1. A Muddler
I'm pretty strict with myself about new tools I take into my kitchen. Our wedding stocked our utensil drawers to the brim and most of our four-square-feet of counter are occupied by appliances so anything new that comes into the kitchen has to be something that there is a demonstrated need for. I've learned that buying a tool will not make me do whatever it is that the tool does (I know, shocking!) So, buying a pasta maker will not make me make pasta. It's better to monkey around with pasta dough and a rolling pin to see if it's something worth pursuing than to spend a couple hundred bucks on a big machine that will just live as a testament to my own lack of follow through.
I've been smashing mint leaves with the back on a wooden spoon for months now. Time for a muddler!
2. The OXO Citrus Press
I broke my cheesy three-dollar plastic lemon sqeezer. Time to upgrade! I love pretty much every tool that OXO makes. They're sturdy but not heavy, comfortable in the hand without sacrificing function and they clean up easily.
3. An herb garden.
Nora, I'm lookin' at you for this one, good buddy. My thumbs are black but my heart is pure! Help me. I could fund a trip to the Build-A-Bear Workshop with the money I spend on mint, rosemary, basil and thyme every month.
4. A Le Creuset Square Skillet Grill
I look at this pan and imagine making steaks and burgers and paninnis and I also picture the weird pleasure I get from seasoning cast iron. But that doesn't seem like enough use to devote a whole pan to.
What do you think? Do you own one of these? How often do you use it and what do you use it for?
5. The Wilton Large Cupcake Pan
I feel giddy, honestly giddy, when I look at this pan and the magic it promises to create. It's a giant freakin' cupcake! Come on!
3 comments:
I don't have that exact grill pan, but mine is similar, and I LOVE it. There's some sort of crazy magic inside those ridges that makes whatever you cook extra delicious. And let's face it, there's something incredibly satisfying about perfect grill marks, no?
Herb garden: i think you may have heard me rave about the aerogarden, right? No? i can't recommend it highly enough . . . . *wink* when we lived in the tiny apartment, i had an entire summer of herbs, herbs, herbs, - herb salad, herb butter, herb ice, herb drinks, herb fish, herb steak, the list goes on and on . . . it's so easy and wonderful, i love it.
On another note, i hate our garlic press. MOst of the time i just chop garlic or mince with a knife, but once in awhile i want to just use the garlic press and it's impossible for my hand. This weekend i went out of state to my stepmom's and she had this great one that for some reason was really easy to use and didn't require fifty pounds of pressure . . . do you have one to recommend?
-siren.
p.s. happy birthday!
Heather - Awesome. You're making me want one even more!
Siren - I would looooove to have an aerogarden but have no room for one. Maybe in our next place!
I have this OXO garlic press:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0000CDVD7?ie=UTF8&tag=liisafe-20&link_code=as3&camp=211189&creative=373489&creativeASIN=B0000CDVD7
It's a marvel of good design and I believe Cook's Illustrated rated it as their top garlic press. Works perfectly with little elbow grease and they tool cleans up really, really easily.
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