And now it is time to put aside pumpkin-flavored things and turn our thoughts to the season of giving, Good Taste-style. Behold some suggestions for the girls who love to cook, and the cooks who love girls, and all of the women who love them.
1. Money Honey. You may remember my macaron idyll back in October. Well, it turns out that Paris-based Pylones is totally vibing me! They have a line of macaron coin purses that come in different “flavors,” with scents to match. The only problem is which one to pick. The glossy dark chocolate? The rose? The pistachio? Oh la la.
2. Hands-Free Garlichas been known as the stinking rose since Greek and Roman times. I love its particularly pungent essence, but Down Under outfit Dreamfarm offers a wonder-tool called the Garject which is like, Australian for garlic press. Throw a bunch of cloves in the hopper, UN-PEELED, and this monster both removes the husks and minces the garlic with just a few immaculate palm pumps. It also cleans itself with the press of a button, as you open it. So you’re also not confronted with scrubbing your old school garlic press with a dish brush afterwards. I can just hear the food prep purists bristling: “It’s lame to use a garlic press, why not just use your knife?” Well, some people just want to use fancy tools – some are minimalists – and then there are others that switch back and forth, depending on what mood they’re in. And there’s room for all of us at the Good Taste table.
3. Condimentally Sound. Cat Cora is a perennial favorite here, and she’s dreamed up some new kitchen goodness. Carbon neutral cooking oils, olives, tapenades, plus sauces that embody the flavor profiles of Mediterranean spots like Crete, Cyprus, and Santorini. What slab of protein wouldn’t be improved with a lashing of Cyprus? I recommend arranging a selection of Cora’s delights in a smart woven basket, along with this Olivia Pinup Dishtowel.
4. Spoon-Centric Movember may be over, but nobody told that to these wooden spoons, handmade by Treehouseillustrator on Etsy. They’re dapper, innit? Nope, they’re not decorated with a Sharpie; these designs are burned into the beechwood.
Since we’re on the topic of spoons, and since I have my limits when it comes to shameless self-promotion, allow me to pass the mike to the fetching Tara Baxter, who lives in Sonoma, CA with her wife.
“I think Candace’s book Licking the Spoon should be gifted to every woman, but especially the lesbians in your life-and especially if they’re foodies. It’s a deliciously edible read with a story that any of us can heavily identify with. I found bits of myself in this book, as did my wife, who came out much later in life. Candace’s journey toward becoming herself and opening up to loving women is one we can all identify with. Read it, gift it, love it. I promise.”
5. Photo Finish. Which leads me to my last gift suggestion for this post. Yes, you are witnessing a yummy mutual backscratch going on! Tara and her wife are the women behind In Her Image Photography, of Sonoma, CA. They clearly capture the most beautiful versions of everyone who crosses their lens. When it comes to GLBTQ visibility, feeling comfortable, not judged, and also confident that you’re going to look smokin’ – that’s a priceless gift, and a wonderful record of your relationship as well. Here’s just one example of their work.
