The Only Gift You Need

This holiday, I'm all about ease. (That, and accepting the chaos, but that's another matter.) So rather than tax your already taxed yuletide attention span with a long list of potential foodie gifts, I'm going to give it to you straight.

Get all your foodie-fied friends the new cookbook published by the New York Times.

Why?

1. I'm hearing good things. Mostly from David Lebovitz, who thinks it's surprisingly great.

2. How often does the NYT publish a cookbook? Like, nevah. Hardly anyone has it yet, and its mere publication makes it a momentous event... Especially if the NYT doesn't exist in 5 years. Imagine the eBay value then!

3. With its significant heft, you can also use it to kill bugs, work your core, as a hotplate, or to press your own gravlax.