Cookbooks make great Birthday gifts.

I love getting gift cards to my favourite places and things.  Last night I got gift cards for my birthday for Starbucks, Winners and Chapters.

Today I redeemed the Chapters card and was lucky enough to put it to something I already wanted.   I  love collecting great cookbooks and have been trying to get cookbooks when I can get the chef/authors to sign them so that I will keep them around for a long time.

I got lucky with my timing today because Chuck Hughes one of my favourite food network chef's and star of "Chuck's Day Off", finally launched his English version of his cookbook GARDE MANGER.   And he just happened to be doing a book signing at the Chapters closest to my house.

 I turned my little plastic Chapters gift card into a cookbook and a chat with Chuck Hughes.

You know you love food when you turn a gift card into a food related gift.

I have seen Chuck a few times before,  once when I went to Savour Stratford, I won a weekend stay for that and made it a fun weekend to spent time with a friend that lives in the area.  That was the first time I saw him do a cooking demo.  He was hilarious and rolled with the audience.   The second time I saw Chuck was at the Wine and Cheese show where he did a cooking demo once again.  I didn't get to try any of his food but was dying to taste it.   I got the chance to taste some Chuck Hughes food finally at the third time I saw him and it wasn't at a cooking demo it was at the Strombolouopoulos tonight show where he did an interview with Strombo but brought along some fresh oysters and minionette sauces and salsas to go with it.  YUMMY.

Since food follows Chuck wherever he goes today was no exception and it was the first time I ever saw food being provided at a book store signing.  Pusateri's provided beautiful cake, coffee and finger sandwiches to all the people at the book signing.  That was impressive I have to say since i have been collecting a few cookbooks from some great local chefs but none of them had catering.

My Chapters gift card magically turned into a cookbook and had some free cake to go with it and used my Starbuck's gift card to wash it all down with a mocha coconut frappuccino.  yummy. who knew plastic could be so tasty.

So my advice if you can't figure out what to get a foodie as a gift then pick up a gift certificate to get a great cookbook and who knows maybe your foodie gift will turn into an experience at the same time.