji berries, honey berries and vitalberries? Certainly unusual for the green fingered foodie.

7. Pedlars – I love these people, and a lot of what they stock. I’ve written about items they carry before, and you could wander round the house and find stuff from them I’ve bought. Right now, as a foodie, I am lusting after the vintage Hovis tins, some vinyl coasters, some of the big stainless steel casseroles, and a L’Econome peeler.

8. I Want One of Those - another old faithful that I regularly turn to, but usually not for foodie stuff, more for fun stuff. That said, if I wanted a foodie gift right now, I would be looking at the V Gauge Wine Preserver and Vinturi Wine Aerator, for gadget loving wine drinkers, and a BeepEgg for those just learning to boil an egg. But I have a feeling that a cuddly Yoda might just slip into the basket too.

And that’s just the first pile I’ve worked through. More to follow!

Great photo of mailing junk mail back by Oran Viriyincy.

I love a good top 10 list, I think it’s a remnant from childhoods spent listening to the top 20 on a Sunday night, waiting for Radio 1 to changeover to FM!

I was intrigued to get this top 10 list from Cook In Style, to see what they were selling well in these interesting times we live in. This is their top 10,in reverse order of course, and my thoughts and possible alternatives.

Neat, colourful & possibly useful

10. Joseph Joseph Multicoloured Kitchen Nesting Set – You know what, I quite like this. One thing the majority of foodies are going to have is a shortage of space, so anything to help with that is great. And these look kind of pretty. There are two possible issues though: one, do the bits that aren’t mixing bowls stand up to proper use and two, do they stack well when half of the things are in the dishwasher or full of leftovers in the fridge? If you’re going to buy this, then it’s cheaper at John Lewis.

9. Kitchencraft Magnetic Spice Rack with Six Holders – this seems both practical and stylish, with the dishes being decent sizes to hold big things you use a lot of, like rock salt and bay leaves for example. Good for a foodie starting out, and you could add some decent spices to this as well. I really like Steenbergs if I want to order online, or Spices of India for more exotic fare. Living this close to Leicester though, there is nothing to beat going to some of the food stores there and getting spices there.

8. Marco Pierre White Cooking in Hells Kitchen – a surprising entry for the only cook book in their list. It’s ranked 164,000th on Amazon, so I’m not sure on this. If you wanted to send someone a book by Marco, I would be more tempted by Marco’s Great British Feast instead. I think it has more interesting and useful recipes, as well as tapping into the seasonal and British vibe.

7. KitchenCraft Tempero Shot Glasses – I think these look pretty good, and serve many purposes, over and above

Useful & stylish little shots of joy

shots of liquor. From small appetisers through to stunning desserts and holders for delicate flowers, these are lovely to have to hand. I like the mix of designs, as I’m not particularly into matchy matchy type arrangements. If you wanted something that might be even more of a talking point, then check out the ice shot glass mould at Firebox.

6. Outback Omega Gas Grill – I can only assume that they have sold these at a big discount all summer! I would say it was a little late to be treating someone to a BBQ now, unless you can get a really good one at a big discount. What about something a bit different,  like the American camp ovens that Pedlars have in stock? I think these offer up something different in outdoor cooking, which is bound to appeal to the active foodie.

5. Pink Flamenco Child’s Apron – ah yes, pink rules where girls of a certain age are involved! They do grow out of it. Mini Gourmet Girl is just heading out of the pink hues, and if you need a more funky childs apron, then I would suggest having a look at Not On the High Street. There are some great options, from personalised to ones with quotes from Plato and Socrates. If you’ve got a boy, or a tomboy, then check out the camo apron!

4. Brushed Nickel Fan - I bet these all sold on the very rare hot days we had, and have generally laid unused for most of the summer. Although now jam making is in full flow they may be useful for when you’re slaving over a boiling dish of sugar and fruit!

3. Ceiling Mounted Pan Rack – Congrats to those of you with ceilings high enough to take one of these without you knocking yourself out on the frying pan. I like having stuff visible in the kitchen, and to hand. To me though, this doesn’t make a great gift unless you know a) the person really wants one b) the kitchen can take it and c) someone has the ability to put it up properly.

2. Maxwell & Williams Cashmere Allegro 16 Piece Dinner Set - nice enough design, but in my view the wrong number of things! Even with two of you, you’ll get through 4 very quickly. For a couple, I would say 6 was good, gives you enough to have one set clean, one set dirty, and one set going round the dishwasher. If you need a first set of matching china, then I would head to Ikea for their basic white stuff, which is good quality, very reasonable and will go with everything.

1. 2 Lions Sabatier Milan Knife Block Set of 5 – this strikes horror into my heart. For a serious foodie, they need serious knives, not a block set. This is okay for your first kitchen, but any serious foodie needs to go into the shop and try out how each knife feels in the hand. In fact the only set of knives I could think would go down well with a serious foodie would be something like the Laguiole steak knives. That said, I don’t like sending knives, there is an old Japanese tradition I think it is about not sending knives or scissors, as they represent the severing of a relationship. Not the best message for anniversary present perhaps!

So, there you, probably this list is like finding Agadoo at the top of the charts. It says there are a lot of kitchens with some not fantastic equipment, which may ultimately not be the best use of what ever cash you have to spend. I would always look what brands and styles are already in the kitchen as a good starting point if you want to buy gadgets. That and something completely off the wall, like when candyfloss makers were first available. Sometimes, you just have to not take this whole foodie thing too seriously!

Yesterday I brought you Selfridges, today it’s Debenhams. I know you’re going to get in quick for some of these! I have to say, it is a mix of the good, bad and ugly. Here’s a quick selection:

A retro favourite for grandmas everywhere!

1. Snowball and glass set - a retro favourite, beloved Christmas tipple of my grandma. I think I would buy this for my mother-in-law as a stocking filler, and at £6.50 that’s not bad.

2. Mrs Bridges- there’s a good collection of different jams, chutneys and mustards from Mrs Bridges, which are the sort of things that tend to make good standby gifts. Some of these look pretty tasty, and useful for the kitchen. For those who like it spicy, there’s the Hot collection, which gives you Chilli Mustard and Chilli Jam. I love ginger, so would perhaps consider the amusingly named Ginger Preserves Mansion. I would think 4 jars of variants of ginger preserves might be enough for one year though!

3. Retro sweets - both Debenhams and Mrs Bridges are offering various retro sweets in jars. Everything from Rhubarb & Custards to candy shrimps and jelly beans. The Debenhams ones come in useful looking Kilner-type jars. The Debenhams ones are £7 for a jar full, and £8 will buy you a gift pack of 2 jars from Mrs B. I have to say, if it’s retro sweets you want, my preferred source is A Quarter Of. I have sent their gift boxes a couple of times, always to rave reviews and grateful thanks (although never heard anything about the dentist bills). Worth a look.

And what’s already on my what not to buy list? Most definitely the Blueberry Cocktail Glass Shoe. As far as I can see there are only two good things about this gift: 1) the contents may make an effective sink cleaner and 2) glass is easily recyclable. I really hope that you are good enough this year not to get one of these! I’m wondering if I can find something worse before the big day? If you spot something, let me know!