Present time? Our top-10 gift ideas for any occasion

While there is something so gratifying about seeing a gift you have carefully selected becoming a beloved favourite in your friend’s home, choosing the right gift can be challenging. Whatever the occasion – whether it is a birthday or Christmas, a wedding or simply to celebrate the start of Spring or a job promotion – a gift from Le Creuset is guaranteed to be received with pleasure and delight. Admit it, don’t you get a little shiver of glee when you see that box wrapped in Le Creuset’s signature bright orange paper coming your way on a special occasion?

PRESENT PERFECTION
Giving the perfect present is made easy with our top-10 gift ideas, whether you are looking for something small and beautiful just to say “I love you” or you want to commemorate a once-in-lifetime occasion with an heirloom product that can be passed down through the generations.

To help take the stress out of choosing the perfect presents, we asked our in-store Le Creuset experts to compile a list of our all-time best-selling gifts, and this is what they’ve told us…

#1. Cast-iron casserole. An oval or round cast-iron casserole in your favourite colour must be one of the very best gifts anyone could ever receive. Available in a wide array of sizes and a myriad signature Le Creuset colours, these iconic casseroles are endlessly versatile. Use them on the stovetop or in the oven to transform everyday meals into gourmet occasions. This gift is a guaranteed winner for men and women, young and old…

#2. The pasta/salad bowl or fruit bowl. These generous stoneware bowls make a gorgeous centrepiece on any table, but the pièce de résistance (and something that many people don’t realise) is that they are 100% safe to use in the oven or under the grill, so you can also take advantage of their oven-to-table appeal and use them to roast a chicken, bake your grandmother’s apple crumble or to cook a pretty beautiful leek-and-potato bake.

#3. Stoneware mugs or cups and saucers. These practical and ultra-pretty kitchen basics have become collector’s items. They are a budget-friendly way to spoil a friend as you can give just one or two on each occasion, and then add to their collection with a mix-and-match selection of brights for subsequent celebrations. We have a wide range of mugs and cups, so you can choose our lovely cups and saucers for the teatime traditionalist or cuter-than-cute espresso mugs for caffeine addicts…

#4. Mini heart ramekins. These irresistible ramekins – which come in a set of three – are a brilliant gift to commemorate an engagement, a kitchen tea, Valentine’s day or just to say “I love you!” Like all our stoneware, the ramekins are totally safe to use in the microwave and oven, so they are great for making individual portions, but are also perfect for serving condiments, sauces and seasonings at the table.

#5. Utensil holder or spatula crock filled with Le Creuset kitchen utensils. Le Creuset enthusiasts love the chance to add a stylish splash of colour to their kitchen countertop while keeping all of their invaluable kitchen utensils within easy reach. This is a great gift for a kitchen tea: club together to buy a spatula crock in your friend’s favourite colour and then ask everyone who comes to bring a gift of a Le Creuset utensil so that it all adds up to a bouquet of gorgeous cooking essentials. Tip: a brilliant alternative use for our utensil holder or spatula crock is as a bright and cheerful vase on the kitchen countertop.

#6. Mini cocottes, preserve jars or spice jars filled with your own homemade condiment, spice blend or delicious chocolates. For those who love a personal touch, something from our range of gorgeous stoneware storage and preserve jars filled with a delectable homemade treat makes a treasured gift. Don’t forget to visit our Recipes website for mouthwatering inspiration. Some popular ideas include a large spice jar filled with our homemade (and incredibly easy) White Chocolate Bark, a mini cocotte brimming with melt-in-your-mouth Earl Grey Chocolate Truffles or sweet and tangy Fig Jam, a berry jam jar crammed with Beetroot and Orange Chutney, a jar of organic honey together with our cheerful honey pot and dipper set, or a bottle of yummy olives together with our olive jar and wooden fork set.

#7. TNS buffet casserole. If you are going big and want to give a gift that will be used almost every single day for evermore, give our classic TNS buffet casserole. We guarantee you’ll earn more brownie points than you could ever imagine, especially if the lucky recipient is a consummate entertainer who loves producing gourmet fare. What’s more, the chances are good that you’ll be invited to share delicious meals produced in this buffet casserole for years to come.

#8. Pie dish and pie bird. Sweet as pie, these two stoneware partners are a delight to own. The pie dish has sloped sides that make it easier to cut, separate and lift slices out when you are serving your sweet or savoury masterpiece straight from the oven, while the stoneware it is made from provides steady and even heat for a perfect crust base every time. The charming pie bird forms a funnel that pokes up through a pastry topping, supporting it and preventing it from dropping into the filling as it bakes. The openings at the base of the pie bird allow the pie juices to bubble freely, while its hollow centre that is vented through the beak allows steam to escape and ensures a dry, crisp pastry with no leaks from the filling.

#9. Professional kitchen knives. Novice cooks find that a really good knife or two revolutionises their kitchen-prep experience, while experienced cooks truly appreciate the fine, sharp edges, elegant styling and practical versatility of Le Creuset’s carefully crafted kitchen knives. There are three collections: the Damascus Steel with Olive-Wood Handle range, the Damascus Steel with Stainless-Steel Handle range, and the Regular Stainless-Steel Blade with Black Plastic Handle range. All have a Rockwell hardness of 61 and are crafted in Solingen, Germany. Each collection offers a full range of knife styles for all kitchen tasks.

#10. Wine accessories. Last but not least, our incredible range of wine opening, cooling, serving and preserving accessories is always a winner. Whether your friend is a budding sommelier, an experienced wine aficianado or a bubbly devotee, he or she will love our great gifts for wine and champagne lovers.

Did you know that you can choose a gift at our online store, ask for it to be gift-wrapped and then delivered to your friend’s front door? And if he or she is a little unsure about your choice they can either swap the item via the online store or pop in to their closest Le Creuset store.