Dean & DeLuca caters entertaining essentials and hostess gifts

While I was in New York shopping in SoHo, I stopped by Dean and DeLuca. We just finished eating in the Korean neighborhood so I feel sad because I was not hungry.

With so many delicacies, gourmet foods, cakes and pastries, wines plus a dishware section, Dean & DeLuca is THE one-stop shopping for epicurean cooking, eating and entertaining.

Take the cake section. Save time and buy a cake instead of making your own. Their cupcakes and their mini cakes are stylish. I remembered the Busy Bees and the Coconut Layer Cakes.

Your can serve several mini cakes for dessert instead of a normal size cake. The stylish hostess will present the mini cakes in dome stands, which you can buy there. That is what I called the ultimate one-stop shopping experience.

Gift store

If you need to pick up a wonderful hostess gift in a hurry this is the place to go. I am showing some products that I like. In fact, I spotted a few things for baking and food presentation while I was in Manhattan that I will grab on my next visit. Remark that not all their products are shown online.

The leather suede pot holder is available in rust, light brown and grey. Matching suede cooking mitts are available; they are sold per hand at the store. The Biscotti jar is filled with the Italian cookies. The artful black-and-white drawing is their SoHo NYC store.

For the wine connoisseur, get a hand-blown glass Tastevin made in Spain. The perfectly size and shape enable you to fully evaluate the wine. You can see, smell and taste the wine before serving it to your guests.

The Perfect Risotto Gift Basket makes an outstanding housewarming gift. Packed inside is:

• a box of carnaroli rice, preferred for its creamy, yet firm texture;
• a Ligurian extra-virgin olive oil bottle;
• a bag of pungent and woodsy dried porcini mushrooms;
• fragrant Spanish saffron;
• a classic risotto stainless steel pan made by Paderno and a cherrywood stirring spoon.

The only things missing are a bottle of white Vermouth, fresh onions and celery. If you go camping, bring this risotto gift set and you are sure to not forget anything.

I want the Round Cutter Set because its contains 11 graduated sizes so it covers all the cutting bases for cookies, rolls, puff pastry, biscuits and tea sandwiches. And the stainless steel construction is top notch.

About Dean & DeLuca

Joel Dean and Giorgio DeLuca traipsed around the world to find artisan-produced foods and the best local produces. The St. Helena store in the Napa Valley is unique in many ways. They take extra steps to more promote produces by local farmers, local artisan cheeses plus 1400 Californian wines. I plan a visit during my trip to the Californian Wine Country.

Dean & DeLuca has 9 retail stores and cafés around New York City. People from the Napa Valley, Kansas, North Carolina and Washington, D.C. can enjoy their Dean & DeLuca. Their concept was exported to Japan and Taiwan.

While I was in New York, a girl friend texted me to ask me if I went to Dean & DeLuca because it is her favorite NY store. It was on my schedule that day. Now, I comprehend her love affairs with this store.

Sourcing:
Buy online: Dean & DeLuca Brown Suede Pot Holder – price: $10 USD
Buy online: Dean & DeLuca Suede Cooking Mitts – price: $55 a pair, $27 one hand
Buy online: Biscotti Pottery Jar at Dean & DeLuca – price: $60 USD on sale
Buy online: Tastevin – price: $28 USD
Buy online: Perfect Risotto at Dean & DeLuca – price: $185 USD
Buy online: Round Cutter Set – price: $16 USD
Learn more: Dean & DeLuca’s Store Locations