What do you buy the cook who already seems to have everything? As I look at my own kitchen that's overflowing with stuff, I'm reminded this is a problem my own family deals with when shopping for me. But as I take account of every piece of gear I own, I realize that things most dear to me are often not merely essential, but special. There's the handmade Japanese donabe my wife bought me years ago that continues to make the best rice ever, even better than my fancy rice cooker; the hand-hammered wok that a China-based writer sent to me after we'd completed a story on woks; and my treasured collection of mortars and pestles, each with a purpose and beauty its own. They are all practical, yes, but stand out among the other tools and cookware that fills my drawers and shelves. I'm certain these (and my picks below) would be appreciated by any serious cook in your life for years to come.