The Kitchen Shop
These are the kitchen tools and gadgets I cherish and use the most. Each is a powerhouse. Some are cheap thrills that have lasted a decade-plus, others are on the pricey side but worth the cash.
Microplane Zester
Zesting lemons, grating ginger, shaving parm. This is my most prized kitchen tool and I won’t stop talking about it until every kitchen has one.
Mini Cuisinart Food Processor
Unless you are feeding a large family or are a caterer, I cannot imagine why anyone needs a normal sized one of these. I use mine almost daily for dressings, sauces and marinades.
Benriner Mandoline
Yeah, you could use a knife, but it’s only with a mandoline that you’ll get consistent paper thin cuts of potatoes, cabbage, carrots. etc. Watch those fingers!
Nordic Baking Sheets
The workhorses of the kitchen! These are my preferred baking sheet because they are heavy enough to not warp, made of aluminum which conducts heat nicely, and are simple and beautiful.
Mini Spatulas
Why aren’t these more of a thing? I use at least one per day. Scraping dressing out of my Cuisinart, pushing dough off the edges of the KitchenAid, taking tastes of sauces, generally maneuvering around smaller spaces/corners. Trust me on this one.
KitchenAid Stand Mixer
If you’re looking for fashion and function, this is the only option. There’s a color for every vibe, it lasts forever, has a bunch of attachments for making foods like pasta and ground meat, and takes the hassle out of a lot of baking recipes.
6 Cup Rice Cooker
Similar to the Cuisinart, this is the perfect pint-size version of a rice cooker and it easily makes four servings of rice or quinoa. Been using the same one for ten years and she’s showing no sign of slowing down.
Mason Jars
Big bulk bin shopper here, so mason jars are a must. My pantry is filled with rows of grains, beans, and flours and I love that I can see what’s what in an organized way (versus various boxes/bags).
Meat Thermometer
This thermometer is fun because you can stick the probe in your meat, set the desired temperature and it’ll beep when its ready. No more angsty oven checks or self conscious mid-roast slices.
Fellow Stovetop Kettle
I’m very grateful for this kettle, which boils water for my morning coffee to the perfect temperature and is delightfully ergonomic for pour-over purposes. Yes, you could use a regular kettle, but if you make coffee “by hand” daily, this is the way to go. Plus it’s very pretty.
Tortilla Press
Are you still eating store-bought tortillas? Stop that! Get this tortilla press and a bag of masa, stat. Homemade tortillas take 10 minutes and are much more flavorful than the cardboard-y stuff at the grocery store. The press pays for itself after only a couple of taco nights.
Ceramic Mortar & Pestle
There are a lot of kinds of mortar & pestles (mortars & pestles?) but I like the Japanese-style ceramic one because its grooves are very effective at transforming herbs and spices into pastes and powders. Makes a mean pesto, curry paste, and Chinese five-spice.
Vitamix
She’s pricy, but she’s worth it. I’ve made the creamiest tahini, scalding hot soups, and a lot of smoothies with mine. Believe the hype.
Vacuum Sealer
Stocks! Preserved lemons! Leftovers! The vacuum sealer is a time capsule for your food. My freezer is always filled with vacuum-sealed bags of chicken broth, slow-cooked tomatoes, and uncooked protein. Every time I use one of them it feels like a gift from my younger self.
Sous Vide
Chefy as it gets, but also pretty cool. This wand regulates and circulates water, evenly cooking food without letting any moisture escape. Definitely a nice-to-have but if you’re placing out of pots n’ pans, this is a fun gadget to play with.
Epicurean Pizza Peel
I have had a few different peels but this one is my favorite. It’s light and smooth, which makes the normally-very-stressful-for-me oven transfer process *almost* delightful!
Carbon Steel Skillet
I love this Lodge skillet because it’s pre-seasoned, on the lighter side of the cast irons, and has a nice open shape. Plus it’s very inexpensive and will last you forever!
Cast Iron Dutch Oven
Bread baking, steak searing, stew stewing — this puppy can handle it all. The 5-quart size is ideal for a loaf of sourdough or a braise for a crowd. Flip the lid over and it becomes a perfect vessel for all your cast iron skillet needs.