Gift Guide 2014 with The Fauxmartha
Melissa Coleman really likes to make things from scratch. She’s a designer by day, a baker by night, and a full-time wife and mother with a sweet tooth who doesn’t shy away from butter, cream, milk, eggs, and flour. Her blog, The Fauxmartha, is chock-full of tips and the tried-and-true recipes Coleman and her family like to eat around the dinner table. She knows that cooking from scratch can feel overwhelming, so her blog aims to ease people’s fear and encourage them to make some “real food.” Here, she shares her holiday gift guide with us:
Photo: Melissa Coleman
What are your top five food-related gift ideas for the holidays?
1. ROK Manual Espresso Maker makes the best shot of espresso. Photo: Rodale’s
2. A Heirloom’s State Cutting Board—what I buy for the person who has everything. Photo: Heirloom
3. Marge Granola Holiday Gift Box, my all-time favorite granola. If you’re up to it, you can make your own with this similar recipe. Photo: Marge Granola
4. Utility Cloth Turned Apron, a beautiful marriage of form and function. Photo: Sunday Suppers
5. Striped Dinner Napkins with a pop of yellow—beautiful, handmade dinner linens by a design student. Blair is one to follow! Photo: STITCH
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
It’s rare that my husband and I exchange gifts. But last year he bought me a ROK Manual Espresso Maker. We were three months into parenthood (not the show), and I’m sure I looked too tired for my own good. A caffeine-making machine couldn’t have been more thoughtful. He knows, for better or worse, I love manual gadgets. (I’m a pour-over coffee drinker.) When he found a manual espresso machine, my heart went pitter-patter. I still pull a shot of espresso nearly every afternoon.
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
For someone who spends her life in the creative field, I lose ALL creativity when it comes to gift-giving. I’m far too practical, last-minute, and a tiny bit cheap. A couple days before my daughter’s first birthday this year, I was giftless. We leisurely walked into a new-to-us store. I heard a loud shriek come out of my fairly quiet daughter’s mouth. A red horse-looking stuffed animal caught her eye. It was unlike anything she’d seenbefore. It happened to be on sale, and I knew she’d love it. [It] follows her everywhere.
What will be on the holiday dinner table in Texas this year?
My Dad will smoke a turkey, waking up all throughout the night to check on the bird. My mom will make the most popular dish on the table, her macaroni and cheese. My sister will probably make a pie or a chocolate tart. I’ll beg them to break tradition and let me make the stuffing, green bean casserole, rolls, and cranberry sauce from scratch. If not, I’ll settle with making Christmas in a Bowl.
What’s a great last minute gift?
The practical side of me says you can never go wrong with a good bottle of wine. Though I did that one year to a non-wine drinker. I’m not lying when I say gift-giving doesn’t come naturally to me.
Get Ahead of Your Holiday Shopping With These Gift Ideas:
The Sophisticated Gourmet: “Gosh, Christmas Leftovers Are the Best!”
Gift Guide 2014: Nom Nom Paleo on Meat Thermometers, Pressure Cookers, and, of Course, Her Cookbook
Gift Guide 2014 with This Rawesome Vegan
What foodie gifts are on your list for the holidays?
