Christmas Presents for the Kitchen: 2010

[smangold]

I got:

Two books (Grilling America and Master Class at Johnson & Wales), a Cuisinart Smart Stick and a homebrew starter kit (my first brew will be an amber ale).

[barbhealy]

[

The three-pronged tool on the left is a mystery to me. It has a thick, heavy SS handle but isn't long enough to function as a pickle or olive retriever. It is also very, very sharp.

Could that tree-pronged tool on the left be a potato holder? My german friend's mother used something similar to hold hot boiled potatoes while she peeled them.

[halogenic]

Good Christmas for me:

-Calphalon Katana 8" Chef Knife (desperately needed)

-Calphalon Katana 5 1/2" Honesuki (technically a boning knife, but cuts tomatoes

like a champ)

-Microplane fine grater (had my fingers crossed that I wouldn't have to buy for

myself)

-Butcher's twine, good luck finding that in my town (I had to beg the guy at the

meat counter one time)

-Marco Pierre White's biography, "A Devil In The Kitchen"

-Small silicone prep bowls (Jell-O shot size if you catch my drift)

-A modern Mexican cookbook, cool stuff

I guess I did something right last year.

Chris (Line Slave)

[andiesenji]

[

The three-pronged tool on the left is a mystery to me.  It has a thick, heavy SS handle but isn't long enough to function as a pickle or olive retriever.  It is also very, very sharp.

Could that tree-pronged tool on the left be a potato holder?  My german friend's mother used something similar to hold hot boiled potatoes while she peeled them.

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I just learned that it actually is a pickle/olive "fork" but is defective. It is supposed to extend but the telescopic shaft was frozen - I say was because it is now broken apart and in the trash. My neighbor was sure it was supposed to extend and pried it apart and found a mass of rusted metal inside the thing.

When I received it, it was still sealed in a plastic clamshell so the exposure that caused the rusting was prior to packaging. The only name on it is Danesco.

[suzilightning]

along with a bunch of crap(oh, how lovely. just what i wanted - cheese spreaders. a make your own cookbook?! just for me?) i did get two gift cards at BB&B which i redeemed yesterday - along with 35.00 of my own dollars for this:

a 5 quart Le Cruset. it is in use as we speak working on a beef broth to use in soup tonight.

[judiu]

along with a bunch of crap(oh, how lovely.  just what i wanted - cheese spreaders.  a make your own cookbook?!  just for me?)  i did get two gift cards at BB&B which i redeemed yesterday - along with 35.00 of my own dollars for this:

a 5 quart Le Cruset.  it is in use as we speak working on a beef broth to use in soup  tonight.

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Wow! That is one SEXY pot!

[Octaveman]

Just when I thought puppies were chick magnets...here comes this pot.

[Chef William]

A Ken Onion Shun Chef's knife with an ergonomic handle was the main highlight. Its supremely comfortable to use and it sharper then anything I've seen.

[Anna N]

Christmas arrived today for me! I got the second half of a kitchen-related gift! The first half was a book - The Saucier's Apprentice by Raymond Sokolov and today I got an infrared thermometer. I am doing a happy dance.

[Marlene]

Yay Anna! Let me know how the thermometer works. I've always wanted one of those. That book is on my list as well.

[Porthos]

a 5 quart Le Cruset.  it is in use as we speak working on a beef broth to use in soup  tonight.

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I'm drooling on my keyboard... what a great pot.

[Porthos]

1) A 12" wooden bowl for salads.

2) An EdgePro Acme Knife sharpener.

[andiesenji]

You are going to love it, Anna. There is no guessing as to when the grill pan has reached the desired temp.

I even use mine to see if my marble pastry/candy counter is cool enough for a particular task.

I finally got my microwave thermometers (3 as they are breakable) that can be inserted in food (they come with a "probe" to make a guide puncture into the food that is going into the microwave.

So far I have had to stop the microwave so I could see the thermometer- haven't yet trained my eyes to catch it as it revolves past.

But at least I don't have to open the door, insert a probe and wait for it to read the internal temp.

A friend and I have been tinkering with an idea for microwave containers that change color as the contents reach a certain temp, however we have decided it would be too easy to knock off and recovering the development costs would be rather iffy.

[andiesenji]

Using some of my gift "cards" I have ordered:

one of these

which appears to be a bargain as other vendors are selling it for $29.95.

I think this is a very clever design and wonder why no one thought of it before now.

I also decided to spring for the De Buyer Mandoline

and will now retire my ancient Bron, which still works just fine, but the position has become a little awkward because I seem to have developed arthritis in my right shoulder and keep getting twinges in my right elbow.

I borrowed one of these to see how it "feels" in use and I like it.

I am also considering adding a couple of cookbooks to my collection but have not made a final decision.

(It's not for the kitchen, but I just got a new van.)

Edited January 10, 2008 by andiesenji (log)

[emilyr]

I got the Pampered Chef Microplane Adjustable Grater, Nanny Ogg's Cookbook (I'm a HUGE Terry Pratchett fan!), and Julie and Julia.

[Kim Shook]

Santa (and friends and family) was very generous this year! Everyone knows that kitchen stuff is my favorite gift and so I got:

A cookbook holder, a ton of cupcake baking cups, pastel mise cups, mini trifle bowls and 2 pitchers:

A panini press, pink melamine mixing bowls, spatulas, a Digital scale , silicone cupcake baking cups and a citrus reamer:

A pressure cooker, the Southern Living 2007 Annual Cookbook, the Time-Life Candy cookbook (recommended by lots of eGulleteers), Cupcakes Galore, AB's No Reservations, the New England Soup Factory Cookbook and My Last Supper:

My funny gifts include these:

That's a 'cutting board' received free with purchase with the SL book !

