Without papier, mache is just a salad green

And because Christmas is coming, the kitchen-innovation bait for gift listicles is getting more ridiculous. Just this week I spotted a vinaigrette maker, for cooks who lack a bowl and a fork if not a whisk. And a $25 herb-oil infuser, for those without a jar and a sieve. And, silliest of all, a “pie maker,” which looks to be an oversized panini press with two indentations, because who makes one pie at a time? Unless the damn thing mixes the crust, I say save your $79.95 for really useful stuff. Like potato scrubbing gloves. Or, you know, send the cash to Haiti. Where they can’t complain that shopping in the supermarket is just too damn difficult.