Editors’ Wish List

When you work with and around food all day, every day, people always ask: what's your favorite recipe / chef / kitchen product? We say we couldn't possibly choose, we love it all. Well, that's a little white lie…

While we love everything we put on the site, there are some things that catch our eye and that take hold of us, some items that we keep going back to, that we bookmark and clip and keep on a list for … some day. Well, today is that day! In the spirit of the holidays, we’re sharing our wish lists with you!

From stocking stuffers to splurges, from knick knacks to serious kitchen investments, here’s what we want for Christmas. 

Marie Elena Martinez, Founding Editor (@mariesworlds)

STOCKING STUFFER

Riedel O Wine Tumblers, Set of 2, $24.99

I got these fantastic Riedel "O" wine glasses (right) in a Secret Santa grab bag years back. And…I broke them. They're sleek, sexy, and look great on any table. Whether it's a casual red wine nightcap for two or perfectly placed on the table at a holiday meal, these elegant yet cool glasses elevate the art of drinking your favorite varietal. In my case, an Argentine Malbec or a French Bordeaux blend.

SUPER SANTA

Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender, $34.95

Winter is the season when I pull out my dogeared cookbooks, don an apron, and spend Sunday afternoons making hearty soups and stews to get me through the chill. Alas, I don't own a hand blender! This Cuisinart Smart Stick is what I need to take soupy experimentation to new heights. Plus, this hand blender not only blends and purees, it chops, grinds, and whips with the help of a few handy attachments. The added bonus? When spring comes, and my thoughts return to my bikini body, I'll be ready to juice like there's no tomorrow!

SPLURGE

All-Clad Copper Core 7-Piece Cookware Set, $889.99

I admit it; I have crappy pots. For a food editor, they're a downright embarrassment. They come from all different stages of my life and include beaten non-stick pans from college, hand-me-downs stainless steel pots from my sister after she got married (hello, registry!), and a few copper stalwarts stolen from my mom. So, my dream culinary wish list gift has always been an All-Clad Copper Core set. As any chef knows, the conductivity of heat in copper pots is unmatched and a stainless silver finish makes them a cinch to clean. And while I'm gunning for a set of 7, make no mistake; I'm really hoping Santa goes all out for the set of 10 ($1299.99).

Next up, more fun finds on our editors' wish lists…

Amanda Cargill, Food Content Director (@amandasi)

STOCKING STUFFER

SUPER SANTA

Williams-Sonoma’s Footed Cake Platter with Dome, $69.95

There is something so wonderfully old-fashioned about pedestal cake stands. They just scream homemade to me. The one I have eyes for this Christmas is from Williams-Sonoma. It’s made of lead-free crystal, has a generously tall dome, and is hand-blown, which means each has its own individual character and story, sort of like the cakes that it will display – a birthday cake here, a Christmas dinner there. Food is so much a part of how we mark and celebrate our lives that it seems only right to serve those celebratory cakes, pies, and pastries in something beautiful.

Ninja 3-in-1 Cooking System, $99.99

Anyone who cooks in a small kitchen should own a Ninja Cooking System. It saves so much space because it serves multiple functions – slow cooker, roaster, steam baker, 1-pot meal maker. For slow cooking, it sears and cooks meats in the same pot, which saves space and cleanup time because you don’t have to use your stovetop. It roasts with steam so meats are juicier than they are when roasted in the oven. They’re also healthier because the fat that your chicken or pork chops sits in while roasting drains away. I recently saw a demonstration with this product and was amazed. It’s a space-saver, a money-saver, a time-saver, and a nutritionist all in one.

Next up, more fun finds on our editors' wish lists…

Cristina Gonzalez, Senior Associate Editor

STOCKING STUFFER

City Dish Towels, $20

I love these colorful towels from Uncommon Goods. Kind of kitchy, kind of modern, and full of personality, they’re the kind of useful décor I collect for my kitchen. They also speak to why I love to cook: food connects me, it grounds me, and it transports me. Top of my list: Miami (my hometown), New York (my adopted town), and Paris (my first solo trip).  

SUPER SANTA

Serving Bowl, $72

This bowl is the bowl I dream of when I envision dinner parties. Colorful, rustic, and soulful, it’s also utilitarian. It holds about half a gallon of…. deliciousness. It begs to be passed around, scraped clean, filled again. And while I love its classic Mexican look, I love this modern detail even more: it’s dishwasher safe!

KitchenAid 5-Qt. Stand Mixer, $275

This mixer is my Moby Dick. A bit too luxe for me now, I look at it often when wandering through home goods stores and picking up a less expensive (and probably inferior) product. I dream of days when my mixer doesn’t overheat as it beats through melted marshmallows, when the beaters don’t fall off the motor while I’m mixing cake batter, and when I can experiment with attachments (hello dough hook!). Someday, KitchenAid Stand Mixer, you will be mine.