Ten years ago, when William-Sonoma had completed their decline from store-for-cooks to store-for-people-who-like-pretty-cookware-they-don't-actually-use, Sur le Table stepped into the gap to offer Serious Cookware for Serious Cooks.
... and now, ten years later, they're selling spatulas with snowmen on them. There must be some law of kitchenware kitch which says that every cookware distributor must inevitably slide downhill until they join Skymall. Clearly Surly Tab is no more than a couple years away.
A selection, with images where I can link to them:
2. Holiday Stemware Coasters: because nothing says "Christmas" like wrapping your wine glass in the skin of a deceased Rudolf.
6. 5-color Santa, anthropomorphic reindeer, and snowman spatulas. If that's not tasteless enough for you, argyle is also available.
6. Red-and-green Plaid Linens: aaaauuuuguggh! my eyes! my eyes!
... I need to have a lie-down now until I can see clearly.
Ok, better now.
9. Snowman Measuring Cups and Spoons: ceramic measuring spoons of dubious accuracy and even more dubious lifetime. Ceramic measuring cups with no handles. Really, what could go wrong?
9. Sur La Table EXCLUSIVE Snowman Spatula Set: yes, these are the same spatulas which we just saw on page 6. They want to make sure you didn't miss them.
10. Smiley-Face Flex Turner. See, I told you we were returning to the 1970's. The horror! The horror!
10. Matryoshka Doll Measuring Cups. Impractical. Yet ... I want some.
11. Fred Batter Finger Spatula: because doesn't everyone want a spatula which makes things look like you used your fingers?
12. Whiskey Stones: I still say this sounds like a medical condition caused by too much drinking.
32. Babycakes Pie-pop Maker: exclusive to Surly Tab. I wonder why?
32. Mastrad Chip Tray With Mandoline: "Homemade, crispy, fat-free chips are as easy as turning on your microwave ..." Microwave potato chips? Gah. They even look disgusting in the catalog image.
37. Red melamine mixing bowl set: more evidence we're returning to the 70's.
40. A new high-water mark for kitchen knife prices: from Bob Kramer, an apparently genuine forged Damascus-style steel kitchen knife. $1800.
44. Skewer Station: for metal skewers full of food to hang, point down. Take bets! Will the food get cold or fall off the skewer first?
46. Party Foul Department: Schott Zweisel "Dancing Tumblers" have deliberately round bottoms for "stirring your drink". Yes, really. Available as a package with Whiskey Stones! ( http://www.surlatable.com/product/PRO-184317/ ) What could possibly go wrong?
I love the cake pan in the shape of a cupcake. Seems to me, a devoted frosting fan, that the ratio of icing to cake would be wayyy too small and that there would be a problem baking a cake as heavy as that.