The best holiday gift of all, plus 2 additional gift guides

Here in the United States, there is a tradition that the day after Thanksgiving is the best day to go shopping. On “Black Friday” (so-called because for many retailers it’s when they finally go black – i.e. earn a profit – for the year) stores bring out their supposed best deals. As these things often go, matters have admittedly become a little exuberant with stores now opening on Thanksgiving Day and people waiting in line 3 -4 days for the midnight opening to achieve a kill-for-deal on a new TV. But we’re assuming our members may be feeling a little less exuberant, or – in the case of our non-U.S. members – more rational. So we’ve decided to help you begin to think about gifts for your favorite cook(s).

In all fairness, there is only one truly best gift for your favorite cook – a membership to Eat Your Books. Now that is truly a gift that keeps on giving.

Once you’ve added that item to your list, we’re honoring Black Friday by presenting two holiday gift guides. In the first one Michael Ruhlman has posted his favorite kitchen tools online – you can choose to buy them on OpenSky (a social shopping site) or find them on your favorite sites. Check out Holiday Gift Week: My Favorite OpenSky Tools.

And over at the Food Republic, they have their Gift Guide: 20 Ways to Splurge on Your Favorite Cook.  The Chalkboard Wall Planter from Williams-Sonoma may be a little outré but there are some good practical ideas as well.

Happy hunting!