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Kitchen gadgets needed to give as gifts

gfweb

By gfweb
in Kitchen Consumer

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MelissaH

MelissaH

Posted
Posted
15 hours ago, gfweb said:

After serious study on Amazon I've concluded that many are left handed, requiring a backhand motion for a righty. A pox on that. I found a version that is toothed on both sides and bought.

 

You obviously aren't left handed, and have never lived with anyone who is. About time something was made for us!

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MelissaH

Oswego, NY

Chemist, writer, hired gun

Say this five times fast: "A big blue bucket of blue blueberries."

foodblog1 | kitchen reno | foodblog2

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted

I use a grapefruit knife for small melons and for mangos.  But I also use one for grapefruit.  

They also come in handy for young coconut - the Mexican supermarket carries them.  I cut the top off with a cleaver. 

Then slice the soft meat out in layers.

 

 

HPIM9556.JPG

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"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted

One thing I'd forgotten to mention about grapefruit spoons is that they work really well for scraping the gills out of portobello mushrooms before stuffing/cooking.

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“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
16 minutes ago, lindag said:

I just found a new use for my Fine Tongs

when last night I was trying to get a few anchovies  out of a small jar when making Cioppino.

 

 Yes, ever since we got on this topic and I revealed my serious scepticism I have wished at least a dozen times that I could find my long tweezers. 

  • Like 2

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted

I've got a bucket full of old silverware that I acquired at rubbish sales and the like over the years.

No grapefruit spoon (as expected) — but I did find an old scalloped sugar spoon that may come in handy for some of the suggested uses above.

 

Spoon.jpg

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~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted

.....

10 minutes ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

I've got a bucket full of old silverware that I acquired at rubbish sales and the like over the years.

No grapefruit spoon (as expected) — but I did find an old scalloped sugar spoon that may come in handy for some of the suggested uses above.

 

....

Take a big deep breath Martin and get all your cerebral neurons in line and then lean back and ask yourself how many times are you prepared to clean that damn thing?   I long-ago gave my silverware away to people I really disliked.:o

  • Like 5

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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Martin Fisher

Martin Fisher

Posted
Posted (edited)
9 minutes ago, Anna N said:

.....

Take a big deep breath Martin and get all your cerebral neurons in line and then lean back and ask yourself how many times are you prepared to clean that damn thing?   I long-ago gave my silverware away to people I really disliked.:o

 

Yeah, I know you're right! ;)

I'll use it to make silverware wind chimes — never to be cleaned. :)

Edited by DiggingDogFarm (log)
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~Martin :)

I just don't want to look back and think "I could have eaten that."

Unsupervised, rebellious, radical agrarian experimenter, minimalist penny-pincher, and adventurous cook. Crotchety, cantankerous, terse curmudgeon, non-conformist, and contrarian who questions everything!

The best thing about a vegetable garden is all the meat you can hunt and trap out of it!

 

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, DiggingDogFarm said:

 

Yeah, I know you're right! ;)

I'll use it to make silverware wind chimes never to be cleaned. :)

Very wise. 

  • Like 1

Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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JoNorvelleWalker

JoNorvelleWalker

Posted
Posted

I have given away pounds and pounds of solid silver flatware.  You can try to pry my silver plated Yukiwa Baron shakers (plural) from my cold, dead hands.

 

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Cooking is cool.  And kitchen gear is even cooler.  -- Chad Ward

Whatever you crave, there's a dumpling for you. -- Hsiao-Ching Chou

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  • 3 weeks later...
nonkeyman

nonkeyman

Posted
Posted (edited)

I actually wrote a post on this..especially if you have chef or home cook friends!

 

To give you some of what I put on it.

 

2. A culinary blow torchir?t=egulletcom-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B018WQNX8! Currently only $20 on amazon vs. $55!

4. Knives...of course! not so much a gadget

6.Pasta Machineir?t=egulletcom-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B0001IXA0

7.Gourmia Sleek and Serve Ice Cream machine!ir?t=egulletcom-20&l=am2&o=1&a=B017HX17E

 

Things not on the list, a knew Melangeur for chocolate! ,Anova Immersion Circulator and a kitchen aid stand mixer(because if they don't have one, they need one!)

 

Let me know what you guys think!

 

The rest were books or other sorts of things, like a knife bag feel free to read the little blurbs about each.

Edited by nonkeyman (log)

"Sense Of Urgency" -Thomas Keller

86ed Chef's Advice

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chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted

Links #6 and #7 are non-functioning. 

 

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted

I used to have one of those Imperia pasta machines, and it was wonderful. Alas, I once neglected to clean it immediately after use, and had to take it apart and reassemble it after prying all the dried-on dough out of its innards (I'd been interrupted by my kids, and had forgotten about it by the time they were in bed...my then-wife thoughtfully boxed up the machine for me and put it away). 

 

I did *something* wrong along the way, because afterwards it was always loose and "clunkety." I tried taking it apart and putting it back together several more times, but without any improvement. It was terribly disappointing. 

 

New ones sell here for well over $100 CDN, so I'll doubtless order one online at some point in the next while. Been debating the Kitchenaid attachment kit instead, but it hardly seems worth all the extra cash. 

