The Year in Food's Best Gift Ever? Onion Goggles
Photographer Kimberly Hasselbrink loves hiking, foggy days in San Francisco, and messy, story-filled meals with her friends. Her blog, The Year in Food, is a chronicle of her life through the lens of food—the passing seasons, the people who cross her path, travel, and the things that inspire her. Earlier this year, she released her first cookbook, Vibrant Food, a beautiful cookbook that uses color to create gorgeous, dynamic dishes. Here, Hasselbrink shares her favorite holiday gifts.
Photo: Kimberley Hasselbrin
What are your top 5 food-related gift ideas for the holidays?
The holidays are the perfect time to explore some of the amazing small food producers out there.
1. Smoked salmon from Drifters Fish. This isn’t any old smoked salmon. It’s smoked by the folks who caught the fish, and it’s some of the world’s best salmon—it comes straight out of the Copper River watershed in Cordova, Alaska. Photo: Drifters Fish
2. Regional honeys: The folks at Old Blue Raw Honey in Oregon are serious about honey, and I love the unique varietals available. Two favorites: Blackberry & Thistle and Blueberry & Chittum.
3. Drinking chocolate. There is no better time to indulge in fancy drinking chocolates than in the winter. I love Dagoba’s Xocolatl Drinking Chocolate for its spicy chile and cinnamon notes. Photo: Dagoba Organic Chocolate
4. California olive oils. It’s amazing that we’ve got a burgeoning olive oil industry on our own soil. And it’s worth supporting, since so many imported oils are of questionable quality (and, sometimes, not even truly olive oil). Other Brother’s Shorty geniously solves the problem of cooking well away from home (camping or traveling) with its lightweight, portable container. And I’m also fond of California Olive Ranch’s fancy Limited Reserve and Miller’s Blend, which are great finishing oils. Photo: The Other Brother Company
5. Cookbooks! There are so many amazing cookbooks out there, and they are the perfect gift for a home cook. I can’t not mention my own, Vibrant Food, which is great for those inspired by colorful produce and creative seasonal cooking. Anything by Nigel Slater is perfect for the cook who loves language as much as food. He is a delight to read. Megan Gordon’s Whole Grain Mornings is a perfect gift because breakfast is such a lovely subject to linger over and she lingers over it so thoughtfully. Amy Chaplin’s At Home in the Whole Foods Kitchen and Anna Jones’s A Modern Way to Eat are two new favorites this year. Photo: Amazon
What’s the best gift you’ve ever received?
When I received them I laughed them off as a gag gift, but the nerdy onion goggles my sister gave me have turned into possibly the most valuable item in my kitchen. For anyone who suffers when cutting onions, these things are kind of a life saver. I’ve used them so much that they’re broken!
What’s the best gift you’ve ever given?
My dad, like many dads, is notoriously hard to shop for, so for a few years my sister and I took simple sweatshirts and old-school sports lettering and made custom slogans for our dad, like “Ruff N Tuff”.” He wears them all the time. We’re endlessly tickled by this.
What are your plans for the holidays?
Most of my family moved to the San Diego area in the last few years, so I drive down there. And I love to bring really special local stuff down, like Dungeness crab, some kind of sparkling wine from a tiny local wine shop, and one year, a sourdough starter from Boulette’s Larder.
What will be on your holiday dinner table this year?
My family and I are all pretty aligned in terms of what we like to eat: fresh, healthy, vibrant food with a few treats thrown in for good measure. I usually make some kind of hearty salad, and it looks like my Spiced Winter Cake with Cranberries is becoming a new tradition.
Photo: Kimberley Hasselbrink
What’s a great last-minute gift?
You can’t really go wrong with cookbooks, chocolate, or olive oil. Fancy salts are another great choice.
More holiday gift ideas:
Call Me Cupcake’s Linda Lomelino: “Chocolate and wine are always welcome”
