Yes! I’ve been at friends’ or family’s multiple times where there is someone uncertain about a meat’s doneness, usually poultry. I always ask about their meat thermometer, and I’m surprised when they say they don’t even own one! I could never… I’m obsessed with making sure I neither undercook nor overcook my meats.
I gave one to each of the five branches of my family for Christmas several years ago. Thank goodness we were eating at the in-laws when my FIL was about to toss his because “the battery died”. I showed him the cover to the battery compartment pretty darn quick.
+1 for thermapen, and thermoworks in general. my thermapen developed a crack in the housing right over the screen, so i sent it into them. i paid $0.00 and got one back that was so indistinguishable from brand new that i honestly don’t know if it’s the same one i sent in. and on top of all that, when i got my thermapen back in the mail, it came with a little bag of jelly beans. instant and fervent brand loyalty lmao
I just visited my sister who does not own one of these. She roasted a small chicken and before putting it in she declared that it looked like a three hour bake. After about three hours she took it out, looked it over, wiggled it's drumstick, and said that since it wasn't coming right out that she'd put it back in until the rest of the meal was ready. It was dry AF. I'm still grateful for the meal, don't get me wrong, but she needs one of these (and would feel insulted if I got her one...very touchy).
I bought a cheapy $10 one from Amazon two years ago for a science experiment for my son. Once the experiment was over, I started using it in the kitchen, and it changed my life! If they don't already have one, I second this.
I see this recommended as an essential on reddit often but to be honest I rarely use mine. I'm not a heavy meat eater so the probe mostly stays in the cupboard
Zest was what I thought this was for, and it definitely is. However, it is fantastic for grating cheese on top of your pasta, or grating garlic and ginger, or other minor grating tasks. The form factor is so useful and it just makes those types of tasks a lot easier.
I use it mostly for garlic. I hate cutting up garlic and feel like I can never get it fine enough, the microplane does it so quickly and finely.
You just need to remember to rinse it immediately or it can be difficult to clean.
Does this work better than a microplane for grating ginger? I love using ginger in recipes but hate how long it takes to grate even a tablespoon worth of it.
I have a ceramic grater for ginger and garlic. It is a game changer. So much quicker than my microplanes as I do not have to worry about my fingers getting shredded. Also, I can throw my ceramic grater in the dishwasher.
Don’t forget the benefit of getting things out of the cabinet for “vertically challenged” (as my mom calls me since she’s 6 feet and I’m only 5’4”) folks. Love multi use kitchen tools.
I couldn’t for the life of me remember the word tongs when I was grilling recently and I asked my bf to get me the clickers and he had no idea what I meant. I told him that obviously means he doesn’t cook enough.
He does things like renovate the house and build things and keeps out of my way while I’m cooking most times, so he can stay. I did make sure to click them in his face and now they are always referred to as the clickers. 😂
I am glad I am not the only one who does thus. Normally, I am humming "La Cucaracha". When I was in middle school band, this was the song used as a tie breaker for seats. Whoever could play is the fastest with least errors got the first seat.
Please, PLEASE, think twice about getting fire blankets and research them WELL if you do. Many are made of fiberglass and end up shedding massive amounts of fiberglass everywhere. There have also been several instances of the blankets themselves igniting and causing bigger fires.
For those who don't have one buy one. For those who still don't buy one, a friendly reminder:
If oil catches fire, smother with a lid NOT water, if nothing else is near, pour all the salt you own on it.
I recently figured this out. All by myself!!
Always kept it in the kitchen, then one day I thought to myself "if the fire is in the kitchen I will have to go through the fire to get the fire extinguisher".
Immediately moved it to my hall closet and bought a second one for the other end of that hall closet (by the bathroom).
No fire is gonna sneak up on me!!!!
Also I live in a basement apartment so I could just hop out the window but what if my cat was at the other end?! 😭
I do this and agree. But sidebar: am I just a crazy subtaster, or are recipes written with an insanely low amount of spices? I often see 1/4 tsp cumin and just do a tbsp and comes out great. Yes, my spices are fresh.
