I really love kitchen tools and what you’ll find in my kitchen is a good mix of super-specific items and general use. I don’t tend to get a lot of one use items, but when I do, I think long and hard before I purchase. This is my ultimate kitchen gadget-y wish list – a mix of high-end and affordable products. To make these products even more affordable, you might be able to find some voucher codes! I would love to receive any of these items this holiday season and I’m sure the cook in your life would too!
Ever since I tried rigging up a ghetto-sous vide machine to make Momofuku’s 48 hour short ribs, I’ve been wanting a sous vide machine. Nomiku just came out with a new wifi home sous vide machine and I backed it because I was so impressed with their past incarnation. Essentially, a sous vide machine lets you cook food (usually in a vacuum sealed bag) in water bath set at an extremely low temperature. The sous vide machine both heats and circulates water and your food is gently cooked to scientific precision.
If you’re going to ask for a sous-vide machine, the next thing you might want to add to your wish list is a Searzall. I don’t have one of these (they just finished their kickstarter and are gearing up to sell on Amazon), but it’s definitely on my radar. It’s basically a portable salamander – use to sear sous vide steaks, melt cheese, or finish dishes off with a blast of heat.
The above two items are things that I think I’ll love, but they’re definitely more things I wish I had rather than things I need. These spatulas on the other hand, I have in my drawer right now and reach for all the time. I’ve talked about my love for silicone spatulas previously and I’m still a big fan of them. These colorful guys from Get It Right make me happy every time I reach for them. They make a perfect little gift. They’re unibody (which means no grotty parts to clean), hold up to heat well, and are dishwasher safe.
One of my favourite kitchen tools is a garlic press. I actually like mincing garlic (I’m weird, I know) but I don’t really like my fingers smelling like garlic every time I do it. Garlic presses take that problem away. This press from Savora is both pretty and functional. It’s an excellent gift for a garlic lover.
I wish I could send everyone a holiday present but since I can’t, I’m doing the next best thing and hosting a little Le Creuset Giveaway!
Giveaway: I’m giving away a Le Creuset Cherry Wok, a Le Creuset Balti Dish and a cute little Le Creuset Condiment Pot. They’re cherry red and perfect for the holiday season – thank you Le Crueset!
Enter: Leave a comment letting me know what the best gift you received was and why and then use the widget to enter. Open to US residents only. Winner will be selected at random and contacted by email. Good luck!
Update: Congrats Vicky! Get ready to start cooking! :D Look for an email from me shortly.
A trip to Disney World :)
Food related gift but in a roundabout way. Hubs got me a French Brittany pup to point and retrieve quail, grouse, pheasant and hopefully chukkar someday. I would highly recommend one in every one’s kitchen:)
My first Christmas being married, my husband made me an ornament that he fashioned using jewelry wire. It was beautiful and effervescent. It depicted my husband and I hanging off of a heart facing each other. He is wearing a top hat and I am wearing a flowing skirt. It was the most perfect and meaningful present I have ever received. My husband is not good at arts and crafts at all and so the time and care he put into making this present for me really touched my heart. I will treasure the ornament for the rest of my life.
The best gift I ever received was definitely a dslr camera! Definitely spoiled that year.
Fingers crossed!
Trish
I’m typing this on the new computer that my husband and I are ‘giving each other’ for Christmas. So excited for a laptop that works!
Best gift I ever received was an NES when I was like 7 or 8 because I was 7 or 8 and it was a Nintendo. Best kitchen/food related gift I ever got was the El Bulli cookbook because it was an extravagant gift from someone who cared a lot about me.
Best gift I ever received was my first Pokemon card set with a holographic Charizard in it. My 8 year old self couldn’t handle the sheer excitement. :)
I can’t think of a specific gift, but I really love the ones that seem to be kind of lame or oddball when you receive them and then end up being something you use a lot.
Every year my family all goes on a trip to Mexico in Feb instead of giving gifts. So many memories from those trips!
I love garlic presses too! I hate mincing garlic haha.