Nothing in the House 2013 Gift Guide

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My friend Morgan put together an enviable (I'll take one of everything) holiday gift guide by a dream team of local DC contributors for the December edition of her Panda Head Newsletter (which I highly recommend you subscribe to!). I gladly contributed this little set of present ideas for the baker on your list. You'll notice some overlap from previous year's gift guides, but that just means those things are tried and true.

Herriott Grace Rolling Pin: My friend Diane gave me one of these rolling pins a few years ago and now it's the only one I use (and I've accumulated a few). It's the perfect weight and size, plus it's hand turned and one-of-a-kind-- an heirloom in the making. $70

Heavy Linen Towel from my friends at More & Co. in Portland, Maine: Everyone needs a good dishcloth or two. These are durable AND stylish. If you're a baker yourself, wrap some homemade treats in one and you've got a perfect host/ess gift. $15

Vanilla Bean Paste: The "pros'" vanilla extract. A lot of recipes call for this and I never seem to have it on hand. It gives an added boost of flava and you can use it wherever vanilla extract is called for. $13

Hatch Show Print Measurement Poster: This hangs above my sink and is the handiest piece of kitchen art there is! This particular poster is from Hatch Show Print, the historic letter press & country music poster shop in Nashville, Tennessee. $12

Vintage Pyrex: I'm always on the lookout for nice, old Pyrex kitchenware. They're a common find at thrift and antique stores - I love this set of nested primary color polka dot mixing bowls on Etsy. Prices vary.

A pair of great pie cookbooks-- The Hoosier Mama Pie Company Book of Pie and The Four and Twenty Blackbirds Pie Book -- came out this year, but for those literarily minded kitchen wizards, check out writer & baker Kate Lebo's new book A Commonplace Book of Pie - part-recipe, part-slim poetry volume, to feed both stomach and mind. Oh, and for a bit of shameless self promotion, Elizabeth Graeber's and my Pie. A Hand Drawn Almanac makes a lovely gift, especially when paired with another item from this list. $15-30

Stitch and Hammer Denim & Stripes Apron: I've been ogling this apron ever since I saw Shauna of The Long I Pie Shop donning it on her site. It is SO beautiful and utilitarian (the leather straps are removable so you can wash it!) and if I had one I would probably wear it everywhere and just pretend that I forgot to take it off, just because it is that nice. $92

Nothing-in-the-House 2012 Gift Guide

I know that winter is a-coming in, Christmas is fast approaching, and tomorrow is the last day of Hanukkah, but I want to continue the tradition I started last year, and I have some wonderful things to share from friends and Nothing-in-the-House alike. So without further ado, here is the Nothing-in-the-House 2012 Gift Guide for the pie baker and/or pie lover on your list.

First for some books and paper goods (clockwise from top left)...

1. Southern Pies by Nancie McDermott, $23 at your local bookstore This cookbook, written by my friend and fellow Tarheel Nancie McDermott, has been my primary source for pie recipes and inspiration in 2012. It's the book I wish I had written, with historical, traditional recipe and creative takes alike. A must-have for all pie bakers, in my book.

2. PIE. A Hand Drawn Almanac by Emily Hilliard (yes, that's me) and illustrated by Elizabeth Graeber, $15 on Etsy or at local DC-area shops I'm so excited to have collaborated with artist Elizabeth Graeber on this beautifully illustrated collection of pie stories and recipes--one for each month--from Nothing-in-the-House (plus some new ones too). It makes a wonderful gift (perhaps accompanied by a homemade pie?), if I do say so myself. More info here.

3. A Commonplace Book of Pie by Kate Lebo, $9 on Etsy The Seattle poet, pie baker, and founder of Pie School, Kate Lebo released this dear book or pie prose poems and recipes. It includes 10 rules for eating pie, and I agree with all of them. After all, two of them read "The butter must be cold."

4. Pie Postcards by Elizabeth Graeber, $12 on Etsy or at local DC-area shops Pie Almanac illustrator Elizabeth Graeber created this set of 6 pie postcards from some of my favorite illustrations in the almanac. They are a perfect way to send pie to friends in far away places.

Pie supplies and tools (left to right)...

