Need some nifty gift ideas for kids who love to cook? Look no further.

Honest Pretzels (Tricycle Press) by Mollie Katzen

Introduce a new generation of budding chefs to Mollie Katzen with the 10th anniversary reissue of her children's cookbook. The sweet illustrations in this paperback hearken back to a seemingly gentler time. And even after a decade, the recipes prove their timeless appeal to kids of all ages.

Perfect for burgeoning chefs.

(More gift ideas after the jump.)

Eating Humble Pie: A cough-syrup-in-the-gravy scandal? Furor over a switch from soft Wigan pies to a crustier kind from another British town? Just another year in the annual world meat-pie-eating contest in England. (The winner ate an entire pie in 35.86 seconds. Probably much bigger than the ones in this picture.)

Will There Be a Domino's Classic? The pizza chain is changing its recipe for sauce and dough, and will change up its cheeses so that it can keep up with changing American tastes. The new pizzas will be in all stores by Dec. 27.

Face Time: Food Network's top "foodgasm" shots of the year. 'Nuff said.

Bark If You Love Beer: A dog collar that opens beer bottles. C'mere, boy!

Want Wi-Fi With That Big Mac? McDonald's plans to offer free Wi-Fi at 11,000 locations as part of its bid to turn into a place to hang out.

Feels Like a Brown-Bag Day, Kids: In its continuing probe of school cafeterias, USA Today reports that 26,500 of them haven't had their required health inspections. It's never a good sign when "norovirus" replaces tater tots as the side of the day.

Sounds Fishy: If you're someone who takes fish-oil supplements, consider where it comes from ... and how a single company has control over 90 percent of a vital, but little-known fish called the menhaden, according to this New York Times opinion piece.

Drinking and Dying in the Line of Duty: A Chinese police officer drinks himself to death at a government function. What does the Chinese government do? It declares him a martyr who died in the line of duty.

Of course serious, useful food gifts have a place on everyone's shopping list. (Here at Epicurious we have a great guide to Edible Gifts, for example.) But there's always room for a silly gift or three as well.

So, in no particular order, 12 random silly food-related gifts:

Inflatable fruitcake

Mustard Marvin spread head

Fast food eraser set

Bagel keychain

Chile pepper or popcorn tie

"Raw bacon" magnets

Eggnog gumballs (nonalcoholic)

Pizza earrings

Bar code "Groceries" bag

Make-your-own-candy set - gummies, chewing gum, or chocolate

ABC (already been chewed) gingerbread men cookie cutters (they are missing body parts)

Food face dinner plate

Do you have any favorite silly food gift ideas to share? Post your suggestions below!

Just prior to making Deep-Dish Winter Fruit Pie with Walnut Crumb, I realized that I didn't own a rolling pin. I knew I didn't own one but I really hadn't needed one up until then. Thankfully I had in my possession one gigantic nearly-empty 1.75 liter vodka bottle and it did just the trick. It's not the first time I've resorted to using a glass bottle as a rolling pin (in the past, I've used a more respectable 750ml wine bottle) and I'd like to think I'm being resourceful but I know tools have a purpose. I also like to imagine I'd bake more pies if I owned an actual rolling pin. My colleague Lauren made inquiries about glass rolling pins and I certainly wouldn't mind receiving a nice French wooden rolling pin for Christmas but I think I'll keep that vodka bottle on hand, just in case.

Anyone else have do the same or have another kitchen tool substitute?

Whether you're shopping online today, Cyber Monday, or just browsing for gift ideas, food makes a perfect present, and not just for the usual "showing your love through cooking" reason (though that's a good one too). Edible gifts are ideal because they disappear. That means there's no struggle on the part of the giver to figure out the right size and color of sweater that the giftee will be wearing for years to come, and no guilt on the part of the receiver about how long to wait before donating said ill-fitting sweater to Goodwill. All there is to do is eat and enjoy (even regifting will bring joy to somebody).

Epicurious's new Edible Christmas Gifts to Make or Buy slideshow features recipes for a dozen edible gifts, plus online sources for the best alternatives to homemade. Our picks include a make-it recipe for Bittersweet Chocolate and Walnut Fudge with a buy-it option from Murdick's Fudge (both pictured above). Other gifts include jam, chocolate truffles, New Orleans pralines, Cheddar shortbread, and lemon liqueur. Click through the edible gift slideshow and let us know what you are planning to make or buy for the holidays this year.

Making a double-crust pie for Thanksgiving? You may have read in our pie primer that double-crust pies require you "to cut some slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape" but I'd like to offer you another option: the pie bird (also spelled "piebird" and sometimes referred to as "pie funnel" and "pie vent"). These adorable ceramic vents look like something that one's grandmother might have used when baking but apparently they're still being used, made, and even collected. You can find them for sale on amazon and etsy, amongst other sites.

Does anyone have experience baking with pie birds? Do they really work or are they more for fun?

(Photo by rbrazile on Flickr)

As much as I try to avoid it, I just about always need an afternoon snack. My first impulse is usually for a sweet treat but what I should be noshing on is something with a little protein or complex carbs so that my hunger is actually satiated. A handful of nuts or some low-fat yogurt and fruit are good options and ones that I turn to quite frequently. But lately my go-to afternoon pick-me-up often involves Dark Chocolate Dreams, Peanut Butter & Co's peanut butter and dark chocolate spread ($6).

It's no secret that Etsy is a great source for finding gifts. I came across these fun, food-inspired soaps available from LeeLeeSoaps, great for anyone who loves food and likes to stay clean.

Are there any Epicurious members who are selling other clever foodie gifts? Perhaps you've given or received one in the past that's worth mentioning? Please share!

Everyone wants to know what the next big thing will be in gadgetland. Could it be a tablet? A rival to the Kindle? A new hybrid device that borrows from cell phones or the iTouch? And how will it enhance my cooking, gosh darn it?

The savvy shoppers at Engadget give us a peek at a new device called the Quoq designed for home cooks.

Pros: Resembles an Etch-a-Sketch. Big pictures. Play videos. Glass touchscreen means you don't have to type with sticky fingers and this thing should be splash-proof. Also comes with Ethernet and USB ports, SD slot, WiFi, and built-in stand.

Cons: It's currently available only in French. Unpronounceable name, for now. No browser (!). Costs about $500 plus monthly subscription fee ($20). Not sure where the content comes from.

Would you buy it if it was available in English? What would inspire you to buy a device like this?

Three of our editors just returned from the 12th Annual Chocolate Show in New York. After several hours perusing the many (many) tables of chocolates and confections, and filling our bellies, we're back to report on our findings.

Three New Favorites

William Dean Chocolates

We loved the natural-tasting pumpkin pie bonbon from this two-year-old, Florida-based confectioner. It was a pleasant surprise considering how horribly wrong that concept could have turned out. The pâte de fruits were another favorite.