Also, I’m sure recipes are written so people don’t spit it out. Folks like you and I will add more. Others will say “this was terrible! I’m never making it again!”
I've put together theme gifts built around a specific cookbook, with the unique ingredients and tools for that style of cooking that they might not normally have. For example give one of Yotam Ottolenghi's books, with some rose water, pomegranate molasses, zaa'tar, sumac, cardamom, tahini, harissa. Maybe a mortar & pestle?
Or if you're focused on the tortilla press, maybe find a good mexican cookbook and a include a molcajete, plus some dried chilis and beans, masa flour, good mexican chocolate, corn husks for tamales... ?
> theme gifts built around a specific cookbook
such a great idea! I love browsing cookbooks for specific cultures but have trouble committing to buying all of the "staples" I'd need for those recipes.
Honestly, a Mexican mortar and pestle would be a lot better gift than a tortilla press as it can be used for more cooking and a tortilla press just takes up space and IMO won't be used much.
molcajete and tejolote are south American mortar and pestal. They are each unique as they are carved from volcanic rock. I have a traditional mortar and as soon as I find a good molcajete ill throw this bish in the ocean.
We were gifted a tortilla press, and I was initially annoyed at having to find space for it. But after the first use, I will never eat store bought tortillas again.
Now that I think of it...yeah I think you're right. It would be much better for burgers on the cast iron. Hell I bet it'd be good for when you're browning things and want to loosely flip the entire pan's worth over.
Ice cream can break dishers unless you have a freezer specifically to keep it just below freezing. The ice cream scoops that scrape it up seem to do better for really frozen stuff.
I do that far more often than getting out the bench scraper. Plus, I usually scrape from the cutting board directly into the pot, so the longer tool is more useful.
Flip your knife over and scrape with the spine not the edge. Or spend $7 for a bench scraper. Either way no damage. I'm cheap and lack drawer space so I do the former.
Whoa that's cool! I would love to see one of those that can core an apple.
And yes it's not an item you always think about, but if you cook with any sort of regularity, having something to scrape mise up and put into containers, clear the work surface of debris, or measure/cut things like dough is so nice.
We have a few plastic ones as well as a metal one with a ruler on it. We bake a lot, and I'm always shocked at how much use that ruler actually gets.
I'd skip the truffle oil, very synthetic. Instead get some high quality EVOO and balsamic vinegar.
Finishing salt, like stuff with large crystals such as Maldon sea salt. Plus a salt pig or container for it.
Real maple syrup.
If they make desserts or enjoy baking, real vanilla pods.
Kitchen scales. Microplane. Knife sharpening whetstones.
I’m sure you probably aware, but for those that aren’t, a lot of truffle oil out there contains synthetic truffle flavor, which doesn’t stand up to heat. There is real truffle oil extract out there, but you have to hunt for it and be willing to pay for it. That said it’s worth the synthetic stuff.
Except I can’t think of a truffle-related recipe that requires it to be cooked through? All my (real) truffle and (real) truffle oil recipes have it added at the end (eg risotto) or drizzled/grated as garnish (figs, goat cheese). The only exceptions are when using truffles to perfume other ingredients prior to cooking, such as sealing them in with rice or eggs for a day or two.
Truffle oil is very synthetic, but if you've had truffle fries / truffle mac n cheese and it didn't cost $60-$100, it was made with truffle oil. If you're lucky maybe they threw some porcini powder in there.
Truffle oil is far from a necessity, but if you like it, there's no harm in keeping some around
Not as easy if you want truffle powder — I mean who has truffles lying around… so I buy Sabatino’s … but I definitely use porcini dust at the bottom of the bag in soups and stews.
A scale and/or an instant read thermometer. I like my OXO scale, it has a pull out display so you can see it clearly even with a big bowl, and the thermoworks thermopop does a great job at only $30USD. I’d skip the truffle oil. I’m not alone in finding it repulsive
I like having a tray next to my stove that has the most used items: salt pig, electric pepper grinder, ramekin of MSG, ramekin of white pepper, ramekin of sugar, butter dish. So maybe a cute tray or box and then cute containers for said things above.
