GIVE THE SAME THING

“for probably 40 years, I’ve made loose-leaf cookbooks for people. They’re usually for those who have come to me at some point and asked for recipes. Most years, I add a new recipe to the binders. And, since the binders with clip rings aren’t the most attractive things in the world, I also add Italian papers and things from natural-history books. This year it’ll be the Bellini portrait of Leonardo Loredan, the former doge. In terms of this year’s recipe, I just discovered something called ‘cloud cake,’ so a few people are getting that. There are maybe two or three people I do this for annually. I find I have friends who are so definite in their taste. At least this gift is somewhat innocuous, and you can’t disturb someone by giving it to them. And, I mean, there’s nothing more boring than having to take presents back after Christmas, don’t you think?

For plant people, I give a maidenhair fern (from $350). I adore flowers, and I frequently have three white roses on my table in the front hall. But I’ve always loved maidenhair. They last fairly well, though, of course, nothing ever lasts long enough. I live near a wonderful florist, Zeze Flowers (938 First Ave.), and they know a fern person who gets particularly beautiful ones. I like maidenhairs for their float—they sort of drift more than any other plant. And I dislike poinsettia, the Christmas flower. I’ve never been terribly engaged with the color red. It’s too loud.”