Friday's Vegan Accessory: Bread Warmer Basket Set

This weekend I am traveling to see married friends and meet their new baby. Of course, I purchased an adorable outfit for the baby (baby clothes are irresistible). But I wanted to get something for my friends that had nothing to do with the baby. Also, I decided to bake some vegan muffins for them . . . so I thought something tangentially related to the muffins, or in which the muffins could be presented, might be nice. I ended up getting a decorative bowl, in which I will place nice kitchen dishtowels and then put in the muffins -- a bit "desperate housewives," switching the traditional basket for a bowl.

However, what I really wanted to get them was a bread warmer basket set. I've heard a bit about these lately. Essentially, the set is a bamboo or wicker basket, a cloth liner, and a terra cotta warming stone. The terra cotta warming stone is placed in the oven or microwave, warmed, and then slipped into the cloth liner and put at the bottom of the basket. The loaf of bread or other bread-like products to be kept warm are placed on top of the cloth liner.

Alas, I couldn't find any readily available in-stores. But Target has a set available online (pictured left). It's 17.99 and has been receiving good reviews. Find it here. Overstock. com has a similar set, on sale for $17.49; find it here (pictured right).