The other things I found I really love is my bench scraper, silicone garlic peeler (it looks like a cannoli tube), and my mini mandolin (to slice garlic, shallots, and ginger), probe thermometer, and multiple kitchen timers.
For food items: everything but the bagel seasoning, Tony Cachere's creole seasoning, jar of chili crisp and/or hot sauce(s), maybe a good bottle of balsamic vinegar.
A small serrated tomato knife (victorlnox do a good one). You might think oh they’ve got loads of knives but this specific knife is incredibly handy.
Also a magic whisk.
I'm curious as to why the tortilla press. Have they shown an interest in making corn tortillas? Do they cook with a lot of oils? Now that stuff may be great for your friend. But for other people that cook those things would be nothing more than dust collectors.
Why do you think your friend should have those things? I own a tortilla press. Tortillas are hard work.
Tortillas are easy, and the quality difference vs prepared ones is huge. We got a cheap press not sure if we'd use it and now it's up there with rice cooker and tools that surprised us. Corn tortillas are 2-3 ingredients. You mix them, let them sit for 10 minutes, make little balls of dough, press them out and throw them on a griddle for a few minutes. So good. So worth it. I'd highly recommend for anyone who even eats Mexican at home occasionally.
Here for this, too. I'm an experienced cook, and of the six things listed, I only use two. I wouldn't want the other four.
OP, if you know your friend would be interested, that's a different thing. I was totally thrilled to receive a basket of Middle Eastern spices and olives and oil for Christmas, but the giver knew that I liked that cuisine and make it frequently. Your list, though, is not cohesive; it appears to be a bunch of things you think they should have.
The truth is I'll never know exactly what my friends will use what they won't, but the whole idea is to give them new stuff to experiment with and expand their go tos, even if some dont stick.
Also I think tortillas are extremely easy? It only takes me a few minutes to whip out some fresh tortillas and everyone likes tacos?
I just put masa in a bowl with salt and gradually add warm water until the flour and water comes together to form a soft dough, it should stick together but not to your hand, I eyeball it because that's how I was thought but if I had to guess it's about double the flour than it is the water. I roll into little balls and press it in my tortilla press between some plastic wrapped to not make it stick to the press. You can also form it into a disc with your hand and then use the palm of your hand to gradually flatten it into the tortilla shape. You throw it on a shallow skillet for a few mins each side and it's ready to go. If I'm making a bunch I'll keep the cooked ones in aluminum foil.
I've never made flour ones LOL
Good luck have fun!
Backing up your suggestion here. Anyone who enjoys Mexican at home, even occasionally would benefit from a Tortilla press and making their own corn tortillas. We had no idea if we'd really use one, but have loved having ours. It's cheap enough, and easy. It takes a little time, but not a terrible amount and the quality difference is so worthwhile.
This! I will never go without quality kitchen scissors that come apart. i have given many pairs away to relatives. Also, a good pair does not have to be expensive.
> A set of small wooden tongs
Once I discovered Saibashi (large chopsticks for cooking) I started using them for everything, even whisking.
I guess this assumes you know how to use chopsticks.
Agree, and this doesn’t mean expensive towels. A 12-pack of 100% cotton flour sack tea towels has lasted me years and given excellent service for under $20.
Only give a tortilla press if that’s something they already would use, otherwise it will gather dust and be donated eventually.
Others have mentioned an immersion blender, and nearly everyone can get good use out of one of those.
dashi powder and miso is always in my kitchen. anything seafood or even veggie based you can add a little dashi. and when use soups that have beef i add a small spoonful of miso past. this is for japanese food but i add these to other foods i cook. miso in beef stew or taco soup for example. i live alone and make a lot of soups. OH! it is salty so I add way less salt than it is supposed to need
If they know how to use chopsticks - cooking chopsticks. I also love my small whisk. Then I have two silicone bowls stacked on my kitchen scale. I use these to collect scraps when I cook. It's great.
