Can you believe it took us about 12 years of disastrous experimentation with cheap cheese graters before we finally splurged on a Microplane? (One of our top kitchen purchases of all time, by the way.)
It’s this and other follies that result in us seriously jonesin’ for kitchen gadgets this time of year–both practical and [delightfully] not-so-practical. Here’s our Christmas wish list for this year! Hopefully one way or another some of this cookware finds its way into our kitchen. Likewise, if you haven’t scooped up your holiday gifts yet, here are a few ideas for your foodiest of friends. Of course, you can also give into the glory that is the self-gift and snag something nice for yourself!
From left to right, top to bottom:
1. Whale tea infuser (Amazon, $9.95)
Because who doesn’t want a delightful little cartoon whale swimming around in a mug of tea? Maybe it’s just me…
2. Molcajete Mortar & Pestle (Williams-Sonoma, $49.95)
This would take guacamole to a whole new level, but we’d also use it for spices!
3. Set of 6 La Rochére Perigord Clear Water Goblets (Amazon, $69.15)
We drool over these glasses in episodes of Barefoot Contessa and every Hamptons-esque Nancy Meyer movie ever made.
4. Monkey tea infuser (Amazon, $9.59)
See #1. Replace “whale” with “monkey.”
5. Le Creuset 5 1/2 qt. Signature French (Dutch) Oven in Dune (Amazon, $279.95)
What better way to feel like a provencal French goddess than pulling your creme-colored Le Creuset out of the oven, filled to the brim with beouf bourguignon? Perfection.
6. Drop, iPad connected scale (Food52, $100)
We can’t tell you how many headaches we’ve had using an old digital scale for our measurements. This would make baking and pesky metric measurements go so much more smoothly!
Microplanes are the best thing ever…for zest, for ginger, for so many things!
I want you to know that you will not be sorry if you buy the Dutch oven. I was uncertain about getting one because they are so dang heavy and cumbersome. I bought one from Lodge this year, and it is just plain wonderful. I use it way more than I thought I would. I hope you get and enjoy yours! Your blog is such a gift to us all and you deserve such a lovely pan!
The grater may be on my list. I refuse to let my wife grate anything, she has a tendency to remove finger tips. I just gently take the grater out of her hand!
Merry Christmas! Now reading your Wok guide because I need a new one. Next year, we’re re-doing the kitchen, going to a nice 36″ gas range, and getting a *real* vent hood. Cannot wait to fire up that stove with my wok.
Awesome, something to look forward to, Charles.
At first glance I thought you were holding a carrot, honest to goodness! Then when I read your first sentence, “…experimentation with cheap cheese graters…” it immediately confirmed my first notion that it had to be a carrot because of grating. With my interest piqued, I scrolled down to your holiday gifts recommendation. Upon seeing no grater I uttered a “huh.” Scrolled back to your “carrot” and had a closer look. Aha, that could be your index finger! Still having my doubt though. Am I the only one? Anyway, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year…2015, Yeah!
Hahahahah wow yes–you are right, my index finger (as that is indeed what it is) does look like a carrot! Why I would be standing in front of a Christmas tree holding a carrot with so much glee, I’m not sure. (I guess you could say it’s for Santa’s reindeer…). Anyways, I’m always open to interpretation! Hope you weren’t too disappointed by the omission of cheese grater exploration! Happy holidays to you as well!!
If it took forever to get a microplane grater, your next upstep must be the microplane box grater. I simply detach the fine microplane side for easier grating with the other razor sharp edges. A variety of cuts microplane quality! A must for every kitchen. We have food processors too, but sometimes I only want to grate a little bit. This box grater comes in sooooo handy. And of course, I still have stick microplanes too. Indispensable! http://us.microplane.com/microplane4-sidedboxgrater.aspx
That’s seriously groovy! Thanks for tipping us off! I didn’t know they made other grating devices hahah!