5. Pie Bird, $5-7 at your local kitchen store It seems that I've started a little collection of pie birds, decorative pie funnels, which are placed in the middle of a double crust pie to vent steam and juice. Though I admittedly don't really use them, they look purrrty cute all lined up on my kitchen windowsill. Read more about pie birds here.

6. Whetstone Woodenware Pie Server, $13 at Whetstone Woodenware Every pie baker needs a good pie server, particularly for lifting out those pesky first slices. My mom bought me this wooden pie server from an Amish store near my hometown, but they are also available online.

7. Vintage Pie Tins, $6-12 at your local antique store or on Etsy Vintage pie tins are another item that I've begun to accumulate. Though mine mostly serve as kitchen decor, if they are rust-free and clean, they're perfectly usable for your current pie baking. It's fun to track down their stories too; for more about this Motherlike pie tin, read here.

8. Heirloom Pie Carrier, $7-20 on Etsy or make your own A couple of months ago I got an e-mail from my friend Nathan saying that he was sending me a package of "heirlooms etc." Since he and his wife Clara are farmers, I figured he meant heirloom seeds or vegetables or jam, but what came in the mail was even more special--heirloom fabric pie carriers his grandmother made. They are of a quilted material, with 2 of the 4 sides enforced with dowel rods. They are available occasionally on Etsy, but they'd be a lovely heirloom to make and pass on to you and yours.

The gift of PIE...

9. Nothing-in-the-House Winter Pie CSA, $90 (half-share) or $175 (full share), at Nothing-in-the-House Baking Co.  Another shameless self-promotion here, but for all you DC locals, give the gift of pie this holiday season!  With our Winter Pie CSA, you can offer 1 or 2 seasonal, local, handmade pies a month from January through March. More info here.

10. A Donation to Pie for Connecticut: Ease the Grief, any amount, at The World Needs More Pie In times of profound tragedy, like the one that occurred yesterday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, many of us are left beside ourselves unsure of what to do. We turn to our loved ones, soothing poems or music, comforting foods. To help ease the grief of those affected, Beth Howard is putting her baking skills to good use, giving away pies to the community of Newtown. Though there are many ways to help, this is a sweet one. More info here.

Especially in this time of national mourning, here's wishing all of you a bit of love and joy this holiday season. And whether you find something here or not, remember that a homemade pie always makes a wonderful gift.

Elizabeth Graeber's Small Fruit Tart

 I was first captivated by the work of DC based illustrator Elizabeth Graeber when I saw the book An Illustrated Guide To Cocktails sitting on my friend's coffee table. Written by his pal, Orr Shtuhl and boasting quirky, imaginative drawings by Elizabeth, it focuses on the history and heyday of classic cocktails, including recipes for at-home cocktail hours.

Then a few months later, I caught more of her sketches in the form of a Sriracha slaw (!) recipe on Morgan Hungerford West's ever-inspiring Panda Head Blog. I checked out more drawings on Elizabeth's website and was pleased to find that the gal is quite prolific, producing beautiful art in the form of Beatles portraits, coloring books, and yes, food drawings, of yes, baked goods, and yes, pies (okay, tarts)!

We're hoping to collaborate on something illustrated and pie-themed sometime soon, but in the meantime, check out more of Elizabeth's food illustrations at Food On Paper and in particular, the Small fruit tart drawing pictured above. All pieces are for sale and would look lovely in any kitchen or dining room!

Nothing-in-the-House First Annual Gift Guide!

I know I still haven't posted about our Thanksgiving pies (though you can see some pictures of the day on the host MAV's blog here), but I've been admiring holiday gift-guides out there in the blogosphere-- Lottie and Doof, Tomboy Style, and Well Spent to name a few-- and thought the pie blog should have one too. 

Here's Nothing-in-the-House first annual gift guide--for the pie baker on your list.

First for some literature...

1. Pieminister cookbook by Tristan Hogg and Jon Simon, $22. I discovered this new cookbook when perusing the fine selections at Rabelais cookbook store in Portland, ME. The authors, Tristan and Jon, started a small pie shop in Bristol, England in 2003. Their company has since exploded, and pieminister now has multiple shops and sells at markets across the UK. I've been exploring British pies (which may mean having to start eating meat?!) lately, and this book is on the top of my own Christmas list.