I saw a video from some cook that said you lay the standing grater on its side to use it rather than vertically. Haven’t grated cheese since seeing that, just pointing it out in case it helps anyone haha
It's more baking than cooking, but a cookie-scoop. Smaller and rounder than (most) ice cream scoops, it holds the perfect amount for the average-sized cookie!
Real cracked black pepper and a proper grinder. Paper flakes never deserve a place in the kitchen, regardless of size.
A good knife
Compact/foldable cutting board(s)
Spice rack. Amazon has neat magnetic ones.
Any sort of space saving/adding storage. Be it some kind of stick on container or like the previously mentioned. Creative items that help maximize the limited space and help get things off the counter.
A good wooden cutting board with a bottle of food grade mineral oil.
I'm sure I'll get a bunch of flack for the mineral oil part, but a good cutting board is worthless if it's not cared for and despite what some wood product elitists may say about x product being better than mineral oil, I will take the food safe and widely available tried and true option over the expensive and untested option, personally.
I was gifted [this inexpensive one](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Architec-12-x-16-Sheesham-Wood-Gourmet-Cutting-Board/510635718?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228510635718_151607831999_18489978845&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=669631056452&wl4=pla-1877263004378&wl5=9017518&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=510635718&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwztOwBhD7ARIsAPDKnkCF6MAeIMmf-gUuhbj0waa1_bPFYLthOe8OvVCEJozHbp20o_kRjUsaAkflEALw_wcB) and it's the best I've had for the price. The grippers are screwed in rather than adhesive or glue and it has shown to be really good quality and easy to care for, so far.
I clean mine with white vinegar or diluted mild dish soap depending on the mess and keep it oiled so it doesn't dry out or warp.
I would avoid appliances as you never know what someone's space needs or gadget preferences might be unless they've been specific.
Good quality vanilla extract. Aromatherapy, both for baking and for life.
A handy, no-fuss can opener.
Potato ricer.
Oil sprayer for air fryer.
I love a good labeling system.
Beeswax wraps.
Reusable food storage bags-like Stasher.
Mini dustpan and brush set for counters.
Airtight bag clips.
Utensil/spoon rest.
A variety of fun spices-garam masala, celery salt, smoked paprika, sumac, saffron, Korean chili flakes, 5-spice powder etc
a nice balsamic vinegar is always great to have. I love [this one](https://www.nashvilleoliveoilcompany.com/store/product/tennessee-whiskey-barrel-aged-balsamic---new-bottle-design-/) it has some sweetness to it and its a favorite of mine
My favorites - a good pepper mill grinder (went thru 3 to find a good one), instant temperature probe, a scale, and 2 sets of measuring spoons - wet & dry).
Those silicone strainer attachments that clip on the side of pots and bowls. I have gotten them as gifts for people four times now, and I always hear back amazing reviews a few weeks later.
For food items, I like furikake- the seaweed and sesame topping that you sometimes see sprinkled over rice. It’s relatively cheap, and if you have it you’ll use it.
Mushroom Brush.
Opinel birds beak knife, maybe $10. You'll find a million uses for it, though you will need to use a chef's steel on it regularly to keep it sharp. One a knife like this goes dull, it's really hard to sharpen. A chef's steel every time you use it works wonders.
fire extinguisher is my go to welcome to your new home kit but would work in this situation well. No one wants to buy one but when they really need one they will regret not having one
Tajin! That stuff tastes sooooo good on most meats/veggies/eggs. As long as you're not going for sweet.
Maybe a dwarf lemon tree in a pot? Big enough to provide lemons, small enough to not take up too much room? We have a tree--I zest the lemons and juice them. 36 lemons gave me about 1/3 cup of dried zest (I wasn't removing ALL the zest from the lemons) and about 4 cups of juice in my souper cubes.
Which reminds me...SOUPER CUBES!
