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With spring here and summer approaching, it’s Bridal Season. Bridal showers are still popular, even though many of the wedding preparations and communications are now done through the internet. We read more and more about social isolation and how it affects us. So, if there’s a bride in your future, why not plan a bridal shower get-together?

Linda: I know that wedding sites feature offerings of wedding gifts. When it comes to the kitchen, air fryers and stand mixers are the requested gifts of today. China and crystal are dated gifts of the past. But I remember bridal showers back in the ’60s. Expensive gifts weren’t required. It was a chance to stock up on everyday items that you didn’t know you needed.

Lucy: Cooking might not be an everyday activity, as they may have a favorite restaurant for carry out or Doordash to deliver dinner right to the kitchen, but the time will come when they discover the need to become a cook.

Linda: I look around my kitchen at gadgets, pans, dishes and accessories, and wonder if brides today still receive these things. Gadgets aren’t expensive, but they add up.

Lucy: I think it would be fun to plan an old-fashioned kitchen shower. A dollar limit could be set for the gifts, and you could include a favorite recipe that matches the gift. For example, a Blueberry Muffin recipe and some muffin papers might accompany a muffin pan. 

Linda: Let’s take a look at our kitchens and come up with some ideas. An unusual casserole-style dish that I immediately discovered in my cupboard is an original CorningWare dish. These are no longer made in the US. I’ve read that younger cooks are searching consignment and thrift shops for these dishes. I’m still using the ones that I purchased a generation ago. I know it might seem strange to buy a used gift, but the bride will thank you for it.  

Lucy: I like to bake so I think about all the gadgets that make my baking easier. A good citrus zester and various size whisks come to mind. Recently, I’ve had brides request glass storage dishes as gifts. They are moving away from Tupperware-type containers.

Linda: What about cookie sheets? I read recently that Nordic Ware cookie sheets were the best. Too often someone new to baking will buy inexpensive items and then be frustrated because the recipe doesn’t turn out. Good cookie sheets and a thin metal spatula to remove the cookies from the pan, along with some recipes would make a fun gift. A roll of parchment could also be included.

Lucy: I think a Bundt pan and maybe a springform pan are good items that a young bride wouldn’t have. Again, a recipe included with each of these would be helpful.

Linda: A couple of small things that might be forgotten are an egg separator and an egg slicer. Recipes often call for an egg yolk and no white or vice versa. An egg separator makes this easy.  An egg slicer creates perfect hard-boiled egg slices to garnish a salad. 

Lucy: I spend a lot of time standing in the kitchen during cooking and cleanup. There are attractive fatigue mats available that really help. And how about good cotton dishtowels? Decorative towels are fun to add color to the kitchen. Some colorful potholders could be great gifts. 

Linda: Thinking of kitchen towels leads me to my favorites. I prefer cotton towels from Williams Sonoma or Stonewall Kitchen. They’re absorbent and last a long time. A gift certificate to either of these stores along with one of their towels could be a creative gift. Also, an attractive charcuterie board would be an appealing gift for a bride who enjoys entertaining.

Lucy: Let’s not forget cookbooks. I still use the Better Homes and Garden cookbook that I was given at a shower back in the early ’60s. And speaking of cookbooks, let’s remind our readers again of our Two Sisters Cook cookbook that will hopefully be available mid-June at the Landrum Farmers Market. It would be a perfect gift, as we even include a short history of Tryon and Landrum along with our favorite recipes.