2. Bike Basket Pies Recipe Booklet by Natalie Galatzer, $12. I found out about Bike Basket Pies simultaneously--from my friend Valeda in San Francisco, and when Nothing-in-the-House joined Twitter (follow us here @housepie!). Though Natalie has since moved on from her bike-delivered pie company, she wrote this adorable pie recipe booklet to commemorate her two year run. I can't wait to get mine in the mail, and we'll be featuring an interview with her here soon.

3. PIECRUST Magazine: Sugar & Salt, $7. You may have read our interview with PIECRUST's founders Megan Collins and Lauren Cardenas a few weeks ago. Though the content of their handmade letter pressed literary and art magazine is not limited to pie, they use pie crust as a concept-- a foundation for creativity. Keep up to date with news about future issues here.

4. Pie Contest In A Box, by Gina Hyams, $9. Gina, the author and creator of Pie Contest In A Box contacted me through her delicious pie site, Pie Takes the Cake . She asked if she could do an interview with me about the pie blog, AND asked if she could send me a promo copy of the Pie Contest-- yes, please! Though I am more into communal baking than competitive baking, this would be a great way to get kids or your friends into pie-- and this box provides everything you need, from ribbons, to scorecards, to labelling flags, and a cute hand book full of interesting pie tidbits.

Now for some supplies...

5. Rectangular tart pans, $9-$18. I'd been seeing a lot of beautiful rectangular tarts all over the food blogosphere (here, here, and here are a few examples). So I ordered some on Amazon (and tried them out with this ginger lemon & bourbon orange tart a few weeks ago) but lots of companies seem to be riding this tart trend--the one pictured is from Wiliams-Sonoma.

6. Pastry scraper, $2-$10. My housemate and fellow Tart Kari (of Tarts by Tarts and Tanglewood Baked Goods) has a pastry scraper in our baking drawer, and it's become one of my favorite tools of the kitchen--I'm not sure how I managed without it before. Great for chopping pastry, positioning crust, and scraping dough off of counter tops. An must-have for the pie baker on your list--the one pictured from Chef Tools.

7. Vintage Tupperware pastry mat, $9-$20. Nothing really says pie baking to me like this era Tupperware rolling mat. My mom and grandma both have them and always use them to roll out any dough that needs a-rollin', be it crust, biscuits, or cookies. Though any mat will do the trick-- providing a clean work surface and crust-size guidance-- I'm partial to this one for mainly nostalgic reasons. I got mine from a friend, but they are available on Etsy, Ebay, and likely your local thrift or vintage shop. 

Some artful supplies...

8. Herriott Grace hand-turned cherry rolling pin, $70-$80. Yes, alright, that's a lot for a rolling pin, and granted, mine was a very very sweet and unexpected gift from my dear friend. But hear me out. Herriott Grace is the company of Nikole and Lance Herriott, a father-daughter team who live 3,400 km apart from each other. After years of Lance sending his daughter hand-carved spoons in the mail, they decided to launch their small business. More functional art than ordinary kitchen tool, this rolling pin is beautiful solid cherry, has a heavy weight, great feel, and will last forever.

9. Double-decker Amish pie carrying basket, $45-$70. My parents got me one for Christmas a few years ago from our local Amish market and it is one of my favorite things I own (mine is very similar, pictured here). Perfect for carrying not just one but TWO pies (or other dishes) to a potluck or party--there's a tray that fits inside so you can stack them. Beautiful crafted--mine is signed by the woman who made it-- Loretta Miller.

And some supplying art...

10. Measurement poster by Hatch Show Print, $12. Last on our list is this very useful letter-pressed poster by Nashville's famous Hatch Show Print, available in black online and in an array of color at their shop. With its list of useful measurement conversions, its perfect for any baker's kitchen. Just need to get mine framed (its light blue) and it will be hanging next to our sink.

Hope you can find something useful for your favorite pie baker, or to put on your own list! And never underestimate the power of a gift you make yourself...even pie bakers like to get a homemade pie sometimes!