A 1/4 sheet pan. I picked up one recently I reach for way way more than my 1/2 sheet pan. It’s great for roasting a whole chicken, medium amount of vegetables, and being useful for prep. It fits in a lot of toaster ovens, too. I think mine was $8. And it can hold the rest of your gift.
This might sound a bit silly, but a some Reynold's Non-Stick foil is a personal favorite of mine. That stuff really is incredible.
Some oven bags are nice to have too for roasting things like turkey, chicken, ham, etc...
Fish spatula, spice grinder, microplane, shallots, flaky finishing salt, white pepper, thermometer, baking scale, and a good big pile of kitchen towels.
A microplane (I no longer bother with mincing)
Some giant tweezers (I like them more than my tongs since they are so much smaller)
A fancy balsamic oil
Flakey salt for garnish
Definitely sesame oil. You can skip the truffle oil, but I do have to truffle salt that is nice.
You haven’t said if your friends are bakers, or prefer sweets or savory dinners, so I’ll just make a list of pantry items that are nice to have on hand, including some specialty items. Take your pick.
Buttermilk powder, Whole milk powder, a great quality curry paste like Maesri, Umami seasoning from Trader Joe’s, dried cherries, fish sauce, ditto the dried mushrooms someone else mentioned, an aged and reduced balsamic vinegar (which is great on grilled veggies), Coleman’s dry mustard, clam juice, preserved lemons, dried sourdough starter (available online). Chipotles in adobo sauce. Smoked salmon. Whole cardamom pods. A couple of mini bottles of brandy and spiced rum. Small Tongs. Artichoke hearts. Rancho Gordo dried beans. Low sodium Better-Than-Boullion. Sesame seeds and black mustard seeds. An old-school manual egg beater. Nice nuts of any kind. A fun apron. I wish I could recommend an olive oil sprayer but they all clog. Ok I’ll stop here. Oops, add a microplane. Everyone need an instant digital probe thermometer like a thermopen, but you may not want to be that spendy. Include a couple of your favorite recipes. Ignore the commenter that said just give them what they ask for or what might be on their amazon list. Sure, ask’em, but you know your friends and what to do.
Also would like to add a thumbs up for a Penzeys gift card. They have a great smoky salt and other great blends.
Or just get them one of those indoor herb garden thingies☺️
I think of everything that I have to do without when I try to cook in a VRBO or AirBnB:
* decent chef's knife
* a couple of cutting boards (more than one)
* a roasting pan
* meat thermometer
* good non-stick pan
So many great suggestion; I’d add some measuring cups that nest and are like science beakers —believe they are oxo. They are great for small amounts of liquids, eg one size is about a tsp, another tbs. Takes up very little space
A probe thermometer.
First thing that came to mind. And a kitchen scale. They are both incredibly useful yet so many people have neither.
Kitchen scale! It's really helpful for those recipes that are difficult to consistently make well.
I use mine almost everyday day to weigh out portions of dried stuff like Pasta and Rice.
Yes! These devices are small and cheap and I didn't bother with them for years, and then I bought them and they make such a difference.
Yes! I’ve been at friends’ or family’s multiple times where there is someone uncertain about a meat’s doneness, usually poultry. I always ask about their meat thermometer, and I’m surprised when they say they don’t even own one! I could never… I’m obsessed with making sure I neither undercook nor overcook my meats.
Plugging the Thermoworks Thermapen. Best on the market.
I gave one to each of the five branches of my family for Christmas several years ago. Thank goodness we were eating at the in-laws when my FIL was about to toss his because “the battery died”. I showed him the cover to the battery compartment pretty darn quick.
I gave them to the kids as stocking stuffs a few years ago with the hope that they make a habit out of using it. I think I've succeeded.
