Gifts that feed my obsessions

When I was a kid, on Christmas afternoon, my sister and I would call up our respective best friends and start the conversation with "whatdidyaget?"

In the spirit of good natured greed, here are a few things I received that will feed my obsessions.
This book:
Sailing the Wine-Dark Sea: Why the Greeks Matter by Thomas Cahill

My dad, a Greek-ophile if there ever was one, loved it and wants me to love it too (nothing like reading under the pressure of parental expectation...) But seriously, I think if I have a goblet of dark wine on hand, the Wine-Dark Sea and I will get along well.



This book:
Antipasti: Fabulous Appetizers and Small Plates, by Joyce Goldstein

I'm thinking that an Antipasti party might be the perfect antidote to the post-holiday slump. Wouldn't a warm Gorgonzola custard served with pears and arugula cheer you up?



These fun tools:

a stainless steel pasta scooper to replace the crappy plastic one I had. This scooper seems to have it in for the wee kitties on the window sill.



a blow torch from my mother-in-law:

How many Mother-in-Laws give their Daughters-in-law tools that could be weapons? Hello Creme Brulee fest!







I finally finished this and count it as my gift to myself:

Red red red, the antidote to winter gloom! It still needs to be blocked, but I'll get to that later...







And finally:
This item of exercise paraphernalia designed to keep the aforementioned Gorgonzola and creme brulee from settling too firmly on my person:


Unfortunately, there is no snow.








To leave you with a smile, I present the cutest/weirdest present that my kids received:



A tiny froggie pot with grass growing out of his head.




So, whatdidyaget?