Santa baby, I’ll take one in red

The nicest thing about gift-buying is that it admits the impractical. The most exciting presents don’t address what the person on your list really needs; they speak to what that person would truly love. No one wants to unwrap a DustBuster. You buy what pleases, what excites, what stirs desire.

You buy, of course, what you secretly want for yourself.

We scoured the stores and the catalogs and gathered the gift for food lovers that caught our eye or just made us feel happy. And then we noticed what they all have in common: outstanding design, perfect form that follows function.

Sleek-looking bamboo cutting boards are attractive enough to use as cheese boards or platters for hors d’oeuvres, they’re reasonably priced and the wood is so warm and pretty, you just want to stroke it. No one really needs a rich, red soup tureen, but what a wonderful thing to have. It just makes you want to have soup. Then there is the useful that carries a touch of whimsy: the Victoria anthracite/brass kitchen scale, with so many markings and numbers it seems like a postmodern art project. But the numbers turn out to be our ticket into the 21st century: The weights are shown in imperial and metric systems, so you can grasp in a glance that 4 pounds is about 1.75 kilograms. And, of course, the least necessary highly functional item of all -- the drink mixer in retro green -- is the best looking. So why not make an egg cream? I mean, how long do we have on this earth?

Most of all, these are items to brighten the immediate aftermath of the holiday and the rest of the year as well.

Laurie Winer

*

High polish

and wood grain

Lots of shiny stainless steel caught our eye this year, and so did beautiful woods. They happen to look marvelous together.

Essential: If we could own one saucepan, this 3.2-quart baby from Demeyere’s Atlantis line might just be it. The Belgian company is known for making cookware with superior heat conductivity. This pan has a heavy seven-layer bottom that conducts heat like a dream, and the handle never gets hot. $189.95 at Sur la Table in Pasadena, (626) 744-9987; Los Angeles (Farmers Market), (323) 954-9190; or Santa Monica, (310) 395-0390; or online at www.surlatable.com.

Surface beauty : Harder than maple and gorgeous to boot, bamboo cutting boards make wonderful cheese boards or hors d’oeuvre platters. A 14- by 11-inch board is $25, a 13 1/2 - by 6-inch board is $12.95 at Surfas in Culver City, (310) 559-4770.

A cut above: It’s not easy to find great-looking cheese knives; this set isn’t only attractive, it’s also a great value. Set of five cheese knives, $12.95 at Surfas in Culver City, (310) 559-4770.

Take a dip: Pour in ponzu or soy, or even a dollop of hot mustard or horseradish. This gorgeous little dipping set of stainless steel and wood from German designer Carl Mertens comes with chopsticks to serve with. By Minamoto by Carl Mertens, the set is $275 at Le Sanctuaire in Santa Monica, (310) 581-8999.

Glistening color

Bake ware and glazed tabletop pieces have never been more beautiful, whether they’re cast enamel in saturated jade green or blue or glazed ceramic in Provencal yellow. The pieces are versatile and practical, going from oven to table without missing a beat.

Soup’s on: This Emile Henry ceramic tureen keeps 18 cups of soup -- or stew or couscous -- warm at the table. $105 from Garnet Hill, (603) 828-5545, online at: www.garnethill.com. Also available at Sur la Table in Pasadena, (626) 744-9987; Los Angeles (Farmers Market); (323) 954-9190; or Santa Monica, (310) 395-0390.

Envy-inducing: This oval-shaped enamel dish is great for baking and roasting. Stoneware by Le Creuset, 14-inch dish, $45 at Sur la Table in Pasadena, (626) 744-9987; Los Angeles (Farmers Market) (323) 954-9190; or Santa Monica, (310) 395-0390; or order online at www.surlatable.com.

Pie style: Handcrafted ceramic and cast-iron pie dishes are as gorgeous, in green, blue and yellow, as they are functional. Individual sizes are also available. By Emile Henry, 9-inch diameter. $34 each at Chef’s Catalog, (800) 884-CHEF or www.chefscatalog.com, or at Sur la Table.

Back to the future

This season, everything old is updated -- and so smartly.

Cheese whiz: Fondue’s making a comeback, and of the dozens of fondue sets we saw, this porcelain enamel cast-iron model in a color called “flame” was the most handsome. Like all Le Creuset pots, this goes from stove-top to table; warming burner and six long-handle forks included. Le Creuset fondue maker, $100 at Chef’s Catalog, (800) 884-CHEF or www.chefscatalog.com, at Sur la Table or online at www.surlatable.com.

Holiday cheer: Was seafoam green this pretty the first time around? Keep this sturdy drink mixer on the countertop for making milkshakes, blending bar drinks and whipping cream. Waring Pro drink mixer, $149.00 at Sur la Table in Pasadena, (626) 744-9987; Los Angeles (Farmers Market) (323) 954-9190; or Santa Monica, (310) 395-0390; or online at www.amazon.com.

Balancing act: This brass kitchen scale from the German company Soehnle has two concentrical dials: one in kilograms and grams, the other in ounces and pounds -- what an easy and stylish way to learn to think like a 21st century baker. Victoria scale, $39.99 at www.amazon.com.