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted (edited)
12 minutes ago, chromedome said:

I used to have one of those Imperia pasta machines, and it was wonderful. Alas, I once neglected to clean it immediately after use, and had to take it apart and reassemble it after prying all the dried-on dough out of its innards (I'd been interrupted by my kids, and had forgotten about it by the time they were in bed...my then-wife thoughtfully boxed up the machine for me and put it away). 

 

I did *something* wrong along the way, because afterwards it was always loose and "clunkety." I tried taking it apart and putting it back together several more times, but without any improvement. It was terribly disappointing. 

 

New ones sell here for well over $100 CDN, so I'll doubtless order one online at some point in the next while. Been debating the Kitchenaid attachment kit instead, but it hardly seems worth all the extra cash. 

If there are any thrift stores in your area you might want to check there a few times.  Kerry Beal and I haunt them and I know we have seen almost new pasta machines.

Edited by Anna N (log)
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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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andiesenji

andiesenji

Posted
Posted
2 minutes ago, Anna N said:

If there are any thrift stores in your area you might want to check there a few times.  Kerry Beal and I hunt them and I know we have seen almost new pasta machines.

I've got two brand new ones, never been out of their boxes. Both received as gifts by people who did not know my propensity for having tools like that.  

  • Like 1

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

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chromedome

chromedome

Posted
Posted
9 minutes ago, Anna N said:

If there are any thrift stores in your area you might want to check there a few times.  Kerry Beal and I haunt them and I know we have seen almost new pasta machines.

 

 

Oh, I keep my eyes open every time I hit a Salvation Army or Value Village. I haven't seen one yet, but you never know. I also keep an eye on Kijiji*, but so far have only seen cheapie Chinese-made knock-offs. 

 

(* That's the Canadian edition of eBay Classifieds, MUCH bigger here than Craigslist...Anna's a Canadian and knows this, but I mention it for the non-Canadians)

“Who loves a garden, loves a greenhouse too.” - William Cowper, The Task, Book Three

 

"Not knowing the scope of your own ignorance is part of the human condition...The first rule of the Dunning-Kruger club is you don’t know you’re a member of the Dunning-Kruger club.” - psychologist David Dunning

 

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nonkeyman

nonkeyman

Posted
Posted
11 hours ago, chromedome said:

I used to have one of those Imperia pasta machines, and it was wonderful. Alas, I once neglected to clean it immediately after use, and had to take it apart and reassemble it after prying all the dried-on dough out of its innards (I'd been interrupted by my kids, and had forgotten about it by the time they were in bed...my then-wife thoughtfully boxed up the machine for me and put it away). 

 

I did *something* wrong along the way, because afterwards it was always loose and "clunkety." I tried taking it apart and putting it back together several more times, but without any improvement. It was terribly disappointing. 

 

New ones sell here for well over $100 CDN, so I'll doubtless order one online at some point in the next while. Been debating the Kitchenaid attachment kit instead, but it hardly seems worth all the extra cash. 

Yeah, I am not one to buy 1 use gadgets...but a designated pasta maker, is personally, way better than the kitchen aid...

"Sense Of Urgency" -Thomas Keller

86ed Chef's Advice

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  • 1 month later...
asthasr

asthasr

Posted
Posted

So, I noticed that people were talking about tweezers for cooking and picking things out of jars. Allow me to recommend a pair of cooking chopsticks! They are typically available at all Asian markets, or they can be purchased (at significant markup) onlineB00OPZJH82. I use them for a lot of tasks that would normally have me reaching for tongs.

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  • 4 weeks later...
Anna N

Anna N

Posted
Posted (edited)
On November 7, 2016 at 10:48 AM, btbyrd said:

Jaccard tenderizers are relatively cheap and are a great gift for anyone who cooks a lot of meat.

 

Michael Ruhlman has a collection of kitchen stuff that's pretty solid and usually goes on sale around the holidays. The "bad ass egg spoon" is great, and not just for eggs. It's my go-to slotted spoon. 

 

 

I have the mixed-size set of offset spoons (basting spoon and two larger serving spoons) and like them as well. I also have the straining cloths (which are great) but they're apparently out of stock and have been for some time.

The Acaia wood paddles and the meat mallet are on my "buy next" list. Just waiting for a coupon code...

 

image.jpeg

 

 Was not sure where to post this. I might consider it a very late Christmas present or a somewhat early and platonic Valentine gift.  Now I feel all that I really need is a gold plated, velvet lined utensil holder for them.   They really are quite beautiful and the egg spoon is a thing of beauty that seems perfect for the job.   Life is good.  I had no idea it was possible to be this excited about a bunch of spoons. But I am. xD

 

Edited by Anna N (log)
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Anna Nielsen aka "Anna N"

...I just let people know about something I made for supper that they might enjoy, too. That's all it is. (Nigel Slater)

"Cooking is about doing the best with what you have . . . and succeeding." John Thorne

Our 2012 (Kerry Beal and me) Blog

My 2004 eG Blog

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blue_dolphin

blue_dolphin

Posted
Posted
4 minutes ago, ElsieD said:

Well now, darn it all, you've got me lusting after those spoons, particularly the egg one.  What were the shipping charges like?

 

It was $18 to ship the one spoon to me in SoCal.  Which explains in part why I don't have one!

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