As I sit here on Passover weekend and write this article, spring is here and summer is just around the corner. We are coming up on Holidays and family time that will create memories that will last long into the future. Now is a very good time to think of gifts that will be around as long as or longer than those memories. Quality cookware, flatware, bake ware and cutlery are some great ideas to consider.

May is only two weeks away with its' three holiday/family times upon us. First is Cinco de Mayo followed by Mothers Day, (Fathers Day will only be a month later), and at the end of month is Memorial Day, the beginning of summer and picnics for most people. Most of us will also have an additional reason to celebrate this year due to receiving a stimulus check from our Uncle Sam. In the hard times we are going through we need to buy or invest our money wisely. If gift purchases are to be included in these holiday/family times please read on.

If you look at the past, the cook in most families was the Mom. This does not hold true in these modern times. Most of us are on the go from morning to evening without stop. The cook in the family can be any member in the family that has time. This is all the more reason for the pots and pans used to be quality utensils. There are several ways to tell the quality of cookware, with modern manufacturing processes and metallurgy, just looking does not tell the whole story.

The most reliable way to purchase quality cookware is to do what we were taught early in life. Purchase brand name products and/or purchase products with the best guarantees, (beware of flashy or celebrity names, if you did not know of the name 10 years ago, you are most likely paying for the name not necessarily the quality). Companies that have been in business for some time means they are providing a product that justifies the cost. Some manufacturers have been in business for many years and their products are just now being offered in the United States. Take a moment to see if they are a creditable company. Check the guarantee. Pay for quality not just the name.

Consider quality cookware, bake ware and cutlery as a gift. This would not only be a great gift, but money spent on a product that will last a lifetime. The key is you don't have to spend a great deal of money to purchase a cookware gift. Purchase an individual pot or pan that would match an existing set that can go from range top to tabletop, or purchase a color cast iron pan or a heavy aluminum roaster that can go from oven to the tabletop. With the cost of gas, a trip to the mall to shop and look for a gift can cost more than the gift itself.