9 Gift Ideas for Someone Who Likes to Cook

Published on June 21 2016 by Becka Adams

People who love to cook are often the easiest when it comes to gifts. Here are 9 ideas for gifts that will excite the fans of fabulous food:

Sea salt – Cooks, in general, love the different types of sea salt. You may choose a simple Mediterranean or Hawaiian Red Sea salt (perfect for roast pork!) or Salish (smoked salt, which adds a smoky flavor to the meat, fish or tofu). If you do not know which one your friend will like better, then pick up a few jars to be sure that you will make no mistake.

Aluminium tableware – Aluminium containers have many advantages: they are light and relatively cheap. They are suitable for boiling milk and cooking vegetables, beans, pasta. Cooking meals that contain acids must be avoided. Nowadays, the aluminium tableware is usually disposable. All of this is true for aluminium pans. It is good for frying potatoes, stewing and processing vegetables, but the products should not be mixed up with a metal utensil because it can disrupt the integrity of the vessel.

Cast iron cookware – They last the longest and are also more expensive. Sometimes there is an extra coating of enamel. Cast iron cookware is heated slowly but retains heat longer. Metal utensils will not damage the vessels. They are suitable for the preparation of recipes that require long preparation time, such as poultry. In stores, there are branded pots and pans, as their price is high. Kits are also available for cooking of Chinese food. The downside, in addition to the high cost, is that they can become rusty. So, the vessels must be completely dried after washing. This material is hard, porous and can be easily damaged.

Teflon-coated vessels – Containers with Teflon coat heat quickly, allow cooking with minimal fat and the food is difficult to burn. In Teflon cookware almost all recipes can be prepared – soups, vegetables, meat, fish, mushroom. Many people use Teflon grill pans – to cook meat and vegetables on the grill in the kitchen with almost no fat. So, these vessels are great for any healthy recipes. In order not to damage the coverage of the Teflon containers, only wooden or silicone utensils should be used in them. Tell your friend that the vessels should not be heated more than 250 degrees. The experts in domestic cleaning advise to wash them with a soft sponge in order not to damage the coating.

Ceramic vessels – Clay pots should be put in a cold oven and then heated. Their biggest advantages are that they can be washed easily and metal utensils can be used to mix up the meal. With improper use, these vessels can crack and break easily. They say that the recipes prepared in ceramic vessels have a peculiar taste or in other words: they are more delicious. This cookware can be used either in the oven or in a microwave or on the stove (electric, gas, ceramic hob for installation, etc.)

Enamel Cookware – enamel is the coating of the metal or cast iron containers. The material is not expensive and the containers are suitable for making all kinds of recipes. Enamel is a material which can easily be damaged. If it happens to burn food in an enamelled container, then it must be filled for about 30 minutes and then washed – abrasive substances and metal brushes can damage the surface of the container. Enamel cookware can serve your friend about 2-3 years. If he or she breaks the cover of the container, then it is better not to use it in the kitchen anymore.

Glass containers – these vessels have almost no disadvantages. They are beautiful, absorb the heat very well and do not get cold for a long time. They do not interact with food and can be washed easily. Glass containers can be safely used in the oven and the microwave. However, they do not tolerate sudden temperature changes.

Silicone shapes for baking – all bakers, no matter if they are beginners or experts, would be happy to receive silicone shapes for baking. They are easy to keep clean, easy to store without having to take up a lot of space. If your friend is planning a recent move, then it won't be hard for him/her to take this gift to the new place after the end of tenancy cleaning - they don`t take much space and are much lighter than the other shapes for baking.

Cookbook – a great cookbook is the key to good cooking. If your friend has a favourite chef, then you can find the cookbook of this particular person. Another option is to get a book that contains recipes from your friend’s favourite cuisine. He or she is going to love it – that is for sure!