by Greg Everage
Father’s Day is right around the corner, and to help you find just the right gift for Dad, this week we turn to Greg to give us some ideas on what Dad’s who love to cook (and drink) just might want this year.
What better place to start than in the morning. That’s when I look forward to my first cup of freshly brewed coffee. I love my coffee and I’m very particular about what I drink and it must be prepared properly. That’s why the true coffee fanatic will love the Technivorm electric coffee maker, which brews a cup of coffee that rivals that of your favorite barista. With its perfect brewing temperature, and fresh grinds, you’ll be satisfied cup after cup. And, if you want to ensure that your coffee stays warm, why not pour their freshly brewed coffee into a warm cup? The Jura Cup Warmer, a freestanding countertop unit that warms coffee cups to the ideal temperature is a must-have accessory for coffee lovers who want the best.
If you just want a great cup of coffee, yet want something a little less high tech, try the Aerobie Aero Press coffee and espresso maker, which (as I can attest to), makes a delicious cup of American style or espresso coffee, with little effort. And, what’s a coffeemaker without coffee. Try your local roaster, or head to the Equator Coffee and Teas’ ifan store for some Ecuador Perla Negra Micro-lot, with its floral aromas which lead to jasmine and peach in the cup.
After my morning fix of coffee, I often love to treat myself, and the kids, to a refreshing fruit smoothie snack. That’s when I call on my Vitamix® Professional Series 500 to do the trick. It has preprogrammed settings for smoothies, so it purees frozen fruit, grinds nuts and seeds, and crushes ice faster than the kids can say “Give it to me!”
As the summer’s weekend afternoons arrive, it is essential (and a lot of fun) to have a well stocked bar, with all the right gadgets. Oxo’s Steel collection of wine gear which includes a Bottle Opener, Cork Pull, Foil Cutter, Muddler and more – all come with Oxo’s signature comfortable soft grip, and more importantly, style. Go ahead, make a mojito and enjoy the day.
For the ultimate wine aficionado, try the Vinturi Deluxe Aerator Set. No more waiting for wine to decant, Vinturi breaks down the aeration process into one simple action that requires only the time it takes to pour a glass of wine. This essential 7-piece set includes the Vinturi Red Wine Aerator, Tower Arm, Tower Base, No-Splash Grate, Sediment Filter, No Drip Stand and Travel Pouch. Now, you can’t beat that.
Adding a bit of excitement to the beverage preparation, try the Soda Siphon from iSi. It is a great way to create flavored sparking soda water for kids or taste tempting fizzy cocktails for the adults. Either way – alcoholic or non-alcoholic- the results are very refreshing.
And, for the ultimate in liquid culture, give the truly unique, and unexpected, gift, of a subscription to Imbibe Magazine.In the magazine you’ll find the best drink recipes, reviews, destinations and profiles—everything you need to know about the people, places, flavors and cultures of drinks. From wine, spirits and beer to coffee, tea and everything in between,
What would Father’s Day be without a mention of grilling? My birthday present last year was a fabulous Weber Genesis Special Addition (it was a big birthday), but if pocketbooks are not that deep, there are a lot of great options available, that give you the opportunity to truly create some great results. Take Aussie® Smoker Model 5030 from Meco for example.
Perfect for anyone who loves to grill and wants to add a new dimension to their outdoor cooking, the Aussie Smoker infuses meat, poultry, fish and vegetables with a depth of flavor that can’t be beat. Surprisingly convenient, this electric smoker can be used on apartment and condo balconies as well as backyards and patios.
To ensure things are cooked to perfection, try the Rosle Dual Functioning Mini Grill & Oven Thermometers. This set of four mini thermometers that gauge the ‘doneness’ of meat or poultry. They are designed to be left in the meat while cooking on the grill, in the oven or in a pan on the stove.
A bit of flavor adds the personal touch, so I find that that the mill and the mortar and pestle are a wonderful way to add fresh flavor without the effort. The Grill Mill from William Bounds can be used for sea salt or peppercorns. It adds more flavor per second to meat, chicken or veggies, and its simple and sophisticated design appeals to just about anyone.
The mortar and pestle – such as the Classic mortar and pestle from Emile Henry, is a great way to add flavor without much effort. It is designed to allow for comfortably pressing and crushing ingredients, and the ceramic interior gives appropriate friction to produce great results.
For all your grating needs, Cuisipro offers a wide collection of graters for food prep and service, including Dual grater, Flat Graters and Rasps. All feature razor-sharp etched blades with Surface Glide technology to allow cooks to grate larger quantities of food with less effort.
And, a man who loves to grill also loves his knives. A good quality knife to prepare tomatoes for our burgers is the Classic Ikon Tomato Knife from, Wusthof. It has an extra sharp 5-inch serrated blade to effortlessly slice through all types of tomatoes. The forked and pointy edge is handy for lifting slices. It is also a great tool for slicing sandwiches once I’ve grilled them to perfection.
Then, once you’re ready to enjoy a delicious grilled steak, wouldn’t it be great to pull out your Shun Higo Nokami, or Higo, it is the ultimate gentlemen’s personal knife. From Kai, this beautifully crafted, folding knife, is small in size but is exceedingly strong. And features an inlaid Japanese family crest on the handle, and comes in its own carrying case.
If your Dad loves to grill all year round, the CuisinartGriddler is the perfect choice. It has reversible grill/griddle plates that easily snap in and out to turn it into a Contact Grill, a Panini Press, a double-wide Grill and Griddle or a Half Grill/Half Griddle. Now that is what I call multi-functional and extremely handy.
For those impromptu moments when the kids want something tasty to eat IMMEDIATELY, try the Zoku Quick Pop™ Maker. It freezes ice pops in as little as seven minutes right on your countertop without electricity. Quickly make striped pops, yogurt pops or flavored core pops. The unit can make up to 9 pops before refreezing the unit again – which comes in handy for our family of six!
Finally, when I’m in the mood for some serious treats, I turn to chocolate. Good chocolate. Dark Chocolate. Satisfying Chocolate, like the Classic Dark Chocolate Caramels fromFran’s Chocolates. Fran delivers a taste that endures with the soft, fresh butter caramels that are dipped in 56% pure chocolate.
For more information and to find where you can purchase these items, please visit the websites listed throughout the article. Even though the ideas are for Dad, everyone in the family will enjoy them! (Just keep your hands off my chocolate—and, yes Laura, that means you too!)
