Gift Guide for Guys (Guest Blogger)

H thought it would be a good idea to utilize the fact that I'm a guy for a guest post.  She is always telling me that I am difficult to buy for when it comes to gifts so in case some of you struggle as well, H thought I could lend a hand.  Here is a little gift guide full of things:

1. I own and love;
2. Would love to have, and/or
3. Think most guys would enjoy receiving as a gift.

The categories are separated into Home, Gadgets, and Style.  I also tried to make sure the price points were widely ranged.  Enjoy!

1. The Macallan 12 Year Old Scotch Whisky ($50) - We've graduated from college, so that means we should have graduated from vodka and tequila as our spirits of choice.  This was my first bottle of scotch and is one that is perfect to get introduced to the smoky, sweet, wonderful world of single malt scotch whisky.

2.  Shun Classic Chef's Knife ($140) - A great chef's knife makes cooking fun.  Seriously.  Shun makes knives with VG-10 steel, meaning it is super hard, and as a result they can make their edges sharper than their German counterparts.

3. Bodum Travel Press Mug ($20) - French Press.  Portable.  Cheers.

4. Lamy Safari Pen ($37) - Although handwriting is not what it used to be, I think it's cool when a guy has a nice pen that he whips out of his jacket pocket at the drop of a hat.  This one is German designed and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

5. ESPN 30 for 30 Box Set ($45) - If you are not a fan of watching sports with your guy, this is right up your alley.  While based on sports, these documentaries are so well done you don't have to be a huge sports buff to enjoy them.

6. GQ Subscription ($20) - One of my all time favorite magazines.  Covers topics from sports to politics, and of course, style.  

1. Bose SIE2i Sport Headphones ($150) - For some reason, headphones simply don't want to stay in my ear when I go running.  These not only do that, but sound great and look sharp as well.

2. Xbox One ($500) - Turns your TV into an all-in-one entertainment system.  With the Kinect, you can physically interact with the device and even make the most of in-home workout programs.  Oh, it also plays video games.

3. GoPro Hero3 ($200) - For the extreme sports enthusiast.  Get a first person view of your guy's best Shaun White imitation.

4. Roku 1 ($50) - Thinking about getting rid of cable?  This gift will make the transition painless, granting access to over 1000 channels and also allowing you to stream Netflix, Hulu, etc. directly to your TV.

5. Nike+ FuelBand SE ($149) - A sports accessory that keeps track of physical movement you make during the day.  You set a goal for the amount of "Nike Fuel" you want to accrue every 24 hours.  Trust me, once you start a streak you don't want to break it.

6. Flight 001 4-in-1 Adapter ($25) - Never worry about having the right plug when you travel.  Plus, it looks like legos.

7. Titleist Pro V1 Golf Balls  ($47) -  Does your guy golf?  If yes, then he's heard of these balls.  Titleist literally changed the way golf balls were made when they introduced the Pro V1s, and your guy's golf game will thank you.  

1. J. Crew Ludlow Double Vent Sportcoat ($328) - Ultra versatile sportcoat that looks great in the office or at happy hour.  Wear it with jeans in the winter, or with shorts (not cargo, please), a T-shirt, and sneakers in the warmer months.

2. Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue Cap Toe Oxfords ($365) - A nice pair of dress shoes is an investment, but they will never go out of style and will last you a lifetime with the right care (Can't say that about those Jimmy Choo's you're eyeing now, can you?).  Also, go for brown.  Why?  Brown goes with gray, navy, khaki, etc.  Black goes with black.  

3. The Tie Bar Ad Stripe Tie ($15) and Tie Bar ($15) - A classic with a nice pop of color.  The tie bar adds a nice touch of sophistication.  Remember, a slimmer tie requires a shorter tie bar.

4. Clark's Desert Boot ($120) - Sperry's look great in the summer, but when there's snow on the ground these will keep your guy's feet warm and stylish.

5. Nike Flyknit Lunar2 ($150) - I like my sneakers to feel light, comfy, and make a statement.  These Nike's fit all the criteria.

6. Ray-Ban New Wayfarer ($180) - Everyone and their mother own a pair of Wayfarers.  Still, they are a classic look, especially in the form of eyeglasses.  The lines on these frames are softer than the traditional wayfarers, and the tortoise shell means you'll look good whether you're a prep or a hipster.

7. Superdry Arctic Windcheater ($150) - I like this jacket because it's a change of pace from the peacoat.  As they say, variety is the spice of life.  I am a huge fan of the pop of color and the swag the extra zippers offer.

