food & kitchen

BAKE ME A CAKE AS FAST AS YOU CAN
None other than super-suave French chef Daniel Boulud has gone on record to declare his love for the Silpat reusable silicone baking liner ($19.95, Kitchen Kaboodle, 1520 NE Broadway, 288-1500, and other locations). This ultimate barrier between cookie sheets and yeasty treats allows you to zap touchy desserts in the oven and then slide them right off the pan without getting stuck. Further blinding us with science, these 12-by-16-inch marvels clean up with a damp sponge and can be reused up to 3,000 times.

THE GRAPES ARE WRAPPED
The Pearl District's little wine shop that could, 750 ml (232 NW 12th Ave., 224-1432), not only sorts wine the smart way (by flavors) but offers a special during the month of December: You can call ahead, pay by credit card and pull your car up to the front--and they'll carry it out to you. They've even put together some themed gift packages: Eh, Paisano! ($37) pairs two Italian wines (a d'Alba and a Chianti Classico) together with a beechwood stopper to keep them fresh, and the Vive La France! package ($45) includes a Bordeaux, a Côtes-du-Rhône and a corkscrew ($45).

WHIP IT GOOD
Everything--EVERYTHING--tastes better with whipped cream. But who wants the hassle of actually using your muscles to whip it when you could be eating? Enter the whipped-cream siphon ($39.95, Kitchen Kaboodle, 535 SW 6th Ave., 464-9545, and other locations), a handsome dispenser that makes fresh whipped cream instantly. That's right--load it up, aim, and splat! Heaven on earth.

KITCHEN CONDIMENTIAL
It's never a bad idea to keep some fancy condiments around in case a meal comes out just so-so and you need to slather on some quicker picker-uppers. Stonewall kitchen relishes ($5.29 Nature's Fresh Northwest, 17711 Jean Way, Lake Oswego 635-8950, and other locations) helps build a good kitchen first-aid kit with varieties that include artichoke and caper, sun-dried tomato, and olive and fresh fennel.

COOKING GEEKS UNITE!
You can easily tell what kind of cooks people are by the food magazines they read. Gourmet-heads tend to be into the lifestyle and don't mind the magazine's foray every so often into spa and getaway issues. Young couples who just bought their first house complete with stainless-steel gas range favor Bon Appétit. Saveur-ites consider themselves purebred epicures who think simple recipes are for mouth-breathers. And then there are those in the Cook's Illustrated camp. This trusty bimonthly ($24.95 for the first gift subscription, $19.95 for second, 1-800-526-8442) contains no advertising or flashy, highly stylized food photography but is packed with what it terms "no-nonsense tips for day-to-day cooking." The staff is comprised of the geekiest kitchen-culters ever; they'll test making beer-can chicken eight different ways and end up telling you it works best with Budweiser. They evaluate kitchenware with all the earnestness of a Westinghouse science winner. And through it all, the magazine presents everything in an endearingly folksy tenor that makes cooking seem a right of passage rather than a test of class.

quick gift ideas

French butter keeper Keep your butter safe from flies and looking great in these French-style keepers made by Japanese Potter Akiko. Beautiful and useful. $37.50. Sakura, 2428 NE Broadway, 493-7403.

After-dinner treat Before you even taste it, you'll be rendered speechless by the satin-etched, silver-wax-sealed bottle of Semillon Ice Wine. The late-harvest, dessert-style wine lives up to the packaging. $35. Duck Pond Cellars, 23145 Highway 99W, Dundee,
(503) 538-3199.

Italian ritual
Take some time for family closeness this year and indulge in delicious Pannetone; a Christmas egg bread from Italy. Each family member has a taste of the first three slices to ensure luck in the future. $9.95. Il Fornaio, 115 NW 22nd Ave.,
248-9400.

Tea Enthusiast All in one, Tazo tea sets come with three loose-leaf teas and a groovy infuser. The tea-lover on your list will thank you. $9.95. Starbucks, a street corner near you, 1-800-STARBUC for locations.

Ayvalik Pink Olives Kept fresh in temperature-controlled stainless-steel tanks, these delectable, tangy olives have traveled from Turkey to serve as a delicious appetizer or to top your favorite salad. $15. Olive Farm, 5120 SE Milwaukie Ave., 231-8651 (www.olivefarm.com).

Gift Guide Intro

Stocking Stuffers

Toys

Home/Bath

Gadgets/Gizmos

Outdoors

Books/Music

Cool Stuff

Pets

Accessories

Sex/Bedroom

Last Minute

Toyland

WWeek 2015