Other funnies:

Pocky, my adored Drake's snack cakes and Mr. Kim's sly poking fun at my new organic phase!

I also got a set of Magnum salt and pepper grinders and assorted edible goodies - English candy , cookies, homemade stuff!

It was a good Christmas! Kim

[CaliPoutine]

Wow Kim, you got a nice haul!!

I have that cupcake book too, although I havent baked anything from it.

I love all the cupcake papers, are they all from Wilton?

I bought those disposable cutting boards when we got our new fridge. I use them to line the shelves of the fridge for easy cleanup.

ETA: Apparently, when I was a young child, my nickname was Devil Dog because I just loved them!! I'm glad I can't find them here or in Michigan.

Edited January 13, 2008 by CaliPoutine (log)

[annieC]

Anna- don't you just love your IR thermometer? BB&B had them on clearance before Christmas, so I picked mine up when I returned the silicone baking cups a friend gave me for my birthday (great idea, but I use silicone cupcake pans-lol). I love using it to check temps on various things- from checking water before adding it to a recipe to how warm is the rice sock I just nuked for my ear ache.

For Christmas, I got a microplain grater & the grain grinder for my Kitchen Aid mixer...now I have to figure out exactly which grains I want & get my storage set up- I lucked out that there is a an organic farm/grainery less then 1 hour from my house.

After Christmas, I took some of my holiday gift money & hit the resale shops, where I found an almost brand new, digital 6.5 quart crock pot for $7, a Squeezo strainer/food mill for $5, about 10 dozen pint sized canning jars for $12, another American Harvest food dehydrator w/temp control for $6, and some other misc stuff. Pretty good for $30!

[Zeemanb]

I didn't actually receive any great kitchen gifts this year (unless you count the huge stash of Gladware I won during our yearly family bingo game), but I did use some money from my parents to score what I thought were some pretty great internet finds....

New Kitchenaid Artisan mixer for $79

Le Creuset 7 quart Round oven for $130

(and I'll throw in my $33 20-quart All Clad Stainless stockpot just to gloat...I actually got it before the holidays)

Plus assorted cookbooks....Sopranos Cookbook (way better than I thought it would be), Pasta Tecnica, Union Square Cafe, Food & Wine Annuals for 2005 and 2006, Chez Panisse Pasta, Pizza, Calzone...... I have a habit of going to Amazon and searching on cookbooks by price. I don't think I've paid over six or seven dollars for anything in my quickly expanding collection.....although to justify my spending I only pick books that qualify for "super saver" shipping!

Great year for the kitchen so far!

[Kim Shook]

Wow Kim, you got a nice haul!!

I have that cupcake book too, although I havent baked anything from it.

I love all the cupcake papers, are they all from Wilton?

I bought those disposable cutting boards when we got our new fridge.  I use them to line the shelves of the fridge for easy cleanup.

ETA:  Apparently, when I was a young child, my nickname was Devil Dog because I just loved them!!  I'm glad I can't find them here or in Michigan.

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Randi, most of the papers were from Wilton, but the two in the front of the picture - the brown ones and white ones with the gold design. Those, I think came from Kitchen Krafts, I have had them on my Amazon wish list forever. They are gorgeous. So pretty, in fact, that I'm afraid I'll be so concerned about using them for just the right cupcake and occasion that I'll never actually use them ! I'm like that!

I never thought about doing that with the 'cutting board' but what a good idea. Now, I'm on the look out for more of them!

Drakes cakes are my downfall. Thankfully, you can't get them around here. I think that Santa must have gone by Philly to pick them up before he came to Richmond !

Best, Kim

[tsquare]

I never thought about doing that with the 'cutting board' but what a good idea.  Now, I'm on the look out for more of them! 

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They are also great to measure flour over, the spillover can be funneled back into the container or cup easily.

[andiesenji]

New late gifts are a few fun gadgets:

a "flipper" that looks like it belonged in "Aladdin" - I think it is the same blue as the genie.

also a set of copper measuring spoons, a multi-use bottle opener/can pop top lifter and a very large wooden spoon.

Then there is this "egg" thing for boiling eggs, complete with cute little digital timer. Also some neat oval and round spice containers.

The new mandoline arrived while I was away last week. I unpacked it today and tried it on a potato and an onion. Unfortunately the batter died when I was trying to get a pic of the potato slices. It works, and easier for me than the Bron, as the angle is less stressful on my hand, wrist, elbow and shoulder.

Nice case too.

Various blades:

The 2mm julienne blade is not included so I ordered one separately.

Ready to go with the guard at the lower end of the frame.

Unfortunately, the DVD that came with it does not play well and I have emailed de Buyer and will see if they give a reasonable response.

I have to get a bag of onions at Sam's Club or Costco as I want to make a batch of onion confit which I have been putting off until I had this new slicer. That ought to be a good test.

I like the spring-loaded guard that has a part that sticks up and shows the thickness of the vegetable or fruit that remains in the carrier.

[halogenic]

Wow! I wish my mandoline came with the carrying case! Paper-thin carrot slices on the go would make my day.

[JB_Cada]

I bought those disposable cutting boards when we got our new fridge.  I use them to line the shelves of the fridge for easy cleanup.

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I never thought about doing that with the 'cutting board' but what a good idea. Now, I'm on the look out for more of them!

Best, Kim

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Those flexible mats are great for when you don't know if they have decent cutting boards where your'e cooking. I carry a few of these in my knife case. Sure beats lugging around a cutting board And what else could be the fastest way to get that onion you just chopped (and all of it, too) into your mise bowl than to roll the mat up and funnel the stuff in?

[CaliPoutine]

Andie,

Those spice jars with the clamping lid, are they new? If so where are they made and who sells them?

I'm always on the lookout for those and the bigger clamp top jars that are made in France or Italy when I'm out yardsaling.