Holiday Gift Guide: Our Top 30 Picks for the Food + Design Lover on Your List

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12.01.13

Words By: MOLD Editors

Tableware

From unexpected items for your tabletop and tools for your kitchen to conversation-starting art and books that are as engrossing to read as they are to simply look at, we pared-down our holiday gift guide to our absolute favorite new products released this year. For presents that are truly presentable, shop this list—because gift cards are for amateurs.

01. Extruded Drinking Cups, Ben Medansky for ODLCO. Produced with a clay extruder and finished with a splash of Yves Klein Blue, these stoneware vessels are “all different, all the same.” $40, odlco.com

02. Tutti Frutti, by Bompas & Parr. This is not Little Richard’s “Tutti Frutti.” Bompas & Parr, the British gustatory provocateurs, have published a book exploring the sensual and gustatory implications of the simple fruit salad. As the exhibition catalog for their recent fruit-inspired installation at London’s Kew Gardens Boat House, Tutti Frutti is a deep dive into food design and fruit design. £10, bompasandparr.com

03. Standing Bowls, Fort Standard. These sand cast, aluminum bowls from Brooklyn-based Fort Standard have an architectural elegance; the soft colors of the powder-coated food-safe finish also provide a nice backdrop for your favorite snack. $84-110, fortstandard.com

04. Dinner Bell, Pat Kim for Best Made Company. For camp cooks and kitchen gods alike, sound the call on this steel triangle to start the best meal of the day. $50, bestmadeco.com

05. Art Prints by Mark Menjivar. From his “You Are What You Eat” series, photographer Mark Menjivar documented the often surprising (and totally un-touched, un-art directed) interiors of fridges in homes across the country, from competitive eaters and short order cooks to gallery owners and designers. We think these two images work particularly well as a diptych. $60-370, youshouldbuyart.com

06. Kawa Gold containers, Souda. We feel like we were just saying how everything emerging NYC design studio Souda touches turns to gold, when they released these gorgeous metallic-painted versions of their one-of-a-kind slipcast porcelain pieces. 175-595USD, soudasouda.com

07. Eliooo: How to go to IKEA and build a device to grow food in your apartment, by Antonio Scarponi. The title for Scarponi’s book is pretty self-explanatory. What it doesn’t tell a potential kitchen farmer is that the book is a wonderfully illustrated instruction manual for creating the hydroponic Eliooo system. $30, eliooo.com

08. Lind Tray and Coaster Set, Wolfum for Of a Kind. It’s no secret that our friends at Of a Kind have an eye for statement-making home goods, and the bright, geometric pattern on this versatile tray (perfect for afternoon drinkies and snackies, dinner a la couch, or as a catch-all for your mail and keys) is no exception. $105, ofakind.com

Fabrico Próprio, by Frederico Duarte, Rita João and Pedro Ferreira. Fabrico is a love letter to the Portuguese tradition of baked goods. Design essays, photo spreads and hand-drawn illustrations pepper the book, explaining how these confectionaries are manufactured in a process similar to design methodology. €50, fabricoproprio.net

10. Escape Glass, Aruliden. If the inner topography of these handblown glass tumblers doesn’t transport you to a magical, far-away place, then maybe the contents of the glass will. $48 for set of 4, aruliden.com

11. Herman Miller Summer Picnic Poster, Stephen Frykholm. A selection of Frykholm’s classic summer picnic posters for Herman Miller are included in the Museum of Modern Art’s permanent collection and thanks to their store, you can have one in your permanent collection too. $26-85, momastore.org

12. Dessert Plate, Helen Levi. Keep your eye on the prize! These golden-eyed beauties provide perfect company for a little bit of sweet indulgence. $25, helenlevi.com

13. Searzall, Booker & Dax. The team behind momofuku’s Booker & Dax cocktail bar have designed an attachment for your blowtorch turning your favorite kitchen power tool into a hand-held supercharged instant power broiler. $65, kickstarter.com

14. A Delicious Life: New Food Entrepreneurs, Edited by Robert Klanten, Sven Ehmann, Marie Le Fort. At a time when food production, cooking, consumption, and awareness is changing rapidly, this big beautiful book takes stock with dozens of innovative projects and their makers. We already highlighted our 12 favorites, but their are tons more to explore. $55, gestalten.com

15. Parallax Bottle Opener, Light & Ladder. This solid brass bottle opener is a functional piece of design with a quiet sculptural presence. Cracking open a cold one never felt so satisfying. $65, sightunseen.com

16. Camp Coffee Kit, Poler x Stumptown. Who says you can’t have your cake and eat it too? Poler’s Camp Coffee Kit is the perfect accessory for your on-the-go coffee snob. Includes two enamel mugs, a travel bag, Aeropress Brewer and Porlex Burr Grinder. $125, polerstuff.com

17. Boskke Cube. This clever clear plastic planter fulfills two needs in one: our childlike need to understand how absolutely everything works (including what roots look like as they grow) and our inability to keep indoor plants or kitchen herbs alive in the wintertime. Available in three sizes. $20, boskke.com

18. Rainbow Mugs, Vignelli Associates. The iconic stackable mugs by Vignelli Associates are finally back in production (thanks MoMA!), made from BPA-free resin in a set of six, which means you won’t have to choose just one. $60, coolhunting.com

19. Soma. Stop hiding your water pitcher—the stylish glass Soma carafe employs a compostable filter made of coconut shell carbon, silk and a plant-based casing. $49, drinksoma.com

