For The Cook

By Maryanne Murray Buechner

Chiasso.com

This plastic pepper is actually a hand chopper for vegetables or anything else you need to cut into bits--and one of several cleverly designed kitchen utensils. Let Gift Finder help you figure out what else to buy.

UnicaHome.com

This shop celebrates modern design, offering inspired ideas for every room of the house. The best way to find this porcelain dinnerware is to type "Origo" into the search engine. Most orders over $100 ship for free.

Earthy.com

You'll find a wide selection of tasty treats and gourmet ingredients here, from aged balsamic vinegars to caviar and foie gras. The mushroom section features a detailed list of a dozen fresh varieties--including these Cinnamon Caps, left, part of an exotics gift basket. The Taste of Modena, an Italian-countryside set, comes with dried porcinis and white truffle oil.

Cooking.com

This VillaWare panini grill is one of five sandwich makers under Small Appliances; for the more extensive product-category listings, you can re-sort by price or brand. The glossary in Recipes & More explains everything from acitron to zest.

Flaxart.com

The chef bottles, right, could store oil and vinegar; the Nemo squid whisk could mix the salad dressing. Find both in Home Decor, under Kitchen. And there is more good ground to cover here, including an extensive Craft Kits collection, which you will find in the Creative Gifts aisle. Terrific Kids' Stuff too.

CutleryandMore.com

Find every top brand, from Wusthof and Henckels to All-Clad and Le Creuset. This John Boos chopping block, shown with a Boker ceramic knife, is an exclusive. Shop by category or keyword; the navigation tools are tip-top, so you can't get lost.

Amazon.com

Is there anything this monster e-tailer doesn't carry? You'll find this copper Calphalon pot in the home-and-garden store, along with KitchenAid mixers in 24 colors including pistachio and tangerine.