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About Eugene weekly. (Eugene, Oregon) 1993-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 2007)
EW ’s gift guide 2007 cookin’ up some gift ideas HARTWICK’S GIFTS FOR THOSE WHO LIKE TO GRUB By Katie Cornell A h, ’tis the season of excessive food and wine consumption. During the wintertime, it’s harder to resist things like big, buttery cookies lathered in cavity-sweet frosting and obnoxiously cute sprinkles. True, after holiday parties, you might wake up one morning with resolutions never to drink wine again nor eat to the point of suffoca- tion — but those feelings quickly fade. How do you figure out how to incorporate an American holiday pastime, serious grubbing, into your gift-giving agenda? Here are a few of the hot holiday items from two popular kitchen stores in Eugene. Let’s get chubbified. Hartwick’s boldly takes the leading spot on a bill of retail stores in the Fifth Street Public Market (296 E. 5th Ave.). The name Hartwick’s seems intimdating. Is it a chain? Is it overpriced? Is it too classy to go into when you are bathed in anxious sweat after a trip to a crowded mall full of holiday shoppers? The answer to all of these questions is, simply, no. Hartwick’s is a local kitchen supply store owned by Eugenean Lisa Hartwick. As you walk in, warm lighting bounces off a variety of colorful KitchenAid products and different cooking utensils suspended from the ceiling. You can see a logical labyrinth of culinary supplies; it’s just a matter of where to start your journey. While you’re there, make sure to check out some of the more light-hearted cooking gifts such as the Bonjour Hot Chocolate Maker ($29.99). The antique- inspired ceramic contraption whips up creamy, battery-charged hot chocolate that doesn’t taste like residual particles of powder and fake marshmallows. The dishwasher and microwave safe device is a great gift to give to a chocolate lover on the go. As for the wine enthusiasts in your life, you may consider wrapping up a Pek Preservino portable wine pre- server ($39.95). The travel friendly device uses high-purity argon to keep wine tasting fresh. It’s a great way to save some leftover vino from a holiday party for a few days and sometimes even a few weeks. Just inject the Preservino needle into the provided cork and remove. And there it will be, waiting for you, when you’re ready to get your drink on. Lastly, there’s the RSVP Squirrel Nut Cracker ($17.95). Everyone should learn to incorporate a silver-plated critter into home décor. One online review of the product describes it as “unique, decorative and whimsical.” Unique doesn’t stop there. Don’t miss out on the ambience of Kath- leen Campbell’s local store hidden in the Southtowne Shops (28th and Oak). Cooks, Pots and Tabletops equips you with the neces- sary cookware and specialty foods to host a memorable dinner party. This November marks the 11th anniversary of the store that’s dedicated to providing the community with innovative culinary classes and exclusive cooking accessories. For instance, Emile Henry Flametop Cookware can’t be found anywhere else in Lane County. The bright red (or black) collection is dishwasher safe, microwaveable and specially adapted to stand direct heat from electric and gas sources, the oven or stovetop. As for you car- nivores, check out All Clad Cookware’s stainless-steel roaster ($199.95). It’s serious- ly heavy and just asking for a slab of juicy, red meat. Another option at CPT is a gift certificate for a fun cooking class ($65-$85). The kitchen, a 2007 International Association of Culinary Profes- sionals (IACP) Cooking School of the Year finalist, hosts cool courses with globally inspired menus. After learn- ing knife techniques, recipes and profes- sional serving tips, the gift recipient will emerge as a creative and worldly food connoisseur (and hope- fully get the hint and invite you over for some dinner). In 2008, the Cooks, Pots and Tabletops kitchen will hold classes led by Portland chef Cory Schreiber; Japanese cookbook author and instructor Hiroko Shimbo; Nancy Oakes, the chef and owner of Boulevard Restaurant (San Francisco); and Napa-based author Hugh Carpenter. Marché and Lane Community College also host cooking classes. Their schedules are not yet available, but keep on the lookout for more hands-on fun in the kitchen and a gift that just keeps on giving. ■ HARTWICK’S COOKS, POTS AND TABLETOPS Eugene Weekly’s Gift Guide 2007 • 7
