The Sophisticated Gourmet: "Gosh, Christmas Leftovers Are the Best!"
For Kamran Siddiqi, restaurants were a luxury growing up. Home-cooked meals were the center of his family life, and now they’re central to his blog, The Sophisticated Gourmet. Siddiqi’s Pakistani, Spanish and Dominican roots all influences the simple but, yes, sophisticated recipes he shares online—and, now, in print. His first book, Hand Made Baking: Recipes to Warm the Heart (Chronicle Books) was released last month. Below, Siddiqi shares his holiday gift pics with us (and you!):
Photo: Kamran Siddiqu
What are your top 5 food-related gift ideas for the holidays?
1. This digital kitchen scale; I prefer using a scale to measuring cups because I hate washing dishes. I love this scale in particular because it has a pull-out display (it also lights up!) and a metal top perfect for those moments when you want to measure ingredients into a hot pan. Photo: Amazon
2. Vanilla bean paste. I use this stuff a lot, so I find it’s better to buy a quart of it than a tiny bottle. It’s fantastic—it has real vanilla bean seeds in it, and it can be used in place of vanilla extract in all your baking. Photo: Amazon
3. I love my spatulas, and my two favorite brands are GIR and Le Creuset. The GIR spatulas are a little stiffer than the Le Creuset ones, which tend to be more flexible, but I find that both brands do a great job. Can’t have too many of these! Photo: GIR
4. A Microplane grater. Every household needs one of these. Incredibly sharp and perfect for zesting citrus, nutmeg, or parmesan cheese. Photo: Amazon
5. This cookbook, because I wrote it and I think you’ll love it. There are so many amazing treats in Hand Made Baking, and it’s meant for bakers of all ranks—whether you’re just learning today, or whether you’ve been baking for decades. There’s also a lot of guidance throughout—something not typical of most cookbooks. Photo: Amazon
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
A porcelain mug with the words “coffee is not my cup of tea” printed on it. It’s not so much the mug that made it such a great gift, but rather the moment it was given to me.
Photo: Amazon
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
I like to think I’m a pretty good gift giver, so that’s a tough one to answer. I find that the gifts that are more meaningful and valuable to those receiving them are ones I’ve attached handwritten letters to and put tons of effort in. It’s more personal and memorable, and I think everyone loves that.
What are your plans for the holidays?
We’re hosting Christmas dinner, which I’m most excited about! We lie around and binge on leftovers from the meal over the next couple days. Gosh, Christmas leftovers are the best!
What will be on your holiday dinner table this year?
Aside from a slew of pies—apple, pumpkin, and chocolate pudding pie being a few—there’ll also be a beautiful glazed ham topped with rings of pineapple, dotted with cloves, and covered in gorgeous crimson-red maraschino cherries. It’s definitely a nod to 1950s cuisine, but I love that.
Photo: Vox Efx/Flickr
What’s a great last-minute gift?
Food gifts are my go-to last-minute gifts; I usually stick with something delicious, easy to make, and not a hassle to pack (I use cellophane bags closed with some twine and a handmade name tag). These past couple years my go-to has been this Peanut Butter Fudge; it’s effortless to make and absolutely satisfying.
Photo: Kamran Siddiqi
More gift ideas from our favorite bloggers:
Gift Guide 2014: Nom Nom Paleo
