Call Me Cupcake's Linda Lomelino: "Chocolate and Wine Are Always Welcome"
Growing up in Sweden, Linda Lomelino of the blog Call Me Cupcake was more of an eater of cakes than a maker of cakes. And there were a lot of cakes to be eaten, thanks to her mom, who was an avid baker. When Lomelino started baking on her own in 2009, she documented her culinary adventures with another old hobby, photography, after her mom gave her a camera for her birthday. Lomelino published her first of three cook books in 2012, and she also plays in a band(!). Here, she shares her favorite food gifts to buy (and make) for your friends this holiday.
Photo: Linda Lomelino
What are your top 5 food-related gift ideas for the holidays?
1. Edible gifts are always a good idea. Obviously, I like my latest post about this on my blog. I think they are so much fun to make and it shows that you really put time and effort into making something special. Photo: Linda Lomelino
2. A handmade wooden spoon or knife from Ariele Alasko. Investing in quality items is always a good idea in the kitchen (or anywhere, really) and Ariele’s work is really beautiful and more personal. Photo: Ariele Alasko
3. An apron from Fog linen. I love anything linen because it looks and feels nice and a nice apron is a must for me. Photo: Fog Linen
4. A beautiful book, such as Green Kitchen Travels by David and Luise who run the blog Green Kitchen Stories. Beautiful and inspiring with vegetarian/vegan/gluten-free recipes. Photo: Amazon
5. One of the most useful tools in the kitchen is the offset spatula. It’s a perfect for smoothing icing (or making a swirly pattern for that matter) on a cake. When I started using one myself, it really took me to the next level as a cake decorator. Photo: Amazon
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
My Kitchen Aid stand mixer. I got it for myself as a gift on my 25th birthday! Also, my first real camera, which my mom gave me about 6 years ago. The camera is probably my favorite gift ever, even if I now have a new one.
What are your plans for the holidays?
We are just going to hang out with our family. Relax and eat good food. Lots of food.
What will be on your holiday dinner table this year?
Swedish Christmas food is all about meat and weird dishes, like pickled herring and pig feet (though I doubt that people actually eat some of those things anymore). I’m a vegetarian, so I definitely won’t eat that. There will be vegetarian meatballs, potato gratin, Brussels sprouts, kale, and probably a lot more on our table. And of course there will be lussekatter (saffron buns), mulled wine, gingerbread cookies and some fancy dessert. We will eat too much, that’s for sure!
Photo: Linda Lomelino
What’s a great last-minute gift?
Chocolate and a nice bottle of wine is always a good idea!
More holiday gift picks:
Gift picks from the food studio The Jewels of New York
