My Favorite (Foodie) Things

Every year, I make like Oprah and compile a Baker’s dozen of my favorite cooking and baking products just in time for the holiday season. Here are a few must-haves for the Baker on your list this year.

1. The 84% butterfat in Churn 84 Butter makes your laminated doughs taste like they came right out of a Parisian boulangerie.
2. This Best Of book series features superstar chefs like Claire Heitzler and Christophe Michelak. ($18)
3. These lacy baking cups are perfect for dressing up muffins and cupcakes at an elegant wedding shower. ($12)
4. I’m always on the lookout for the perfect knife, and can’t wait for the release of Misen’s new line.
5. If you have a junior chef in your household, give him a leg up with a Learning Tower stepstool. ($200)
6. If you know one of the five people on Earth who don’t already subscribe to Netflix, get them a gift card so that they can stream the six-part Chef’s Table docu-series.
7. I’m obsessed with my fashionable yet masculine apron courtesy of Michelle Lesniak. ($148)
8. The most serious chefs have a set of Sultane tips in their case for specialty piping. ($50)
9. A confectionary funnel is essential for handling glazes and ganaches.  If you can afford to splurge, opt for one with a portion control feature. ($100)
10. Sometimes you need to jam out while you work and can’t risk getting tangled up by cords.  A Bluetooth headset allows you to keep the tunes going and accept important phone calls, even when your hands are covered in chocolate. ($80-$120)
11. An extra long serrated knife will help you tackle large wedding cakes or sheet trays full of brownies in no time. ($130)
12. Restoration Hardware’s Mobile Foodie Survival Kit is the perfect stocking stuffer for that gourmande who complains at every restaurant (you know who you are). ($30)
13. The baker that already has all the tools of the trade will surely enjoy sharpening her skills in a baking class with yours truly! ($75/hour)

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above may be “affiliate links,” meaning that if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. I have not been otherwise endorsed to recommend these products, all of which I use personally.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”