Pearfect foodie gifts feat. The Always Pan & Mum’s Pears In Spiced Red Wine

Paid partnership with Our Place

The Always Pan and I are in a pretty serious, and monogamous, relationship. It has been six truly wonderful months and I can tell you, without a shadow of a doubt, that this guy lives up to the hype.

So, if you are still searching for that perfect gift OR just want to make your time in the kitchen over Christmas a joy then I have good news – the Always Pan (in a rainbow of gorgeous colours including this beautiful spice colour or the fun and merry heat) are still available for delivery this month for last minute holiday gifting along with a selection of gifts from just £30 that even awkward Aunt Mabel would be chuffed to unwrap.

Scroll on down for some more ideas and the most deliciously festive dessert recipe…

USE CODE THANKFIFI10 FOR 10% OFF THE ALWAYS PAN OR PERFECT POT

WHY I LOVE IT

The Always Pan was designed to make home-cooking easier so you can spend more time sharing a meal with your chosen family and he one hundred percent delivers on that claim. He is my frying pan, sauté pan, steamer, skillet, saucier, saucepan, non-stick pan, spatula and spoon rest. On top of that, this guy is so darn beautiful I never put him away – he sits proud on my hob right next to his big brother, the Perfect Pot.

Aside from stunning good looks, these guys are super slippery – so much so that, six months in, the aftermath of my candied walnuts (you know, the really sticky caramel) still simply wipes right off. The exclusive non-toxic, ceramic coating is made without potentially toxic materials like PFOAs, and PTFEs – what a total DREAMBOAT.

Aside from ‘beautiful’, if I had to conjur up one word that feels totally synonymous to Our Place, for me, it would be ‘thoughtful’. Not only is this is a conscious brand giving back to communities, each piece is just so well designed – the sharpest knives with ergonomic handles and safety cases, bowls, plates and glasses that stack oh so neatly to save space and a walnut chopping board angled just perfectly to catch any jus whilst carving and turns on his end to stand up straight for drip drying. All the things I did not EVEN know I was missing, Our Place has thought of them.

No word of a lie, I use nothing else in the kitchen now.

WHO IT’S PERFECT FOR

Me. Duh. Or anyone like me who appreciates gifts that are practical but ALSO beautiful – the holy grail.

I was chatting with a friend this weekend who bought the Home Cook Duo (the Always Pan and Perfect Pot bundle) on my recommendation and she told me that they have actually brought the joy back into cooking for her and inspired her to dig out the recipe books. I mean, I cannot imagine a better review than that.

Our Place carries the perfect £50 and under gifts too though. I already featured the precise paring knife in my gift guide because she is such a great all rounder in the kitchen – so perfect for those people who are tricky to buy for.

The tiny bowls are just about the cutest little nesting babies you have ever seen – great for meal prep as well as snacks and dips when entertaining.

And if you are looking for a great hostess gift then can I suggest the drinking glasses? I adore my green set but there are some beautifully retro colourways on offer including an actual rainbow of warm hues from sunset through to sunrise. They look very cool and stack neatly away PLUS who does not need more glasses over Christmas?

USE CODE THANKFIFI10 FOR 10% OFF THE ALWAYS PAN OR PERFECT POT

If ever there was a brand I wanted to shout from the rooftops about, it is Our Place. I can guarantee that from a single knife right up to to the Always Pan, you will be blown away and, whilst they are an investment, mine have been in everyday use since May and they are SO worth it.

Now for a taste of my childhood that cooks just pear-fectly (sorry, could not resist) in the Always Pan – my Mum’s ‘poires au vin’ – scroll down for the recipe…

To me, this is literally Christmas on a plate. A deliciously festive dessert, these poached pears are relatively light and just the perfect way to finish off a winter meal – with warming spice and sweet, refreshing fruit, one bite takes me right back to my Mum’s dinner table with ‘Old Toy Trains’ playing on the record player.

I asked her for the exact recipe and she sent me a snap of an ancient, handwritten cutting in her binder with no recollection of where the recipe originated although I am assuming France because, well, here it is…

MUM’S POIRES AU VIN DE NOËL
(with one small addition)

Ingredients (Serves 6)

750 ml dry red wine
5 tsp lemon juice
225 grams caster sugar
1 cinnamon stick
3 large pears (ripe but firm)
10 sprigs thyme (if available) (my addition because I am a sucker for herbs)
double cream to serve

Method (5 mins prep, 30 mins cooking)

Peel, core and halve the pears leaving the stalks in tact if at all possible because they look so pretty.

Bring the wine, lemon juice, sugar, cinnamon and leaves from 4 of the thyme sprigs to the boil and stir until the sugar dissolves. Add the pears and cover the pan, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes until the pears are tender.

If the sauce is still runny you can set the pears aside and boil the liquid to reduce it by half until syrupy in consistency.

Serve warm of cold with double cream or ice-cream and garnished with a sprig of thyme. Enjoy.

Please tag #ThankfifiFood on your Instagram pics if you try it – I love seeing them.

Find my other recipes here.