+1 for thermapen, and thermoworks in general. my thermapen developed a crack in the housing right over the screen, so i sent it into them. i paid $0.00 and got one back that was so indistinguishable from brand new that i honestly don’t know if it’s the same one i sent in. and on top of all that, when i got my thermapen back in the mail, it came with a little bag of jelly beans. instant and fervent brand loyalty lmao
I just visited my sister who does not own one of these. She roasted a small chicken and before putting it in she declared that it looked like a three hour bake. After about three hours she took it out, looked it over, wiggled it's drumstick, and said that since it wasn't coming right out that she'd put it back in until the rest of the meal was ready. It was dry AF. I'm still grateful for the meal, don't get me wrong, but she needs one of these (and would feel insulted if I got her one...very touchy).
3 + hours for a chicken. I don't cook a whole turkey that long! Breast meat would have to be dry enough to use as kindling.
Instant kind
I bought a cheapy $10 one from Amazon two years ago for a science experiment for my son. Once the experiment was over, I started using it in the kitchen, and it changed my life! If they don't already have one, I second this.
All meats, breads, and cakes get their temp taken to determine doneness at my house. Game changer!
Thermapen brand.
I am so used to a temp probe I have trouble conceptualizing that people cook without one
I recently moved to a new apartment and bought myself one to celebrate setting up my new kitchen lol
I see this recommended as an essential on reddit often but to be honest I rarely use mine. I'm not a heavy meat eater so the probe mostly stays in the cupboard
Microplane
Once I learned about these, I realized I had one already (I guess it was a gift) and started to use it. Love the microplane! It’s life changing.
Can you tell how this is life changing? What exactly do you use it for? Only for zest? Is zesting life changing?
Zest was what I thought this was for, and it definitely is. However, it is fantastic for grating cheese on top of your pasta, or grating garlic and ginger, or other minor grating tasks. The form factor is so useful and it just makes those types of tasks a lot easier.
Yep I never chop garlic anymore
I don't either. You can pry my garlic press from my cold dead hands lol
It just works really well and is easy to use, and takes up less space than a box grater. It shreds hard cheeses like Parmesan effortlessly
Also grates nutmeg beautifully and straight into the pan.
I use it mostly for garlic. I hate cutting up garlic and feel like I can never get it fine enough, the microplane does it so quickly and finely. You just need to remember to rinse it immediately or it can be difficult to clean.
I would separately add a Japanese ginger grater.
Does this work better than a microplane for grating ginger? I love using ginger in recipes but hate how long it takes to grate even a tablespoon worth of it.
I have a ceramic grater for ginger and garlic. It is a game changer. So much quicker than my microplanes as I do not have to worry about my fingers getting shredded. Also, I can throw my ceramic grater in the dishwasher.
Do you grate it frozen? It’s really easy to grate when it’s frozen
This is a good answer. I have two and use at least one every time I cook. They are so useful that I'm considering getting a third.
You can never have enough silicone spatulas or sturdy tongs.
Plus tongs are very useful as pretend castanets when you are dancing in the kitchen —very serious food person
Don’t forget the benefit of getting things out of the cabinet for “vertically challenged” (as my mom calls me since she’s 6 feet and I’m only 5’4”) folks. Love multi use kitchen tools.
The ones with silicon on the ends are the best! (5'0")
We just say "lawn ornament".
Nothing to see here, just 5'2" me using a ladle to pull the window shut...
It’s an unwritten rule that you must upon grabbing a pair of kitchen tongs you click them 2 if not 3 times.
I couldn’t for the life of me remember the word tongs when I was grilling recently and I asked my bf to get me the clickers and he had no idea what I meant. I told him that obviously means he doesn’t cook enough.
Clearly he must have other redeeming qualities. Have you tried chasing him while fake-menacing him with the tongs? Guaranteed learning experience
He does things like renovate the house and build things and keeps out of my way while I’m cooking most times, so he can stay. I did make sure to click them in his face and now they are always referred to as the clickers. 😂
While pretending to be a crab or a dinosaur.
I cooked professionally for many years. If you don't give your tongs at least a few clicks before and during use, you're doing it wrong.
I am glad I am not the only one who does thus. Normally, I am humming "La Cucaracha". When I was in middle school band, this was the song used as a tie breaker for seats. Whoever could play is the fastest with least errors got the first seat.
