Two Very Unusual Gifts

And a blast from the past.... a classic Christmas dinner.

If you’re like me, you don’t buy dishtowels for yourself. But if you’re like me, you’re thrilled when someone buys them for you. That’s why I mention Eat Drink Lucky every year, because I’m enchanted with their artist teatowel-of-the-month program. (You can order the full year or any 3 month period.)

These are no ordinary dishtowels; each is a limited edition handmade by a Maine artist. This month’s towel was designed by a clothing designer who prints and dyes her own fabrics; the print above is her adaptation of a Victorian stencil used by house plasterers.

If you know someone who’s obsessed with Korean cuisine - and these days who isn’t? - you could not do them a better favor than turning them onto Queens. This San Francisco shop partners with local, organic farmers to create stellar handmade condiments. Yes, you can now buy kimchi, gochuchang and even Korean chiles at the supermarket, but these seasonings take your cooking to whole new level. Even the packaging (down to the cellophane packing peanuts) is biodegradable and recyclable.

As I was flipping through the December 1978 issue of Gourmet I came upon this iconic Christmas dinner. It’s such a classic I thought I’d share. Isn’t it time you made some mincemeat?