Do you have newer cook on your holiday shopping list this year? Let me tell you about some of the things I can't live without in the kitchen. Starting in the top left hand corner is a basic, handled microplane. I use it for nutmeg, cheese, citrus zest, chocolate, garlic and ginger, making sure to wash it thoroughly in between uses. It's great for the new cook because it can play a lot of roles without taking up a whole lot of space.

Next is a series of Williams-Sonoma silicone spatula/spoonulas (or as we called them in my house while I was growing up, rubber scrapers). I have had their clear silicone spoonula for more than four years and it is still in great shape and I use it nearly every day. I especially love the fact that the silicone head does not pull away from the wooden handle, making it impossible for mildew and other crud to grow down there.

I believe that every cook should have a garlic press. I have this one from Zyliss and it has served me well since college. I even accidentally ran it through the garbage disposal briefly once, and it didn't seem to do much harm (though it does still bear a few scars from the incident).