kitchen tools -beyond the basics 2

A few more thoughts on this topic... we use all of these things, this isn't fantasy shopping. Nothing here over $30 except maybe #14, and you can pick those up second hand.

9. Cloth kitchen towels. Use instead of oven gloves (just don't grab a hot pan with a wet towel, the heat goes right through), wipe the rim of plates as you send them out, dry your hands, throw over your oil fire to put it out.... the list goes on.

10. Spatter screen. Stops burger grease spitting all over you and the stove, but lets water vapour out so meat gets color.

11. 2-cup measuring cup. Don't mess around, get the 2-cupper. Ours has the numbers printed on the inside of the glass too so you can read as you fill. Sneaky.

12. Potato peeler. What? Not for peeling potatoes, a peeler essential for making decent twists of lemon.

13. Bone or mother of pearl spoon. Not technically for cooking... almost in "for the man who has everything" territory but these spoons are essential if you like to eat hard boiled eggs. Metal spoons react with the sulphurous egg yolk spoiling the taste don't you know... Egg spoons will have a slightly teardrop shape as well. If you are against the idea of bone, choose a thermo-resin spoon, as from Alessi.

14. Lobster pot. Sure you only use it once or twice a year, but you can pretend you make your own stock... a spigot at the bottom would be handy for that (to drain the stock and leave all the foamy mess).

swift one -de hems

Photo via Twenty Questions on flickr.
De Hems is a large (basement, main, 2nd floor) Dutch pub in London. On Macclesfield St., just off a sidestreet in Chinatown, a dash over from Soho (off Shaftesbury Ave.), and though this is a busy area in general you might miss it if you don't intentionally go, i.e. not so touristy as you might think. Our Man In London had to point it out to me. Plus you can head to the cheap/rude Wong Kei's after for singapore noodles. A million reviews online but this is typical.

I have to admit I am not sure what a "dutch pub" is but the place is woody and open, 20 foot ceilings, staff are great and there is a massive beer selection (for me that means every variety of Leffe, not so much into hefeweizen.) Class in a glass.

transit authority figures -update

From Don Dorr's tractor field, to the Kandahar and beyond. Figure out where you are or where you came from... The Manchester Vermont print is available now at The Image Loft in Zippy... Soon at the Northshire Bookstore no doubt. Small section preview below.


Again, full disclosure, I do know the husband and wife team behind this, Rob and Damia, and yup, think this is genius.

bread board -catskill craftsmen

One of our neighbors is a baker, leaves for work around 5am... Lucky me though, she was getting rid of this extra pastry/bread board and I rescued it. Diameter measurements, embossed rulers and a recipe for perfect pastry all on the board. Love it. Made by Catskill Craftsmen located in Stamford, New York.

From their site, "Catskill Craftsmen began operations in 1948, and has developed over the years, becoming the nation's leading manufacturer of RTA (ready to assemble) hardwood kitchen islands, carts, and work-centers. Our manufactured items are made from naturally self-sustaining, non-endangered North American hardwoods, primarily birch and hard rock maple. Lumber is purchased from area sawmills, then dried, manufactured, and packaged on site."

Next on the list is this 30lb maple slab.

americana -fire king

Photo via EstherLangeInTheSky
One thing I cannot call is the the worth of glass. I watch Antiques Roadshow in awe when a vase or small paperweight racks up at a few hundred or even thousands of dollars. Seems like this would be a good entry level though... post-Depression era Fire King. Fire King was a branch of Anchor Hocking, a US based glass manufacturer since 1905, best recognized for measuring cups and ovenwear. Not surprising, Anchor Hocking has a great anchor logo, for that nautical kitchen look.

These milky white coffee mugs used to be a thrift store staple but to find sets is tough. Inevitably they are hugely collectable items in Japan. The greeny, Jade-Ite stuff was blownup by Martha Stewart on her show about 10 years ago. So if you already own some at home, thank Martha.

You can really delve into the markings etc at FireKingMugs but ebay (natch') has a million auctions for the cheesyawesome branded mugs from the 70's. Those McDonald's mugs... you must remember those.

kitchen tools -beyond the basics

After a few bowls, spoons and a pan... what do you get to fill out the kitchen? Tongs.

1. Steel tongs (or space-shuttle-plastic tipped) are the number one next purchase in my book. You can mix, grab hot trays, add a pinch of something from your premixed bowl of herbs... even if you just use them to flip bacon you will be well served.

2. Butcher's apron. Navy, striped, standard issue. Save your shirt from grease.

3. Syrup pourer. Nice touch. Warming the amber nectar is essential.

4. Roasting pan and tray. Cook your own chicken. Nerd alert: was just scoping some pans out. Can't you just picture scraping all the browned fond off the bottom with a bit of wine and finishing the gravy... mmmm.

5. Flour sifter. Great if you have kids "helping".

6. Micro zester. OK not essential for me, but if you like cookies and cakes with lemon this will be.

7. Popover pan. My english granny had the lineage for making great yorkshire pudding (popovers) but infact they were always awfully flat (how big are yours?? oink). The trick is to barely mix the batter atall. Some leave the batter overnight even. Use some dripping from your roast in the pans. And do not, on pain of death, open the oven door to check on them.

8. Pastry scraper. I don't bake so well. Prefer being able to throw things in and change on the go... that does not work for pastry and bread. These things are pretty cool looking though. Scrrrrape all that floury dough up, chop it, move it around with these.

The font in that picture is my handwriting, created with the free YourFonts generator. Takes a few tries to get the spacing rigth but nice to have in your backpocket. Download The Thirty-Nine Steps from The Gutenberg Project, use your handwriting font, print on crumbly paper. Bosh.