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Christmas gifts for Foodies - Top 10 must-have kitchen gadgets
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If you have a Foodie, Home Chef, or passionate gourmet on your list you are probably wondering what essential gadget for their kitchen will make their Christmas bright. I’ve asked the experts at Kitchen Window, the culinary store & cooking school to help us out. Here are the top 10 gadgets they list as “must-haves” for the kitchen:
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Stainless Steel Tongs
1. Great Tongs I want you all to go over to that crock or drawer where you keep those flimsy tin tongs, and heave them right into the recycling bin. You need at least one pair of 12” heavy-duty, spring-hinge, stainless steel tongs. They need to handle weight (as in that filet you want to flip) and heat. Those flimsy tongs that come in every “all-in-one kit” will break, bend, or melt, usually at a critical juncture.
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Assorted Spoonulas
2. Spoonula The perfect match of form and function: a spatula with a spoon’s bowl. You’ll want one that is durable, with a strong handle and flexible head. They recommend a spoonula that is silicon. You’ll master the technique of “folding” for batters and cakes, and crafting great salad dressings. Plus, it’s perfect for getting the last bits of peanut butter or mayo out of the jar.
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Quality Sharpening Steel
3. Quality Sharpening Steel Contrary to its name, it actually is not sharpening your knives, but rather, readjusting, or “truing.” the blade. Your knives can suffer micro nicks and bends as they come into contact with cutting surfaces, which can be smoothed out with a quality sharpening steel. It will prolong the life of your knives, and lengthen the time in between their needing to be sharpened professionally.
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Sea Salt Mill
4. Sea Salt Grinder or Mill (Without Plastic Parts) Although it seems wonderfully convenient to buy those plastic bottles complete with grinder tops, or those clear plastic orbs with scissoring handles, they forgot to take into consideration one key factor: Most salt is harder than the plastic trying to grind it. Fresh plastic shavings on those vegetables, anyone?
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Brass Pepper Mill
5. Pepper Mill Again, we are looking for non-plastic innards. I prefer the Peugeot brand, but many fine ones are out there. Freshly cracked pepper happens to be a key ingredient in almost every dish I cook. I’ve gone so far as using an espresso grinder to make sure the job is done right.
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Cast Iron Skillet
6. At Least One Cast Iron Pan Grandma had them. They were black and shiny from years of seasoning. Great cooks—like Grandma—insist on cast iron cookware because of its heat retention and even heat distribution, which is superior to other metals. You even can order them preseasoned from many places, but why spoil the fun?
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Digital Meat Thermometer
7. Digital Meat Thermometer Take the guesswork out of cooking. A quality meat thermometer prevents undercooking and overcooking food. A digital thermometer provides an easy reading display. And you can explore your inner geek with new wireless and remote thermometers now on the market. Who’s texting you now? It’s the oven: The roast is done!
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Silpat Cooking Sheets
8. Nonstick Silicon-Fiberglass Cooking Sheets Known by their most prominent brand name, Silpats®, these sheets are a must-have for anyone who does any baking. They can turn any pan into a nonstick surface. You can place the Silpat on the sheet pan when working with sticky materials such as batter, taffy, caramel, or anything your imagination allows. It won’t stick, which will save you a mess.
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Parchment Paper
9. Parchment Paper A quick, easy, non-contaminant material with several uses, it is great for keeping pans clean when grilling meats. As well, it is the best thing to wrap and keep cheese in (plastic wrap actually will alter the taste and odor of your cheese, because of the petroleum distillates in the plastic). It is perfect for piping pastry and steaming fish.
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Epicurean Cutting Board
10. Quality Cutting Board Wood cutting boards have come of age, but this is not your father’s cutting board. Epicurean, a Minnesota company, has developed a cutting board from a wood composite that will not dull your knife. It is eco-friendly (manufactured from reclaimed wood materials) and nonporous, plus it prohibits bacteria odors and staining. Dishwasher safe, it can withstand temperatures to 350 degrees. Epicurean also makes skateboard ramps, so it deals with slicing and dicing in several forms.
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