Twas the season. Cookie baking was mandatory and gift-giving was in motion.
When I am honest with myself, I know I am challenging person to buy for. I live in a small - but lovely - apartment, so "stuff" often ends up as clutter. I also don't need much that I don't already buy for myself. Plus, I am persnickety.
Not a good combo when my birthday and the holidays converge in the same month.
But this year, my friends did me a solid. Seriously great gifting!
A German baking book after I received my German citizenship in mid-December? Yes, please! (Already baked one humdinger of an apple cake from the tome pictured above!)
Recognizing that what I lack in space, I make up for in numerous dinner parties, I was gifted an expandable wooden cheese board with cheese knives hidden within. It folds into a quarter of its full size for easy storage. Yes!
Also knowing that I need to clean up after said dinner parties, another friend gave me a trio of tough kitchen sponges that offered the additional benefit of being sparkly. Functional and festive? Yes!
And, then there was the present that celebrated my long-lasting, deeply affectionate relationship with Sven - aka my dishwasher. That's right, I christened it Sven many many years ago, and he's never let me down since.
Now, a complete set of dish towels and pot holders emblazoned with the name "Sven" grace my kitchen. YAAAASSSS!