20. Porthole, Crucial Detail. From the design team behind Chicago’s Alinea restaurant and Aviary cocktail bar comes the perfect tabletop centerpiece—a glass infuser inspired by “The Fabulous World of Jules Verne.” The Porthole is a beautiful frame for showing off the ingredients infusing your favorite cocktails, oils, teas or dressings. $99, crucialdetail.com

21. Detail in Contemporary Bar and Restaurant Design, by Drew Plunkett and Olga Reid. This book takes interior design to the next level with floor plans, construction details, and an accompanying CD with all the drawings (in both EPS and DWG/generic CAD formats) of inspirational new restaurant projects around the world. Even though we’re not planning to open our own cafe (at least not yet), we love poring over the stunning interiors and comparing them to the site plans side by side. $50, laurenceking.com

22. Crockery Jug, Max Lamb for 1882. LTD Fine Bone China is cast into a primitive form with this unusual collection of tableware from London-based designer Max Lamb. £75, 1882ltd.com

23. Deluxe Apron, Stanley & Sons Apron and Bag Co. With four pockets including one for your phone and a slot for your pencil, this work apron pulls a double shift as a functional and stylish kitchen necessity. Available in indigo selvage, duck cloth or cotton. $128, apronandbag.com

24. Block Table cart, Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen. There’s something about the light ash wood and rounded steel trays (and matching wheels) that make this cart as friendly as it is handy. Use it as a home bar or for extra kitchen storage. We’ll take ours in cheery coral. $280, normann-copenhagen.com

25. Stone Fruit, Chen Chen & Kai Williams. These cement planters are a perfect pairing for your favorite houseplants. Choose from pineapple, avocado, orange, horned fruit or melon. $18-40, chen-williams.com

26. The Taste of America, by Colman Andrews. Eat your way across the country with 250 foods that define America–and the stories behind them–from locally sourced fresh ingredients to locally manufactured food products, from Moon Pies and chocolate mice to ramps and ruby red grapefruit. $30, phaidon.com

27. Tube Vase 2, Decode. For the minimalist on your shopping list, each of these vases by Decode (three variations available) are made from a bent copper-plated steel tube–nothing else. The lead time is a bit long on these, so order now in order to get it in time. £96, fao-shop.com

28. Grow Green Terracotta System, Cult Design. These stacking terracotta boxes are perfect for growing sprouts on your kitchen counter.  $19.99, CultDesign.se

29. Duck Timer, Aarnio Eero for Alessi. This electronic kitchen timer from the influential Finnish designer has a playful form and an even more delightful quack. $60, alessi.com

30. Gingerbread Geodesic Dome Kit, Scout Regalia. This perennial favorite from Los Angeles-based Scout Regalia turns your next gingerbread house building adventure into an homage to Bucky. $25, scoutregalia.com

01. Extruded Drinking Cups, Ben Medansky for ODLCO
$40, odlco.com

02. Tutti Frutti, by Bompas & Parr
£10, bompasandparr.com
MOLD: Bompas & Parr Explode the Fruit Salad

03. Standing Bowls, Fort Standard
$84-110, fortstandard.com

04. Dinner Bell, Pat Kim for Best Made Company
$50, bestmadeco.com

05. Art Prints by Mark Menjivar
$60-370, youshouldbuyart.com (Print 1 and Print 2)

06. Kawa Gold containers, Souda
$175-595, soudasouda.com

07. Eliooo: How to go to IKEA and build a device to grow food in your apartment, by Antonio Scarponi
$30, eliooo.com

08. Lind Tray and Coaster Set, Wolfum for Of a Kind
$105, ofakind.com

09. Fabrico Próprio, by Frederico Duarte, Rita João and Pedro Ferreira
€50, fabricoproprio.net
MOLD: A Portugese Bakery Tour of Lisbon with Frederico Duarte

10. Escape Glass, Aruliden
$48 for set of 4, aruliden.com

11. Herman Miller Summer Picnic Poster, Stephen Frykholm.
$26-85, momastore.org

12. Dessert Plate, Helen Levi
$25, helenlevi.com
MOLD: One of a Kind, Handmade, Special: Helen Levi’s Tableware for New York Sushi Ko

13. Searzall, Booker & Dax
$65, kickstarter.com

14. A Delicious Life: New Food Entrepreneurs, Edited by Robert Klanten, Sven Ehmann, Marie Le Fort
$55, gestalten.com
MOLD: 13 Inspiring Food Projects from Gestalten’s A Delicious Life

15, Parallax Bottle Opener, Light & Ladder
$65, sightunseen.com

16. Camp Coffee Kit, Poler x Stumptown
$125, polerstuff.com

17. Boskke Cube
$20, boskke.com

18. Rainbow Mugs, Vignelli Associates
$60, coolhunting.com

19. Soma Carafe
$49, drinksoma.com

20. Porthole, Crucial Detail
$99, crucialdetail.com

21. Detail in Contemporary Bar and Restaurant Design, by Drew Plunkett and Olga Reid
$50, laurenceking.com

22. Crockery Jug, Max Lamb for 1882 LTD
£75, 1882ltd.com

23. Deluxe Apron, Stanley & Sons Apron and Bag Co.
$128, apronandbag.com

24. Block Table cart, Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen
$280, normann-copenhagen.com

25. Stone Fruit, Chen Chen & Kai Williams
$18-40, chen-williams.com

26. The Taste of America, by Colman Andrews
$30, phaidon.com

27. Tube Vase 2, Decode
£96, fao-shop.com

28. Grow Green Terracotta System, Cult Design
$19.99, westelm.com

29. Duck Timer, Aarnio Eero for Alessi
$60, alessi.com

30. Gingerbread Geodesic Dome Kit, Scout Regalia
$25, scoutregalia.com

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