There are many companies that need to sell new stuff every year, whether you need it or not, so kitchen stores are filled with ridiculous gadgets. In my opinion, the best tools are simple, efficient, easy to clean, don't break, and aren't limited to a single narrow purpose. On these pages you'll find products that have stood the test of time in my kitchen.
Before we get into Ellen Kanner’s lovely book, a quick note about the James Beard awards. My book didn’t win. While it would have been great, it also would have been a pretty huge surprise as a first time author. To be a finalist was an entirely sufficient thrill. My wife, Sarina, and I had …
In professional kitchens, cooks stand on thick rubber mats that alleviate some of the discomfort of being on your feet all day. The professional mats won’t look right in your home kitchen unless you are trying for a seriously industrial look. But no matter, the GelPro mats feel even better, and they are styled to …
Good lord, you aren’t still using one of those old-fashioned vegetable peelers where the blade is in the same line as the handle, are you? The motion and control with these Y-shaped peelers is so much more efficient, you’ll be peeling your carrots and potatoes twice as fast. I like the minimalist Kuhn Rikon peelers, but …
No, this isn’t a miniature cake. It is actually 6 inches in diameter, and, I don’t know, 6 inches tall and serves 8 pretty handily.
I’m a pretty lousy pastry cook. I typically don’t have the patience or skills to create perfect geometric shapes, frost things just right and so-on. So when I got the Momofuku …
I use a lot of lemon and lime juice in my cooking, so I’ve tried quite a few ways to get that juice over the years. I’ve tried wooden reamers (ugh, my hand is covered in juice!), one-piece counter models (rarely strain well), and electrics (only really worthwhile if you need to do dozens of …
The worst thing you can do to a potentially great salad is try and dress it with the leaves still wet from washing. The dressing runs right off, leaving a watery, unappetizing mess.
I’ve owned a number of salad spinners over the years, and when my last one broke I asked my friends for recommendations. …
