How Now, Kitchen Cow

As weather warms and larger gatherings begin, the need to create a stash of suitable "hostess" gifts increases. Hostess gifts are good practice, and far better than showing up at a party with a bunch of flowers (the cutting, vase-procuring, and arranging of which inspires the "hostess curse" heard round the kitchen).

The key to this gift category is simplicity; there's no reason to go bonkers and show up with an espresso machine. Something smaller will always suffice, particularly if it displays usefulness and wit. Enter these cow tea towels, made by the venerable classic company Marimekko. First off, who doesn't need another tea towel, particularly in this age of the "don't buy paper towels, they destroy the world" mentality. Second, these cows look, well, concerned, as they should unless they dwell in a vegetarian's kitchen. Perhaps they're skeptical about their future, perhaps it's the quality of the cook's cuisine.

At $19 each, these towels aren't inexpensive, but they boast high quality. High enough, in fact, that you might want to snag one of these bovine beauties for yourself. Order at www.finnstyle.com. And give it a moo.