We are happy to share the essential gadgets, utensils and appliances for a productive kitchen. Michelle and I put this list together over the past few months, and Mother's Day seemed like the ideal time to roll it out.
If you want to buy a gift AND if your mom or wife is the primary cook in the household, you may want to consider one of the following items. Disclaimer: Some women do NOT want household appliances and cooking utensils as Mother's Day gifts. You must proceed with caution when purchasing these items. When in doubt, get a gift certificate for a massage.
If you want to buy a gift AND if your mom or wife is the primary cook in the household, you may want to consider one of the following items. Disclaimer: Some women do NOT want household appliances and cooking utensils as Mother's Day gifts. You must proceed with caution when purchasing these items. When in doubt, get a gift certificate for a massage.
- Epicurean Cutting Board. Made of a composite material so it won't dull knives like glass and won't hold moisture or odors like wood. Also dishwasher safe to really disinfect. Less than $35!
- J.A. Henckels 7". knife. If you only buy one good knife, this is the best. Great value at $57.
- Large and small cookie scoops. I use these for measuring batter into muffin tins, making Mickey Mouse pancakes, dropping dumplings into soup.... and of course, making cookies.
- Immersion Hand blender. This time if year when soups are made weekly in our house, this gadget saves tons of time and mess. Great for quickly blending salad dressings, sauces and even whipping cream.
- Spatulas - several in many different sizes. Instead of using spoons, I often grab a half-sized spatula while baking or cooking. It's shape is flexible for scraping the sides of the bowl, or mixing lighter batters/ingredients. Pick one with a smiley face and she'll think of you every time she uses it!
- Digital Food Scale. It's amazing how often I weigh ingredients and prepared food! Not only does it help with uniformity and consistency, but it can be an eye-opener on portion control.
- Measuring cups and spoons. Avoid the dollar store brand - they're flimsy and won't last. Having two sets is handy when recipes call for wet and dry ingredients.
- Silpat. This baking/cooking sheet is AWESOME! Non-stick, washable, and reusable (unlike parchment paper). It's definitely worth the money.
- Handheld Grater. My go-to tool for adding quick shreds is a medium hand grater. It has a handle and can be held over a bowl or pot - which is convenient and easy. I use mine with baking (ex. chocolate) and cooking (ex. cheese, garlic, onion).
- Condiment Squeeze Bottle. Available at Target and most cooking stores. I use these for olive oil to easily control how much I put onto food or into a pan. I also like them for maple syrup, rather than pouring from my 1 liter Costco jug. And I'm now experimenting with using it to distribute pancake batter into cute shapes.
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