Useful food gifts and kitchenware that you have received

[Arey]

I was given a SEB minichop in the 80s and I still use it.  In view of my limited counter space, its one of the few gadgets I can keep right out in plain view.

[andiesenji]

A special sharp-edged spoon for digging around the stones in cling stone fruit. My parents mentioned my need for it one summer when they were visiting and I was fixing our family standard, fruit salad. I'd never heard of such an implement. Lo and behold, 'Santa' put one in my Christmas stocking that year. Mom and Dad were tickled pink to have found one; it had taken a lot of garage-sale haunting.

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Yes, it's very useful, but it's even better because of the memories.

I have some wax-carving tools that are very similar.  From when I used to carve hard wax for casting jewelry.  I also have some clay-carving tools, one of which I use in the kitchen for coring pears and small apples &etc.

[ElainaA]

2 pounds of pine nuts given to me by my sister-in-law. Sadly, they are almost all gone. (I wonder if I should tell her that. My birthday is coming up.....)

 

Elaina

[Anna N]

I was given a SEB minichop in the 80s and I still use it.  In view of my limited counter space, its one of the few gadgets I can keep right out in plain view.

You can still find these occasionally in thrift stores. Picked one up recently still in its box. So now I have my version of an heir and a spare!

[rotuts]

I have one.  I still use it for 'fresh' herbs, and carefully sharpen the 'blade'

 

I looked into this just now, and a 'replacement' blade on eBay goes for 35 bucks USD !

 

shame this didnt keep going and have a 'Big Sister' 50 % bigger etc.

[lindag]

I foolishly bought the Messermeister kitchen shears a couple years ago because, at the time, they were well-recommended. Now, however, there is a much, much better model available that's made my Kershaw (Shun).

Check Amazon for the Kershaw shears.

[CeeCee]

A mini oven is probably my most used kitchenware gift, even though you can't regulate the temp and the timer has a max. of 15 minutes. I guestimate it around 170 Celsius and it can fit a modest 2-portion ovendish, 2 mini pots, 1/2 of a pizza, 2 large potatoes or dito beets. We use it 2-3 times a week and for such a cheap thing, it amazes me it's still working quite well after +2 years.

Another favourite is a very large Dutch Oven like pan, which my mom gave me when I moved out.
 

[Shel_B]

Yesterday I was gifted with a package of organic Greek oregano.  Compared to the oregano I've been using these past years, this stuff is amazing.  The fragrance and taste is outstanding, and I can't wait to try it in some pasta sauce that I'll be making tonight or tomorrow.

 

In addition, I received some outstanding organic Turkish bay leaves, also superior in fragrance (and, I assume, taste) compared to what I've been buying locally.  I've purchased bay leaves from many sources over the years, but nothing has come close to the wonderful fragrance of these leaves.  Just leaving a few on the dining-area table has infused the apartment with a wonderful, outdoorsy smell.

 

Also included in the gift package was a bag of Szechuan peppers.  I'm not sure if these are the best and most flavorful that I've had, but the timing of their arrival is perfect as I've been experimenting with, and developing a recipe for, peanut-sesame sauce.

 

Lastly was a bag of Urfa Biber chile flakes.  I've not opened the package yet, so I cannot speak to their fragrance, flavor, or freshness, but if they compare well with the other spices and herbs, I'm going to be a happy camper and be motivated to experiment a little more in the kitchen.

[weinoo]

Is it possible you've been buying bay leaves from California?

[Shel_B]

Is it possible you've been buying bay leaves from California?

 

While I sometimes use Bay Laurel leaves, I am comparing the leaves I received to the Mediterranean leaves I've purchased from various sources, including ethnic markets, commercially packaged from several sources and suppliers, bulk bins and jarred.

 

I don't buy California leaves.  I harvest them from nearby trees.

[Anna N]

A surprise gift yesterday. This is a stainless steel bowl for my compact Bosch mixer. The mixer comes with a plastic bowl which is adequate for most purposes but a stainless bowl will work better for other purposes. And having two bowls is almost as good as having two mixers when you are on a baking spree!

[Anna N]

Sometimes you just HAVE to share news of your good fortune!  This past weekend @Kerry Beal cooked at the Dickson Eggfest. One of the goodies in her loot bag was this:

 

 

And today she made a gift of it to me. I am still pinching myself. 😋

[TicTac]

Now that's a loot bag I would go Trick'o'Treatin for!!!

[kayb]

Oooohh! Nice!

 

[rotuts]

A beauty 

 

for sure !

[ksong1189]

15 hours ago, Anna N said:

Sometimes you just HAVE to share news of your good fortune!  This past weekend @Kerry Beal cooked at the Dickson Eggfest. One of the goodies in her loot bag was this:

 

 

And today she made a gift of it to me. I am still pinching myself. 😋

sweet that looks so good!!

[IowaDee]

Wow, seeing  that I can't help but wonder what else was in that loot bag!  What a nice gift that was.

[Kerry Beal]

12 minutes ago, IowaDee said:

Wow, seeing  that I can't help but wonder what else was in that loot bag!  What a nice gift that was.

Just a nice cutting board.

[chromedome]

That would suffice.

[Darienne]

Here's one of a set of one of the most wonderful food-related gifts I have ever been given.  A friend from Delaware brought these mesh food savers as a gift during one of the many Dog Weekends we put on in a former life.  So many women have asked me about them and could I get them a set...there are three of this size, two larger and one huge elongate oval one.  I asked my friend in Delaware but she said she never saw them again.  Alas....

 

This summer has been amazingly free of fruit flies and I haven't actually used them for the first time since I got them.  Then this week, Ed brought the apple remains from making apple cider in the cellar up into the kitchen and left them there for a short time which is all it took for 6,000,000 of the little you-know-what's to appear and now I had a fight on my hands.  Out came the mesh fruit covers.  (Wow!  Looking for the appropriate name to call them and found the Lee Valley website which carries them.  mesh fruit covers )

 

Edited September 20, 2023 by Darienne (log)

[rotuts]

@Darienne 

 

a fine item .   I get FF's via bananas ( I think )     I use ' Fly Tape '  

 

a very sticky proposition .

 

Amazon ( USA ) has :

 

Outdoorwares Tent Pop Up Food Cover Set - Fine Mesh Screen, Bottomless & Collapsible Design With Handles (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

and various ' tents '

 

4Pack Mesh Food Covers 17inch, Outdoor Food Covers, Picnic Accessories, BBQ & Parties Food Tent, Fruit Cover (Net yarn white) (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)

 

or search Amazon for Foods Mesh Covers etc.

 

they are on  my list !