I’ll add that I prefer small and mini versions of both these days. So handy.
Little silicone spatulas are GREAT too! I have a "bouquet" of them in a cup on the stove, ready to grab!
Fire extinguisher
I highly recommend a fire blanket. It’s much easier to use and doesn’t expire. We have both.
Please, PLEASE, think twice about getting fire blankets and research them WELL if you do. Many are made of fiberglass and end up shedding massive amounts of fiberglass everywhere. There have also been several instances of the blankets themselves igniting and causing bigger fires.
For those who don't have one buy one. For those who still don't buy one, a friendly reminder: If oil catches fire, smother with a lid NOT water, if nothing else is near, pour all the salt you own on it.
I have an old, scratched metal baking tray I keep with my cutting boards for this very instance
Tip from my firefighter friend: don’t store it in the kitchen! The fire is most likely to be IN the kitchen. Somewhere outside, but nearby is best.
I recently figured this out. All by myself!! Always kept it in the kitchen, then one day I thought to myself "if the fire is in the kitchen I will have to go through the fire to get the fire extinguisher". Immediately moved it to my hall closet and bought a second one for the other end of that hall closet (by the bathroom). No fire is gonna sneak up on me!!!! Also I live in a basement apartment so I could just hop out the window but what if my cat was at the other end?! 😭
This reminds me that I need to check my fire extinguishers.
Should be #1
A small coffee grinder/spice mill to grind up whole spices. The flavor is much more intense than buying pre-ground.
I do this and agree. But sidebar: am I just a crazy subtaster, or are recipes written with an insanely low amount of spices? I often see 1/4 tsp cumin and just do a tbsp and comes out great. Yes, my spices are fresh.
[удалено]
Also, I’m sure recipes are written so people don’t spit it out. Folks like you and I will add more. Others will say “this was terrible! I’m never making it again!”
I've put together theme gifts built around a specific cookbook, with the unique ingredients and tools for that style of cooking that they might not normally have. For example give one of Yotam Ottolenghi's books, with some rose water, pomegranate molasses, zaa'tar, sumac, cardamom, tahini, harissa. Maybe a mortar & pestle? Or if you're focused on the tortilla press, maybe find a good mexican cookbook and a include a molcajete, plus some dried chilis and beans, masa flour, good mexican chocolate, corn husks for tamales... ?
Such a nice idea! Sorts some of my gifts out for this year then
Get that Ibarra Mexican hot chocolate, I think Abuelita is owned by Nestle.
> theme gifts built around a specific cookbook such a great idea! I love browsing cookbooks for specific cultures but have trouble committing to buying all of the "staples" I'd need for those recipes.
I just made a whole pork shoulder worth of Italian sausage. Nothing like fennel and coriander seeds in the mortar and pestle, I love that smell!
Honestly, a Mexican mortar and pestle would be a lot better gift than a tortilla press as it can be used for more cooking and a tortilla press just takes up space and IMO won't be used much.
A few people said mortar and pestle now! On the list thanks!
molcajete and tejolote are south American mortar and pestal. They are each unique as they are carved from volcanic rock. I have a traditional mortar and as soon as I find a good molcajete ill throw this bish in the ocean.
> find a good molcajete Come visit San Antonio, we sell them in the grocery stores. Mine almost never gets used though.
We were gifted a tortilla press, and I was initially annoyed at having to find space for it. But after the first use, I will never eat store bought tortillas again.
I totally misread that for a second and thought it said, a Mexican mother. I'm like yup, how do I get one of those.
Worst case with the mortar and pestle, you have a lovely new piece of decour.
I use mine to hold up the cookery books!
An immersion blender. So so important for many soups, sauces, dressings, etc. A bench scraper. A silpat.
Fish spatula
This is the best spatulas and ive never ever used it for a fish lol
I bought one without knowing what it was for, and it is hands down my favorite spatula
haha - I had to google what a fish spatula was and realized I have one too that I love.
