For my birthday about a month ago, Allan's sister JoAnn gave me a Williams-Sonoma gift card. That was pretty darn cool of her, wasn't it?
Well, this afternoon we went to the W-S store at a nearby mall, and I used my gift card on a stovetop espresso maker. I'm very excited, because I used to have one in France (actually, my ex still has it) and it made the most delicious coffee. Here's a pretty crappy photo of it:
Allan and I also got a very cool new tool for our kitchen. Here's a pretty good photo of it:
Again, I used to have a couple of Le Creuset casseroles when I lived in France (and the ex still has one of them), but they were acquired used, so they were both this bright 70s-era orange. And the handle was broken on the skillet. And the dutch oven had no lid, so...
I am really happy to have this. It makes me want to cook (in fact, we're making a vegetable curry in it right now), plus it goes really well with the mixer.
Congratulations! New toys can be so inspiring, can't they. I think I want a new sewing machine...
Posted by: kristy | August 07, 2006 at 20:48
I'm a bit sad that I'm such a shit cook...well, scratch that -- lazy cook. Maybe if I bought toys, it would inspire me?
Posted by: sandra | August 07, 2006 at 21:31
ooo...nice coffeepot.
Posted by: schlabby | August 07, 2006 at 23:01
All I got was a rock...
Posted by: Leslie | August 07, 2006 at 23:34
I would love the curry, AND the espresso. Two of my favorite things.
Posted by: Margaret | August 08, 2006 at 00:45
This machine is for when you REALLY want to get wired up fast in the morning, in case the Fed decides not to raise rates later today, for exxample? Is that the sport we're talking about here?
Posted by: Monty | August 08, 2006 at 00:57
Ooooh, I want, I want... that stovetop espresso maker is calling my name!
Posted by: Sarah | August 08, 2006 at 02:05
stuff. cool. and in such pretty colors, too.
happy birthday.
Posted by: ally bean | August 08, 2006 at 07:51
What a great gift. I'd love a gift certificate for a Williams Sonoma. They have so much neat stuff.
Cas
Have a good time in that kitchen.
Posted by: cassie-b | August 08, 2006 at 08:25
ah, things the ex got to keep:
mojo, my loverly sweet pug...
half of our really cool nautica plate set - including the square plates i loved...
some music i miss.
happily, i just this weekend replaced my van morrison cds and allman brothers cds (thank you amazon used cds!) that he kept and that i missed for so long...i should take a picture and put it in my blog! :) i'm that excited about it!
Posted by: lily | August 08, 2006 at 08:28
Yo. My daughter loves W-S because she can go in and eat the bread and olive oil samples. I go in to sniff the soaps and drool over the machines. Lucky girl, you. Le Creuset rocks my world.
Ah, but then so does espresso (or expresso, as they call it in Pittsburgh...you know....Dahntahn)
Cheers!
Posted by: Julia Farley | August 08, 2006 at 08:49
OK, I am insanely jealous of your Le Creuset casserole (or whatever it is you bought.) Those things are so expensive that I have never managed to bring myself to buying one. The mixer is also awesome - one of these days, I'm going to get myself one of those.
How did the vegetable curry turn out?
Posted by: Elisabeth | August 08, 2006 at 09:30
fancy. yummy!
Posted by: ms. sizzle | August 08, 2006 at 11:38
Continuing with the "weird ways in which we are connected by food" theme, check out my Vox blog. I'm telling you, we have some strange psychic connection.
Posted by: Teresa | August 08, 2006 at 12:43
It's a cool espresso maker, but you really need to check out the much better one on the other Alison's site!
Hee Hee...
Posted by: Neil | August 08, 2006 at 12:51
Love a new kitchen toy!! What time should I show up for curry? :)
Posted by: sallyrogers | August 08, 2006 at 14:01
oh what fun! beautiful toys to play with, I envy you!
Posted by: connie | August 08, 2006 at 20:10