Equipping the Kitchen Laboratory

True cooks know a workman is only as good as his tools, and every new gadget in the kitchen is a cherished new asset. No matter how well equipped his kitchen may be, items such as an indoor turkey fryer; a decorating pen to turn frosting into an art form; a food scale to precisely measure spices; a folding roasting rack for the perfect oven roast; or a whipped-cream maker are sure to fill a gap in his kitchen, if not his heart. You can get these items at a local kitchen or restaurant-supply store or order hard-to-get items from online retailers.

The Finest Ingredients

Great cooking starts with good, fresh ingredients. If you're feeling adventurous, search through ethnic grocery stores and specialty shops to track down rare and luxurious ingredients such as the pungent carom seeds used in Indian cuisine, a collection of exotic peppers or hot sauces, fresh burrata mozzarella, salted caramels, pure dark chocolate or smoky whiskey to complement her next meal. If you're the "teach a man to fish" kind, head to your local nursery garden for a gardening set and heritage seeds for plants such as tomatoes, basil, coriander and mint. She might just thank you with an exotic international meal topped with fresh herbs.

Look Outside the Kitchen

A real cook takes his love of cooking and food outside the kitchen. For reading material, consider a set of cookbooks on an exotic new cuisine from your local bookseller. While you're at the bookstore, look for interesting fiction and nonfiction titles on topics such as personal experiences with food and restaurant ownership, food trends, cultural introductions to international cuisine, food-photography collections and food journalism. For the cook with a conscience, CNN recommends making an online donation to the International Rescue Committee's New Roots campaign, a program that distributes heritage seeds in refugee camps, allowing the communities to grow their own food and stay connected to their homelands through typical ingredients.

A Culinary Escape

While you can't hold them in your hands, learning and travel experiences make unforgettable gifts. For cooks and foodies, nothing compares to culinary tours of places that produce some of the world's most delicious and desired ingredients and dishes. In the United States, Napa Valley might be the promised land for cooks and gourmands. Consult a travel agent and treat a cook to a weekend of tours through vineyards and orchards, sampling fresh olive oils, nuts, fruits, cheeses and some of the region's finest wines. For shorter, less-expensive escapes, get in touch with local food producers and culinary organizations to organize an outing such as a tour of a local brewery, dairy farm or artisan bakery. You can even contact local colleges to see if they offer any culinary events or cooking classes.