Serious Eats
Gift Guide: Stocking Stuffers Under $15
Our gift-guide marathon continues. Want something a little more special? Try our full complement of lists. —Ed.
Anti-Theft Lunch Bags: Do not let your friends suffer from the injustices of sandwich larceny! We've been fans of these green-splotched bags ever since we first found out about them. Available at perpetualkid.com, $9.99
Gnocchi Board: This gift has a few purposes. One, it proves that gnocchi boards do in fact exist. Two, it will force the board's new owner to start making more of the dough blobs the old-fashioned way. This beechwood board forms the neat little grooves. Available at surlatable.com, $6.95
Chef's Pencil Set: How often do you use pencils? Ever? Maybe that number would increase if they said things like "WHIP- BEAT RAPIDLY TO EXPAND" or "AL DENTE - SLIGHTLY CHEWY" and other efficient definitions of culinary terms. This set of six is great, though might turn confusing once sharpened. Available at etsy.com, $11 for six
United States of Cookies: Sorry gingerbread men and women, but eating a cookie shaped like California is pretty fun too. "The Sierra Nevada was delicious!" Note: Colorado is kind of a rip-off and Kansas is slightly less of one (that little curvature in the upper right corner adds some cookie shape complexity). Available at thefind.com, $1.50
Mini Fondue Kit: Ooh, a mini version! Of something that's already pretty cute! Doesn't this just make your heart melt like a wedge of Jarlsberg? The set comes with the 3"x3" pot, a metal stand, tea light, four metal forks, and a 32-page mini cookbook. Available at fredflare.com, $10
Vintage Gourmet Issues: Sigh. The fossils of Gourmet. These old issues are pretty fun to flip through, though might depress your gift recipient a smidge. Available at ebay.com, $4.99 plus shipping
A Spice They've Maybe Never Heard Of: Colorful peppercorns, fenugreek, sumac—spices are just plain fun. Plus they force people to investigate a whole new family of recipes. Look for a nearby spice store or order online from Penzeys, prices range
Cookeys key caps: As long as you don't start dipping your keys in milk, this set of two (chocolate and vanilla) is pretty great. Available at fredflare.com, $8
Spoon Recipe Cards: Writing down recipes is a dying art, but maybe people would do more of it if they had such charming cards with illustrated spoons on top. Available at riflepaperco.com, $8 for pack of twelve
Nostalgic Candy: Is vintage chewing gum cooler than present-day chewing gum? Probably not but the fonts and colors look pretty swell. Order a pack of Blackjack Gum, the black licorice-flavored gum first created in 1884, and other miscellaneous throw-back candies. Available at nostalgiccandy.com, $1
Sporks: If I could marry any utensil, it would be a spork. So impressive, that spork! It can scoop oatmeal, twirl pasta, and this version (with a serrated edge, so technically more of a sporknife) can even cut fruit. These Light My Fire brand sporks were designed by Joachim Nordwall and come in 19 colors. Available online, $2.79
More Gift Guides: Find Something for...
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New Yorkers Actual and Expatriate »
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