Each year, as my calendar nears May, June, and July, my mailbox fills up with beautiful wedding invitations—and with them, the need to buy great gifts to help the new couples start their first homes together. Because of my job as market editor for this magazine, I’m often asked what couples should include on their registry. I also have the habit (good or bad, you decide) of buying wedding gifts I know people will love if only they knew to register for them. Here, 5 of my favorite new pans, appliances, and gizmos I’d recommend to any young (or more mature) couple looking to start a great new home kitchen.
If the couple is starting their first home, they probably don’t have any great pots and pans yet. All-Clad is the quintessential favorite, but the price tag prevents a lot of people from contributing to the collection. I prefer to gift a high-quality, median-price set of pans, such as Anolon. A 12-piece set of the brand’s Authority Hard-Anodized Nonstick 12-Piece Cookware is only $400. You can also buy individual pieces, which start at $30.
We named Cuisinart’s Velocity Ultra our best blender for your buck, but it’s also a great gift. Couples need to whirr together margaritas, daiquiris, and lots of other concoctions for entertaining or nights at home. Also, you can help unsuspecting grooms avoid the blender blunder à la “Father of the Bride.” At just $100, you could even throw in a favorite cookbook or a smoothie manual.
Keurig’s newest brewing system, the K250, can brew one-cup or fill a four-cup carafe. This is a great perk for a small household–the quantity isn’t overwhelming or wasteful. Plus, the K250 comes in 5 very trendy colors, as well as black and white. It doesn’t claim a lot of countertop real estate either, so for $120, it makes a very thoughtful, practical gift.
I gave a 10-piece Simply Store Set from Pyrex ($30) to a friend a few years ago, and she later told me she was convinced it saved her marriage. We’ve all been there–you’ve cooked and eaten a delicious meal, and now you need to store it. But all you can find are mismatched carry-out containers of questionable age. Stock the couple’s cabinets with reusable, dependable Pyrex, and you’ll help ensure marital bliss for years to come.
Equally important to having good storage is having great serving pieces. Corningware is an iconic favorite. Their French White 7-piece Casserole Set is a great starter collection. This was actually one of my first house-warming gifts when I moved into my home, so I know how handy these can be. For that reason, I’ve been gifting it to friends for their big day. Of course, I’m sure to include a great cookbook along with it so they have dishes to prepare in their new serving pieces.
from Simmer and Boil http://ift.tt/1FRNSHc via barbecue cooking sheet
No comments:
Post a Comment