Gifts

America’s Test Kitchen: Modern Bistro, Home Cooking Inspired by French Classics is a treasure trove of wonderful recipes that will have you cooking like a French chef in no time. The recipes are detailed enough to encourage less experienced home cooks, as well as inspire more experienced ones. The cookbook has a wonderful "Welcome to America’s Test Kitchen" section, followed by "Getting Started" which is a handy reference for ingredients commonly used in Bistro cooking. Chapters cover everything from Sauces…

With the growing culinary trend towards more plant-based, vegan, and gluten free recipes, we wanted to learn more and read Easy Vegan Home Cooking by Celebrity PBS Vegan Chef Laura Theodore. Chef Theodore is an award-winning cookbook author, the host of the Jazzy Vegetarian on National Public Television, as well as the host of radio shows and podcasts. Her new cookbook, Easy Vegan Home Cooking features over 125 delicious plant-based and gluten-free recipes. Published by Hatherleigh Press and distributed by…

Luxury Experience readers know that we are huge music fans; we love listening to our enormous collection of music, writing about music and about music performances, and when it comes to buying gifts, we love to give the gift of music. When we "discovered" Jooki (pronounced "jukey" like jukebox), a music system designed for children to use and operate, we were instantly smitten. Designed in Belgian by three dads in 2014 with toy and technology experience, Jooki is a screen-free…

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "picnic" as "a meal that is eaten outdoors especially during a trip away from home; a trip or party that includes a meal eaten outdoors; something that is pleasant or easy." Professional photographer, designer, and home cook Alanna O’Neill’s debut cookbook, The Art of Picnics – Seasonal Outdoor Entertaining published by Yellow Pear Press a division of Mango Publishing, beautifully captures that feeling with inspiring recipes and stunning photography. Let the picnicking begin!

With the growing trend towards plant-based food, vegetarian and vegan diets, we were excited to "discover" The Complete Quinoa Cookbook by Catherine Gill published by Hatherleigh Press, as a great motivator to learn more about this highly nutritious whole-grain that is rich in protein, dietary fiber, minerals and vitamins. Who knew quinoa (pronounced KEEN-waa) was so fabulous? Catherine Gill’s book is filled with valuable information and over 100 recipes that cover the gamut from Breakfast to Desserts. Now that is…

Cooler weather tends to bring out the inner cook in all of us when we want to spend more time in the kitchen creating special meals for ourselves, as well as for family and friends. Always on the lookout for inspiration, we fell in love with The Complete Autumn & Winter Cookbook by America’s Test Kitchen, which has over 550 recipes that will dazzle the senses and provide plenty of inspiration for everyday meals, holiday meals, breads, brunches, festive drinks,…

Whether you are looking for a bit of culinary inspiration, wisdom, or humor, A Chef’s Book of Favorite Culinary Quotations – An Inspired Collection For Those Who Love To Cook And Those Who Love To Eat compiled by Susi Gott Séguret and published by Hatherleigh Press, Ltd Is a perfect read for yourself, or for your favorite foodie. The book features over 200 memorable quotations from Auguste Escoffier, Irma S. Rombauer, James Beard, Julia Child, Jacques Pepin, Alton Brown, Virginia…

We do lots of cooking and baking that require very precise, exact temperatures where a degree or two higher or lower can mean the difference between success or failure. Throughout the years we have used many cooking thermometers to ensure accuracy, and recently "discovered" the ThermoWorks Thermapen® ONE, which has the added benefit of producing fast one-second digital readings! Cooking and baking just got a lot easier. With holiday shopping just around the corner, the ThermoWorks Thermapen® ONE is a…

Whenever I think of memorable dinners that Edward and I have enjoyed throughout the years, truffles are always involved. Decadent, earthy, exotic, and expensive, a little goes a long way to add flavor. Cooking With Truffles: A Chef’s Guide written by Susi Gott Séguret and published by Hatherleigh Press, Ltd. delves into the intriguing world of truffles and provides both insight and 150 delectable truffle recipes designed for the professional chef as well as the home cook. Bon Appetit!

We recently "discovered" a fabulous Brazilian gourmet confectionary named Soul Sweet Boutique located in Newark and Elizabeth, New Jersey, which also sells online and ships throughout the United States. Owned by Thatiana Rangel, Soul Sweet Boutique carries a wide selection of traditional Brazilian desserts along with modern sweets to tempt your palate. Since the pandemic curtailed our annual trips to Brazil, in addition to missing our "family" and friends, we missed the sweets of Brazil and were thrilled to find…