For the mom who loves to work her magic in the kitchen, a gift of a fabulous kitchen gadget is not only thoughtful; you reap some benefits from it, too!

Mom’s culinary talents will shine even brighter with a few quality kitchen essentials in her arsenal. Maybe she’ll even whip you up a delicious treat for giving her such a great Mother’s Day gift!

Check out a few of our favorite kitchen helpers that mom will surely love:

1. Wusthof Gourmet 7-Piece Block Set, 2. Le Creuset 5-Piece Signature Set, 3. DeLonghi Hand Blender Set, 4. Higbury Bistro de Paris 4-Piece Bowl Set, 5. Le Creuset 4.5 Qt Casserole, 6. Kitchenaid Artisan Stand Mixer

Here at Zappos HQ, we love to have potlucks because, well, quite frankly, we all love to eat! This got two Zapponians thinking; why not compile family recipes from employees and create a recipe book to sell with proceeds going to charity? This is exactly the idea that Lauren G. and Jennifer G. pitched to our Z-frogs committee a couple of months ago. The committee voted to make their idea a reality.

Through the Zappos Charity Culture Cookbook, we can use our love of food and family to help the less fortunate. 100% of the profits of the cookbook will go towards a local charity aimed at providing food for the hungry. The cookbook will feature the story behind each recipe in the words of the contributor. Sharing the Zappos family culture and love of food towards the greater good is truly what it’s all about.

We were lucky enough to have the amazing chef Sara Moulton visit Zappos HQ a couple of weeks ago,  and during her visit, she graced us with her cooking prowess by doing a fun cooking demo using Chantal Copper Fusion pans.

Sara made three delicious recipes during her demo: Beer Batter Shrimp w/ Tartar Sauce, Roasted Vegetables and Fresh Ricotta Bruschetta, and Hot Banana Split Crepes. We were served samples of each dish, and trust us, they were amazing!

Sara also did a book signing for everyone who attended. She signed copies of her latest book Sara Moulton’s Everyday Family Dinners , where you can find all the delicious recipes from her cooking demo.

You can check out the entire Chantal Copper Fusion line HERE.

Watch Chef Sara Moulton in action at Zappos HQ:

In the spirit of Cinco de Mayo, Chef Aarón Sánchez from Food Network’s “Chopped” and Chef Chris Cosentino from “Iron Chef America” are visiting the Zappos HQ to do a cooking demo of five great salsa recipes that you can make for your  very own Cinco de Mayo celebration.

Special thanks to MOZO® Shoes for sponsoring this delicious event! Check out the livestream video below!

Live Broadcast by Ustream.TV

With Mother’s Day being only days away, we’ve decided to feature a few gift ideas for different types of moms this whole week. Today, we’re featuring some great gifts for the mom whose throne resides in the kitchen. She’s the mom who loves to prepare home-cooked meals for her family. She’s always been the go-to expert in the kitchen and everyone pines for her famous recipes.

Here are a few kitchen goodies that she’s sure to love. The whole family will love it too because they get to taste the delicious results!  

1. Cusiniart Mini-Prep® Plus Processor: This compact food processor helps save counter space but still packs a punch in the kitchen. It’s perfect for chopping and grinding vegetables for all of mom’s famous dishes.

2. Chantal Copper Fusion 4 Qt. Risotto Pan: This classic pan is great for one-pot meals like stews and casseroles. The beautiful, sleek design can go straight from the stove to the kitchen table, eliminating extra dishes!

3. Cusinart SM-70 7 Quart Stand Mixer: A high-quality mixer makes a world of difference when baking. Treat mom to the classic good looks and commercial-grade quality of this powerful mixer.

4. Breville The Hot Wok™: Traditional woks can eat up a lot of space on the stove top. This fabulous wok lets mom sauté and stir fry to her heart’s desire right on the kitchen countertop. It even keeps food warm, making it perfect for parties!

5. Staub “My First Staub” Hexagon 2.5 Qt. Saute Pan: This enameled cast iron pan seals in all the wonderful flavor of mom’s favorite dishes. It’s heavy-duty construction is built to last, and is safe for the oven.

The culinary industry can be a tough place when it comes to wear and tear on your feet. Put out the fire with a comfortable pair of MOZO Shoes. You are always on your feet moving side to side or back-and-forth, and that inspired MOZO to combine running shoe technology with work shoe toughness. MOZO shoes utilize full grain leather, certified slip-resistant outsoles, and the exclusive TripleFit System™. Other companies may use plastic coated leather, thin and cheap outsoles and flimsy sock liners, but not them. MOZO shoes are made from full grain leather because leather breathes and molds to the foot, thereby providing great comfort. MOZO takes durability a step further because their shoes will continue to provide cushioning, traction, support and the craftsmanship needed to thrive in your work environment for a long time. When these components work together, your feet are going to be the last thing on your mind during your shift. Focus your attention on creating breathtaking dishes and let MOZO focus on your feet.

Over the last few years, Swissmar has expanded their own brand of Swissmar products such as raclettes, fondues, wine accessories, bamboo boards, cheese knives and accessories. If you’re looking for a great party idea – think fondue! Fondue is back and it’s here to stay with the Swissmar Sierra 11-Piece Cast Iron Meat Fondue Set. The cast iron pot heats evenly so all can enjoy perfectly cooked pieces. This 11-piece set includes: cast iron pot, cast spatter ring with fork recesses, rechaud, adjustable holder for gel fuel, wood base and six individualized forks. If you are stumped for fondue ideas, we have a great recipe for baby spring vegetable with truffle cheese fondue that will knock your company’s socks off. 

Ingredients:

1.5 ounces of butter

1.5 ounces of flour

1 cup milk, scalded

1 tablespoon truffle oil

3 ounces shredded white cheddar cheese

1 ounce grated Parmesan cheese

1 bunch chives, chopped

Slivers of fresh truffles

Assortment of spring vegetables such as artichokes, bok choy, white asparagus, haricots, baby carrots red pepper and yellow pear tomatoes 

Directions:

1. Melt butter in a small saucepan and mix in flour, stirring for a minute and adding hot milk slowly and whisking.

2. After the sauce thickens from boiling for a few minutes, strain into another saucepan.

3. Add truffle oil, both cheeses and mix over low heat in your new Swissmar fondue set.

4. Garnish with truffles.

5. Blanch and shock artichokes, bok choy, white asparagus, baby carrots and haricots. Grill artichoke, bok choy and asparagus. Serve alongside hot fondue for dipping. 

Now you can find these quality Swissmar products at Zappos.com. Entertain friends and delight your family with the beautiful products Swissmar offers. From bamboo knife blocks to cast iron fondue sets and stone raclettes, you’re sure to discover a Swissmar product you’ll be proud to display in your home.

Whether you’re entertaining family and friends this holiday or you want to spoil yourself, Highbury will fulfill your entertaining needs with an assortment of innovative designs for bedding. Give a marvelous charm to your bedroom décor with a sheet set from Highbury.

The Trio Sheet Set is a solid cotton sheet set with a classic embroidered edge. Available in five colors, this set can match the your home’s décor with ease. The Sonata Sheet Set is a wonderfully soft sheet set that features a beautiful embroidery pattern. The Sonata Sheet Set will become your soft lullaby to the sweetest of dreams. Highbury makes a wide selection of products for the home including kitchen textiles, dinnerware and bed sets. Entertain your holiday guests with the finest housewares from Highbury. Get all of your Highbury housewares at Zappos.com.