8. Gap Striped Socks ($8) - Out with the boring blacks and blues.  These will provide a nice little surprise the next time your guy sits down at the office.  

9. J.Crew Broken-In Chino ($75) - These chinos are casual yet provide a more dressed-up look than jeans.  The smoke red color will up your man's style game by a few points.  They also look great with the Desert boot mentioned above.  

I hope this guide has given you a few ideas for the special man in your life.  But remember, he's already scored the jackpot in you, right?  So don't put too much pressure on yourself!  Happy Valentine's Day!

EDITOR'S NOTE: You are a blogging natural. Too bad GQ and Nike don't read my blog, because you'd be hired instantly. Thank you for the ideas, price range, linking, snarky comments, and adorable ending. Girls, you'll have to let us know if F's list inspires any purchases!

Guest Post

Surprise!  Sorry to those who were expecting a celebrity or famous blogger, it’s just me, Francis.  It’s so fun to be able to contribute to this blog.  Of course I’ve been following it since the beginning and it has been a blast to see the variety of posts that Hilary has.  Since she has been on a recipe kick lately, I thought I could give Hilary a break and cook for her on Saturday and also post on her blog. 

For those who may not know, my parents are both Korean and as a result I grew up eating mainly Korean food.  One of my favorite quick meals was ramen.  But this wasn’t the same 33¢ run-of-the-mill stuff you are used to seeing college kids eat, this was spicy, hearty, and delicious.  So you could imagine my curiosity when I saw articles about people making ramen burgers and decided that we should give it a try ourselves.  But instead of westernizing the burger like some of the recipes out there, I wanted to throw a more Asian/Korean spin on the idea.

Here are all the ingredients I used (minus the sesame oil).  Since the ramen is only used for the buns you can use any brand you want, but the flavor should be chicken.

And that red stuff?  No, not the ketchup.  The red paste in the little brown bowl.  That is 고추장, or gochujang.  Say it with me, go-chew-jang (“jang” rhymes with “long”).  What is it? It’s red pepper paste with some soybeans and salt.  Oh, and it’s fermented…I know, that may sound gross but it’s really delicious (and spicy).

We’ve all made ramen before… but if you haven’t all you need to do is boil some water and throw the noodles in there.  Don’t cook them all the way, though.  Pull them out a couple minutes before the instructions tell you to.

While the noodles are boiling, finely chop up a half of a small onion.

Drain the noodles and let them cool down for 10 minutes, then stir in an egg.  The egg helps bind the noodles when you cook them into “buns.”

To make the "buns", I used a 28 oz. can that held tomatoes in a past life, as a mold.  Make sure you use oil or cooking spray on the inside of the mold as well as the pan to avoid sticking.  Cook on each side for 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown.

While the “buns” are cooking, slice up two potatoes into fries.

For the burgers, mix a pound of ground beef with the onions and the seasoning packet for the ramen noodles.  Also, add a tablespoon of sesame oil.  This is probably one of my favorite ingredients in Korean cooking as it has a nutty aroma that brings me back to Mom’s cooking.

Remember that the hamburgers will reduce in size after cooking so make them bigger than what you want their final size to be.

Mix a tablespoon of the gochujang to 3 tablespoons of ketchup.  By mixing, the stronger flavor of the gochujang will be mellowed out by the more familiar condiment staple. 

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.  Coat the potatoes in a tablespoon of sesame oil and a tablespoon of vegetable oil.  The sesame oil will again add a nice Asian flavor to the fries, but because their smoke point is pretty low, I mix it with vegetable oil.  Cook until golden brown, about 20-25 minutes. 

Optional: Toast a tablespoon of sesame seeds over medium heat.  Careful, they go from toasted to burned very quickly.

Top the “buns” with lettuce and spread some of the gochujang/ketchup mixture on top of the lettuce.  Spread it on the lettuce to keep the “buns” from getting soggy.  Top with some onions and sesame seeds.

Enjoy!

Overall, we really liked the burgers, especially the flavor of the meat.  The “buns” were definitely different but probably could have used a little more infusion of flavor.  In the end, we are both happy we tried the latest food fad and enjoyed it enough to make it again in the future.  Thank you so much for reading and thank you, Hilary, for letting me be a part of your blog!

Editor's note: 
F, you rock my socks. You did a wonderful job! Step-by-step photos, humor, details - you are a natural. It doesn't hurt anything that I'm your testing subject for recipes. ;) I love you!

images: Francis