Home cheesemakers might recognize the word faisselle. It's a fresh cheese made by putting curds into small colanders so some of the whey can drain out. The result is a creamier version of fromage blanc. Faisselle is the French word for the specific small colander that people use to make the cheese.

We have a very limited supply of terracotta faisselles from France's Languedoc region, hand made circa 1900. They were designed to work in tandem with a drainage dish, which of course they could still do if you want to make some faiselle at home. But they also be great repurposed in the kitchen to hold fruit, vegetables, napkins.

Chances are someone you know would plotz for a gift like this. Chances are it's probably you.