The Perfect Kitchen Shower Gift

It's shower time and that means trying to find the right gift for the couple who are big on cooking and entertaining> Do you go for the classic ?Or the practical? Something fun or long lasting?

Most couples do have a registry but most of the lsited items are usually picked up by the bridal party or the parents.What are some practical gifts for the couple? You can never go wrong with an air fryer. There are several different types, from the smaller ones to the larger ones that you can even bake cakes in. Power Air Fryers, which Target sells, are the best brand They last a long time and cna hold up to many washings. You could also consider giving the Dash brand one which is much smaller and is perfect for two people. Both Target and Kohl's sell them Another gift that is very practical is an immersion blender. This is  a must especially for those duos who love to make soups and sauces.Kitchen Aid is a good brand and makes for  creamy textures in both soups and sauces. It;'s also great for purees. Crock pots and Instapots are also good gifts to give. These are perfect for couples who work long hours and need a hot meal to come home to. Go with the Classic brand for this. They last a long time and are perfect for cooking up small batches of chili and tomato sauce.

The other way to go is classic and fancy.There is a great site called. Replacements.com that have many vintage sets.Here you can find classic Mikasa and Waterford. They also have very beautiful Christmas sets in a variety of patterns. A twelve piece set called Santa Company can be bought for as low as $59.99.There is also The Night Before Christmas for $69,95 which is a lovely , cheery set that cna be for years. Replacements.com also has beautiful sterling silver flatware sets too. There also also stainless steel sets and various other knives and servers.Try the site for crystal sets too.An elegant gift is a crystal cake stand which definitely be used for holidays and special occasions a brandy decanter is another special and winderfukl gift that will add a touch of class to any home bar. A classic and vintage gift is a hand embroidered tablecloth and napkins. Decades ago this was a cherished and treasured gifts many young's brides prized. You can still find them on Etsy. Embroider it yourself if you';re handy with a needle and thread.If not look to Etsy for beautifully wrought patterns starting at$88. 90.

It's up to you s to what to give at a bridal shower. You can go for practical. You could also try for a classic timeless gift too. It;s your choice and what appeals to you.

A Year

 It's been a year since our lives have changed. What have we learned? A lot. Whether it was about our inequalities and how they affect our eating habits or learning how to cook and bake. These twelve months have been eye opening, that's for sure.

What is striking about the past year is that the pandemic and loss of income and jobs brought many people to the edge of poverty.Families were teetering already when their companies shut down. Luckily there were angels, people who put together care packages that helped those in need during rough times. These provided enough food for everyday meals along with holidays and birthdays. Imagine the richest country in the world having millions of starving people, of kids going without meals so their younger siblings or grandparents can have their portions. What this pandemic should have taught us is that many Americans are living just above the poverty line. We need to raise salaries and offer better benefits - maybe even food credits for those with kids but can't qualify for food stamps.The SNAP or Supplemental Nutrition Assistant Program is not the best and our government needs to improve it.Again the new administration is well aware of this and there will be changes. Some cities around the country offer free gardens which means free fruits and veggies to those who need them. We must institute this in every US city and town. The financially challenged will be able to get the valuable nutrition they need.

On the lighter side if there is one -we all learned how to be better home chefs and bakers. People who didn't even know how to boil water embraced their inner chef and experimented with all sorts of recipes. Kids joined in and a whole new generation of junior chefs was born. Generations cooking together also provided valuable bonding time as well as supplementing their educations. Measuring cups were great at showing kids fractions with a cup and a half of water or a quarter cup of flour. They learned about the world through international recipes as they mastered the West African fufu or Brazilian feijoada or black bean stew. Everyone embraced their air fryers and immersion blenders with gusto as they also created some of their own recipes.Baking took everyone out of their cooped in funk. It was so popular that the US experienced four shortages thanks to home bakers taking the sourdough challenge. That bread was the star of the lock down and no wonder. The chewy tangy crumb and crusty exterior was the security blanket we needed in the past twelve months. It was perfect , either warm with melty butter or filled with our favorite meats and veggies.

This past year was historic and not in a good way. We learned  a lot , about ourselves  and our communities. Has it made us more caring and more innovative? Let's hope so.