Holiday gift giving guide: splurges for cooks and food lovers

December 20, 8:03 PMChicago Food ExaminerRebecca Wheeler

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Christmas is just a few days away, but it’s not too late to plan an extravagant gift for the food lover in your life. If you’re looking for something more moderately priced then check out these previous posts.

The gift of great cookware. Here are my favorite splurges that are totally worth it and make great gifts for serious cooks: A set of Le Creuset pots, Kitchenaid stand mixer,  Vitamix blender, Francis Francis espresso machine.

Alinea gift certificate. A meal at Alinea is truly the pinnacle in dining. It’s really way more than a meal; it’s an experience that involves all the senses, and even sense memory. Yes, it’s very expensive, but it’s also totally worth it. The genius is evident in each bite-but don’t take my word for it. It’s so difficult to describe just how mind blowing a meal is here that I am more than happy to defer to this excellent article in Food and Wine that describes the experience much better than I ever could.

Rare Olive Oil Club from Zingermans. Here’s a fun idea for olive oil lovers-a shipment each month of a rustic loaf of Zingerman’s bread plus a half liter of rare olive oil. You can purchase 2 to 6 months, ranging in price from $150 (2 months) to $400 (6 months).
 

American Club winter weekend getaway. Just a few hours from Chicago is a great luxury getaway that also has some fantastic dining. After a day of luxurious spa treatments your lucky gift recipient can dine at the 4 diamond Immigrant Room. The next day can be spent snowshoeing or cross country skiing to  River Wildlife, a private club that's tucked into the woods and is accessible to hotel guests. This is the perfect setting to enjoy cocoa by the rustic fireplace and a pheasant sandwich in the lodge like atmosphere.

Peninsula hotel and dining experience. For those who want to stay closer to home, there’s a fantastic retreat right in our city at the posh Peninsula. Dinner at acclaimed Avenues or maybe just the outstanding chocolate buffet make this a delicious night away.