Day 7 of 30 Thoughtful Giving Day: How to turn a very very nice gift (that's on sale!) into an even better one.
Upon learning that our 4-quart Staub cocottes in cherry and black would be on sale for Black Friday weekend, down to a delightful $129 from $269, many of us in the room jumped up and did a little heel click. Figuratively speaking. Ahem. We love these French-made pots, which are classic, versatile, and designed to last not just through the life of your kitchen but also your kids' and their kids'.
To celebrate the fact that they're so very giftable at this price, here's a little list of ideas for what to stuff inside the cocotte when you present it to your giftee—to get them halfway to dinner, or a project, or a warming drink. You don't have to buy a Staub cocotte to use these idea, of course: Stuff any bowl, basket, or pitcher you're giving as a gift with some goodies.
If you're going to wrap the outside, keep it simple—by putting perishable ingredients inside, you'll want your giftee to open it up right when it's delivered! And print out and include any recipe you're prepping them to make, or jot it out on a recipe card.
Halfway to dinner
- Dry beans + bay leaves + whole peppercorns = cozy, stewy bean night coming right up
- Harissa + half a dozen farm eggs wrapped up in a tea towel blankey + sage = baked eggs, coming right up
- Short ribs + oil-packed anchovies + a head of garlic + cinnamon sticks = saucy, fall-apart spiced short ribs
- Two big bushels of broccoli rabe + a hot chile + lemon = Olive Oil-Braised Broccoli Rabe
- A bunch of yellow onions + butter + pappardelle = the best pasta sauce of your life
- Goat cheese + pine nuts + kale + walnut oil = One Pot Kale & Quinoa Pilaf
Project time
- Good quality dark chocolate + leafy rosemary + honey = Rosemary Chocolate Bread
- Cheesecloth + a jug of fresh milk = DIY yogurt
- As many eucalyptus leaves as you can fit = a home that smells like a spa
Warming drinks
- Wintry, toasty spices + brown sugar + a bottle of wine (in hand) = mulled, spiced wine
- Gin + green tea + a grapefruit + a carton of whole milk = make-ahead milk punch
- Guinness + cocoa powder + dark chocolate + Bailey's minis = Irish Hot Chocolate
What else might you stuff in a cocotte to make it an even better gift? Tell us in the comments.
Written by: Amanda Sims
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3 Comments
I would love to find the correct recipe for the spiced short ribs.
Thank you!
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