2023 Holiday Gift Guide: My Favorite Things!

My 2023 holiday gift guide has arrived, and it is packed with kitchen delights for everyone who adores cooking. Take a peek at my go-to essentials—there is something for every budget, from gifts under $30 to top-notch cookware, bakeware, small appliances, and those handy kitchen gadgets that make cooking a joy. Let’s hunt down that perfect present together!

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Gift-giving is truly a joy for me. There is something so special about taking the time to consider each person and what might truly make their eyes light up.

In this guide, I am sharing some of my must-haves and favorite things to craft the ultimate holiday gift guide for all of you. I am bursting with more excitement than ever to unveil my 2023 Gift Guide to help you find the perfect present this season!

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Greek Artisanal Food Baskets

Treat your foodie friend to a taste adventure with an artisanal food basket. You’ll be able to get most of what you need right in our shop. Then, add simple items like pistachios and cookies to pull it all together. You can even print simple recipes straight from the blog that they can make with the gift items. A few suggestions to print would be easy marinated olives & feta with herbs, classic Greek beef souvlaki skewers, and the best homemade baklava recipe on the internet.

Picture this:

• Greek herbs
• Cretian tea
• Premium extra virgin olive oil
• Pure Cretian Honey
• Balsamic vinegar
• Traditional Cretan aprons
• Olive medley
• Walnuts
• Quality ground cinnamon

Or put together a Greek coffee basket! I start my day off with a piping hot mug of Greek Coffee. I love these glass mugs by Godinger. There are several brands of Greek coffee on the market, but this one is my favorite. The coffee comes already ground and tastes fresh and smooth. You are going to need a briki, a special pot that’s used to make Greek coffee. Here are 3 of my favorites:

• A beautiful small copper briki pot
• I use this one every day because it can go straight into the dishwasher.
• This large 22oz hammered copper briki is beautiful.

Beautiful Cups & Dishes:

These are great for gift-giving. Each time the person sips tea or coffee or enjoys a meal or a sweet treat, they’ll remember that you thought of them for this beautiful gift:

• You cannot go wrong with this set of blue & white plates for just $21
• I love to serve preserves or cookies on these crystal plates.
• This bone china Vintage teacup set is gorgeous. I use it to serve Greek coffee, and it makes people feel so special. I also have this more modern set too that is super cute.
• This set of 4 Porcelain Mugs with gold trim has the beauty of bone china but costs so much less. I love them and often give them as gifts.
• This 16-piece Mikasa dinner set is over $50, but I have it and love it. I actually found my set at my local Costco. It might have been cheaper, and I believe it was for 12 people.
• If you need a beautiful cake stand, get this Godinger crystal 12-inch stand. Perfect for displaying cakes.

Kitchen Appliances

I’ve been asked to make a list of my favorite must-haves several times. I don’t like to buy gadgets and special equipment for one job unless it’s a cherry pitter to make my cherry spoon sweet every summer. Otherwise, I prefer to buy things that serve many purposes. Like most people, clutter creates chaos in my brain. So, here are my favorite Kitchen appliances that I use over and over again:

• My Kitchen Aid Stand mixer. Totally worth every penny. It’s a splurge, but I’ve had this one for almost 10 years and use it to make bread, cakes, creams, you name it! I love it and highly recommend it.
• I also love the Glass Mixing bowl and recommend that everyone have 2 mixing bowls.
• There are so many food processors out there, but I stick to Cuisinart. It is durable and worth the money. I prefer the larger processors, but they have small ones too.
• I also love this mini processor that comes with an immersion blender and a whisk feature.
• Same thing with my high-power blender. It is a splurge!! Once again, worth every dollar because they last a lifetime and puree things until they are velvety smooth. I’ve had my blender for 10 years. Before that, I had to buy a new $50-$60 blender yearly.
• A good digital kitchen scale is super useful.
• I love my Air Fryer. I use it all the time to reheat food. I also make souvlaki that’s ready in no time and super juicy.

• The Instant Pot is a lifesaver when it comes to cooking fresh beans, making nutritious bone broth, and cooking meat.
• A good-quality hand mixer is also nice to have to quickly whip up cream, cookies, and simple cake batter.

Cookware & Bakeware

• Le Creuset Enamel coated cast iron Dutch ovens are top of the line when it comes to this type of pot. I splurged this year and ordered one, and I love it. Here’s a more cost-effective option. I’ve had my Lodge Dutch oven for several years, and I really like it. The enamel is beginning to wear, but other than that, it conducts heat beautifully.
• A good knife isn’t in the bakeware category, but I have to recommend this Mito Santoku chef’s knife. It’s beautiful and easy to use. Also, you can get 10% off at checkout using the code: DIMITRASDISHES
• A good cast iron skillet is inexpensive and will last you a lifetime. My favorite is made by Lodge.
• Staub also makes very high-quality bakeware and cookware. I use this 9 x 13-inch baking pan over and over again, and it still looks brand new.
• Half Sheet baking pans are great for sheet cakes, cookies, bread, and transferring pies safely in and out of the oven.
• Bundt Pans help make cakes so beautiful. This is the pan that I have.

I hope that this gift guide was helpful!

Remember, it’s not just about the gift—it’s about the heart and thought behind it. So, take a cue from their tastes and preferences and gift them an experience that’ll have them dancing with joy this holiday season!