Gift Edition: High Culture

One of my favorite foodie DIY gifts to give during the holiday season is a small jar of Smitten Kitchen’s Deep, Dark Salted Butter Caramel. It’s a real showstopper. Universally, the response from the lucky recipient has been Wow, that is ThaBestCaramelEvuh. Being the sinfully selfish person I am, I don’t give it just because I know people love it and I enjoy, uh, “cleaning” the pan at the end of the job. I kind of love the stressfulness of making it. It’s a dry caramel, so the first step in the process is essentially burning sugar in a heavy pan. There is skill involved in knowing the exact moment the liquefied sugar is ready for the dairy bits that turn it into caramel, and if you can master that moment, you may feel like Quite the Accomplished Cook for about a second.

Part of the beauty of DIY culture lies in the simplicity, but most people don’t wake up in the morning and think, Today is the day I’ll make my own cheese! Or if you’re like me, you wake up and think that, and then spend about 3 minutes Googling the how-to, only to get distracted by the search possibilities: How to make your: hair grow faster/eyes look bigger/sidebar clear on twitter. The backend of the idea is the biggest hurdle to success. Sometimes a good old fashioned book is the best source of wisdom, especially when it comes to good old fashioned crafts.

Here’s the Orange Zest guide on where to buy the perfect DIY books and gadgets this holiday season for the burgeoning cheesemaker/beekeeper/homebrewer/Kombucha fiend in your life.

Flyleaf Books: The coziest bookstore in town. Call to request that copy of Preserving from the Self Sufficiency Series. As God as my witness, you will never be without pickles again!

Kitchenworks: My go-to resource for the tiniest thing needed in the kitchen. Last purchase? A single 1/8th measuring spoon. Need a yogurt maker? They have it. Two manufacturers, in fact, natch…be sure to ask about the new EasiYo.

Fifth Season Gardening Co.: From the wort chiller to the carboy, Fifth Season meets all the home brewers’ needs. Keep it simple and buy the Brewer’s Best (brand) equipment kit. Get that home brewer started – about $100. Sitting around a basement talking’ hops and yeast – priceless.