Gift alert: Stainless salt & pepper mills, $34.99

Woot Wine, an offshoot of one of the original "deal-a-day" Web sites, has branched out from its usual tempranillos and cabernets to offer a few gifts aimed at gourmets this season. Today's deal, the GRIND Reflex II Salt and Pepper Set, caught my attention because it's just the kind of useful and lovely item that makes an excellent hostess gift.

The 6-inch-tall salt and pepper grinders feature a pump mechanism that you operate with your thumb, so you can grind salt and pepper with one hand. (Obviously, this set is designed for use at the table and not while cooking, unless you want to wear out your thumbs.) A handy viewing window lets you see what's inside each mill--no more mindlessly salting a dish when you'd meant to add pepper. And, if you're worried about longevity, the mills are backed with a lifetime guarantee.

What makes this Reflex II set gift-worthy, though, are the little extras, like an acrylic stand that keeps salt and pepper from falling onto your table. The set is also packaged in a gift box with starter doses of Tellicherry peppercorns and Australian sea salt.

If you're attending someone else's holiday feast this season, or just know someone who hosts a lot of dinner parties, this set would likely be a welcome gift. The whole package, which usually costs $50, is $34.99 plus $5 shipping, just for today.