Gifting!

Occasionally I write an “off-week” column for the Berkshire Eagle. More often than not, it’s a longer version of what I normally write, with two or three recipes rather than the usual one. For last week, however, I decided to share some of my favorite kitchen gadgets, offering ideas for stocking stuffers or Hanukkah gifts (plus a few ideas about spice gifts). So if you still have items to cross off your list, here are some ideas for anyone who enjoys cooking! 

SMALL WONDERS

by Elizabeth Baer 

As I was leaving my sister’s house the last time I visited, with one foot out the door, she exclaimed, “The spatula! Mayonnaise!” And I knew just what she meant. She was asking about one of my favorite spatulas (yes, I have favorite spatulas), the one that is long and narrow and can reach inside of a jar to scrape out every last bit.

This got me thinking about the small items that have a big impact in my kitchen, making my cooking life so much easier. I realized I have a list worth sharing, items well-suited for stocking stuffers, Hanukkah gifts, or even a basket full of trinkets for someone’s first apartment.

I adore all the spatulas from Tovolo, and the 5-piece set is pretty awesome, but you can also just buy the jar scraper. Personally, I like green, but it comes in many colors, and you can opt for a wood, stainless steel, or silicone handle.

We were visiting one of our children some time ago, when my son pulled out this little lemon juicer made by Trudeau. I got right online to order it. According to Amazon, I’ve bought this four times, so clearly I’ve given it as a gift more than once! I love that it strains the seeds and has measurements on the side of the cup. To be honest, I’ve never used the domed cover, because I’ve never not fully juiced a lemon half, but I suppose that has its purpose if you only use a spritz of lemon and you want to save the half lemon to spritz more later.

When I wrote my column about fried chicken, I know I mentioned how helpful it is to have an instant-read thermometer, and the ThermoWorks brand is top-notch. But many of their products are pricey. Not so the ThermoPop 2! (I have the old version, in the photo.) This is easy to use and reliable, not only to check on meat temperature, but also to see if the center of a casserole has become hot enough or to check the water temperature when making homemade bread. It comes in a rainbow of colors, and I bought five of them at once to give to each of our kids as gifts at Passover (because in our house, everyone gets an afikomen prize) – and I kept one for myself.

OXO is known for sturdy, durable kitchen products, many of which would be kitchen tools most people already have – a can opener, a whisk, and so forth. I usually hesitate to buy single-use gadgets, but I love the corn prep peeler. Though it’s not the season for it, I use mine all the time in the summer. We almost always buy more fresh corn than we will eat, and I cut the kernels from the extra ears and freeze them to add a bit of sunshine in our winter meals. And when I learned that one of my daughters-in-law loves to put corn on her salads, I sent her one of these immediately.

Another OXO product, one of my favorite kitchen gadgets, is the mini angled measuring cup. It has markings for ½ tablespoon, 1 tablespoon, and 2 tablespoons, and saves me from having to hold a measuring spoon carefully over a bowl or pot. I have three of them so if I’m arranging mise en place, I can ready a small amount of a few ingredients. When I first showed this to my stepson, he went right online and ordered one. I told him to order two, and I think he kind of rolled his eyes. And then, of course, when he saw how useful it was, he bought another!

Speaking of measuring tools, the best set of measuring spoons I have are from King Arthur, called spice measuring spoons because the scoops are elongated and narrow to fit into a spice jar. I love that this set has ½ tablespoon (i.e., 1½ teaspoons) and ¾ teaspoon measures, which are less commonly found in most sets.

There are two items I love for which I have no particular brand to suggest, but can be sourced easily. One is a cookie dough scoop, but I mostly use it for making meatballs. These come in various sizes, and my preferred size has a capacity of 2 tablespoons. I cannot believe that using this gadget never even occurred to me during all those years when my boys were young and ate what seemed like a gazillion meatballs every week. I hated rolling the meatballs in my hands, so much so that I myself never ate any so I wouldn’t have to make another batch as soon! Now I make them for my granddaughters, and between the scoop and kitchen prep gloves, it’s so much easier! I’ve offered two different meatball versions in my columns, one with Asian flavors and the other with raisins and pine nuts, although I omit the nuts and raisins for the babies.

The last gadget I’ll suggest here, one that I’ve mentioned in pretty much every pasta column I’ve written, is a spider. My preferred technique is to remove pasta directly from the water into the sauce, and when it’s a shape, a spider is the best tool. I had used a strainer previously, but the loop on the rim made it hard to get into the bottom edge of the pot. I probably use my spider at least a few times every week. (When cooking a strand pasta, I use tongs, but I think most people already have at least one set!)

For something totally different, but still for the culinarian in your life, consider buying a jar of special spices or herbs, perhaps an interesting blend. A few of the companies I like are Penzey’s, Curio Spice Co., and Burlap & Barrel. All three offer the Middle Eastern blend za’atar, which is an essential ingredient in my recent column for lemon za’atar chicken. You could even write out the recipe and attach it to the jar. From Penzey’s, one of my lazy hacks when making any dessert that calls for spices, rather than measure out cinnamon and nutmeg and so on, I just use their Pie Spice blend, which is also great in recipes using winter squash or sweet potatoes.

Now that I’ve shared some of my faves, I’d love to hear what gadgets you can’t live without, or what fun, unique ingredients you’ve enjoyed! Have a happy and delicious holiday season!