Fathers don’t seem to get the same pampering treatment that mothers enjoy on Mother’s Day, but dad still deserves a little something special for Father’s Day. Ties seem to be the standard fallback gift for Father’s Day, and while nice enough, you can do better.
Like gadgets? Like drinks? The Piet Hein Drink Cooler is an ice ellipsoid (as opposed to an ice cube) made of stainless steel and filled with a “super-secret liquid core.” When frozen, it’ll keep a drink icy without watering it down.
An oven isn’t a typical Father’s Day gift, but if your dad is a really serious baker (or on a quest for serious baked goods, a la Jeffrey Steingarten) he will probably love a pricey, european-style wood burning oven for the yard. He’ll pay you back in freshly baked bread for the rest of your life.
Sports-loving dads will get a kick out of a Stadium Bundt pan – and so will friends and family when the pan comes out to bake cakes and cornbread on the day of the big game.
If dad is a bit of a bookworm, he’ll probably enjoy a few new titles for his collection. Two For The Road is a great book about roadtripping for good eats and the “recipes and lore” found along the way. Heat is a journalist-turned-kitchen-insider’s tale of what it takes to run a three-star NY restaurant. How I Learned To Cook is a collection of stories from top chefs (Mario Batali, Daniel Boulud, Anthony Bourdain) telling how and when they got their start in the kitchen.
When it comes to grilling, there are a lot of options. After ties, outdoor cookery is probably the most popular type of father’s day gift.  Minimalist dads might like a mini grill. Practical dads who take their grilling seriously will love a great set of barbecue tools, like the Heritage Barbecue Grill Tool Set, which includes a grill light, Waiter’s Corkscrew, spatula, tongs, fork, knife, basting brush, 2 skewers, cleaning brush with scraper and a Super-Bright Chef’s Fork, which has a built-in thermometer and spotlight – plus the and comes in a ready-to-go carrying case. But if money is no object, a golden grill will really make a Father’s Day a day to remember. It can be paired with the Byzant Tool Set, which doesn’t come in gold, but it’s still very posh as bbq tools go.
Seasoned skewers and cedar grill planks will add some extra flavor to dad’s favorite grilled foods and Donald Trump has a line of elite Trump steaks available for fathers who love (expensive) beef.Â
If you must go with a tie, keep in mind that there are foodie options even here. This popcorn tie isn’t too over-the-top, but I really love this diner-food tie. If Dad likes his ties understated, a subtler pattern (like tomato slices on a solid background) would probably get more use.
JEP
June 6, 2007Thanks for the great ideas!