Our Favorite Gifts for Coffee and Tea Fiends

Worth the Buzz No Images? Click here   Gifts for the Coffee and Tea Lovers in Your Life Shopping for someone who lives and breathes (or, you know, drinks a lot of) coffee and/or tea? We have obsession-worthy gift ideas that may just rival their caffeine addiction. A Precision Electric Kettle The Chefman's design makes it remarkably easy to use. The lid opens at the push of a button, and the mouth is wide enough to reach a hand into. The glass body means it's super easy to see how full the kettle is, and a removable filter on the spout, plus a stainless steel bottom, makes scale buildup easy to deal with. A nice bonus: This kettle comes with a tea infuser attachment, so your giftee can brew tea right in the kettle. A Milk Frother Many of the milk frothers out there do a poor job of emulating the thick, creamy foam produced by a good espresso machine's steaming wand. Nespresso's frother is different—it whisks the milk but manages to get much closer to the ideal cappuccino-foam consistency. Plus, it has a nonstick interior that's easy to clean, and a hot/cold setting for hot or iced drinks.   A Le Creuset Espresso Mug Pretty espresso cups in general make a nice hostess gift and stocking stuffer. But when they're made by Le Creuset, they're even better—mostly because everything from the French heritage brand is aesthetically pleasing and built to last.   A Coffee Grinder It's not exactly cheap, but this burr grinder does an admirable job of grinding coffee for espresso, pourover, and drip at a significantly lower price point than similarly performing competitors. It'll absolutely make your giftee's mornings even better.   SPONSORED  Cuisinart Coffee Center 12-Cup Coffeemaker​ The Coffee Center from Cuisinart comes with a 12-cup carafe, so it makes enough to serve a crowd, but it's also equipped with a single-serve brewer for when it’s just you.   See the Rest Right Here     Serious Eats 88 35th St Ste 602 Brooklyn, NY 11232 Click Preferences to control which emails you receive from Serious Eats. Clicking Unsubscribe will remove you from all Serious Eats emails…which would be sad. Preferences  |  Unsubscribe

Light and Fluffy Yeasted Blini With Crème Fraîche and Caviar

Your Recipe of the Day No Images? Click here  Yeasted Blini With Crème Fraîche and Caviar These light and delicious Russian blini are leavened with yeast, which adds a complex tangy flavor and airy texture. Unlike many yeasted blini recipes, this one calls for only a single fermentation, saving you time without sacrificing results. (We know, because we tested it both ways.) Softly beaten egg whites, meanwhile, add even more lightness to the batter. The result is a perfect platform on which to heap sour cream (or crème fraîche) and caviar. Read More → The Kitchen Essential A Nonstick Skillet To cook the blini, heat up a nonstick skillet and brush it with vegetable oil. Can you use a cast iron skillet instead of a nonstick? Of course you can. But pancakes are one of the few things that we prefer to cook in a nonstick skillet. No matter how well you’ve seasoned your cast iron pan, it really can’t compete when you need to guarantee that nothing will adhere. Shop Now   Serious Eats 88 35th St Ste 602 Brooklyn, NY 11232 Click Preferences to control which emails you receive from Serious Eats. Clicking Unsubscribe will remove you from all Serious Eats emails…which would be sad. Preferences  |  Unsubscribe

Happy Holidays from SE's Resident Grumpus

Just here for the food! No Images? Click here   Dear Serious Eaters, I'm not the most enthusiastic person when it comes to the holidays. I think I might have a mild allergy to the season, one that my Allegra-D can't fix. I don't get swept up in winter's traditions, not the ring-ding-a-ling Christmas carols, nor the bows of holly and mistletoe; not the dreidels or Hanukkah gelt, and most certainly not the candles burning everywhere—the last time I went to a Christmas party, a flickering flame set on a windowsill as decoration lit my sports coat on fire. One of my fondest Christmas memories is from about 20 years ago, when my father and I jointly decided to cancel our annual tree and just string up some lights on one of his houseplants. The Christmas ficus was charmingly ridiculous, and it didn't leave a mess of pine needles all over the floor. But for all my lack of sentimentality around the holidays, I sure do love the food. I may be tempted to subvert most other traditions this time of year, but the feasts that my family gathered for is one thing I intend to continue faithfully for the rest of my life. I may be something of a Scrooge, but I'm still human, dammit. Happy Holidays from SE's resident Grumpus, The Recipes That Make the Season Tolerable Old-Fashioned Latkes Latkes are a Jewish thing, but it was my dad—the non-Jewish side of the family—that made them every year on Christmas Eve. I'm not really clear on whether that tradition was a nod to his Swedish roots, or whether he just made it up because latkes are awesome, but man did I look forward to that spread every year. Duck à l'Orange While Christmas Eve was a feast of fishes and potato pancakes at my house, Christmas dinner was always a roast. Duck made many appearances over the years and this recipe, which I just published, is absolutely perfect for the winter months, with a citrusy sauce that's absolutely perfect for the season. Mulled Cider The wind whips, snow and ice frost the window panes, and inside we huddle under blankets to stay warm as a fire crackles in the hearth. As unforgiving as winter is, it sure can be cozy. A cup of spiced mulled cider is the perfect way to maximize that sense of toasty comfort.   My Must-Have Gift Pick ThermoWorks Smoke A big part of the holidays is relaxing, and you can't relax if you're constantly going into the kitchen to check on the roast in your oven. This leave-in probe thermometer from ThermoWorks is the solution. With two probe ports, you can track the internal temperature of your roast in two different places, while a portable handheld receiver can hang out with you on the couch.     Serious Eats 88 35th St Ste 602 Brooklyn, NY 11232 Click Preferences to control which emails you receive from Serious Eats. Clicking Unsubscribe will remove you from all Serious Eats emails…which would be sad. Preferences  |  Unsubscribe