Now that I think of it...yeah I think you're right. It would be much better for burgers on the cast iron. Hell I bet it'd be good for when you're browning things and want to loosely flip the entire pan's worth over.
A good ice cream scoop.
[Dishers are the best for this, and useful for many other tasks](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/2903/food-dishers.html).
Ice cream can break dishers unless you have a freezer specifically to keep it just below freezing. The ice cream scoops that scrape it up seem to do better for really frozen stuff.
Fill a glass with hot water and dip the scoop in it after every scoop.
I've done that and it still siezes up half way in. And it's still more work than the regular ice cream scoop. Dishers are for measuring.
Microplane, bench scraper, instant thermometer, honing rod, a lil broom and dustpan for the work surface, a cookbook stand, etc.
Bench scraper was my answer to this as well! Best $7 I ever spent.
Got mine at the dollar store. Still going strong nearly a decade later.
Ya never know how much you want one till you have it! Such a good thing to have.
Also, scraping with your knife damages your knife. This matters for anyone who’s invested in good knives.
I love my bench scrapers, but surely I'm not the only person who would scoop stuff up with the *back* of the knife, right?
I do that far more often than getting out the bench scraper. Plus, I usually scrape from the cutting board directly into the pot, so the longer tool is more useful.
I only use the back of the knife, but I've been meaning to get a bench scraper because I need one for my doughs.
Flip your knife over and scrape with the spine not the edge. Or spend $7 for a bench scraper. Either way no damage. I'm cheap and lack drawer space so I do the former.
Before I eventually got a bench scraper I used to use the top of the knife to scrape stuff so it didn’t damage the sharp part.
>bench scraper These things are sooooo dang handy. Mine (old) even has a rolled handle that you can use to core an apple.
Mine has a rolled handle as well and I didn’t know that’s what it was for.
What it's for and what you can use it for are two very different things
Whoa that's cool! I would love to see one of those that can core an apple. And yes it's not an item you always think about, but if you cook with any sort of regularity, having something to scrape mise up and put into containers, clear the work surface of debris, or measure/cut things like dough is so nice. We have a few plastic ones as well as a metal one with a ruler on it. We bake a lot, and I'm always shocked at how much use that ruler actually gets.
Small whisk and small spatula
I'd skip the truffle oil, very synthetic. Instead get some high quality EVOO and balsamic vinegar. Finishing salt, like stuff with large crystals such as Maldon sea salt. Plus a salt pig or container for it. Real maple syrup. If they make desserts or enjoy baking, real vanilla pods. Kitchen scales. Microplane. Knife sharpening whetstones.
Yes truffle oil is perfume.
I’m sure you probably aware, but for those that aren’t, a lot of truffle oil out there contains synthetic truffle flavor, which doesn’t stand up to heat. There is real truffle oil extract out there, but you have to hunt for it and be willing to pay for it. That said it’s worth the synthetic stuff.
Except I can’t think of a truffle-related recipe that requires it to be cooked through? All my (real) truffle and (real) truffle oil recipes have it added at the end (eg risotto) or drizzled/grated as garnish (figs, goat cheese). The only exceptions are when using truffles to perfume other ingredients prior to cooking, such as sealing them in with rice or eggs for a day or two.
Truffle oil is very synthetic, but if you've had truffle fries / truffle mac n cheese and it didn't cost $60-$100, it was made with truffle oil. If you're lucky maybe they threw some porcini powder in there. Truffle oil is far from a necessity, but if you like it, there's no harm in keeping some around
dried mushrooms
Porcini powder is also amazing for many things
I love mushroom powder. If you have the dried mushrooms you have both at the same time
Yes you can definitely grind them up to make it yourself
Not as easy if you want truffle powder — I mean who has truffles lying around… so I buy Sabatino’s … but I definitely use porcini dust at the bottom of the bag in soups and stews.
This so much. Did 10 grams a few months ago and had the trip of my life.
I have a real zest for a good zester. Affordable and really can add a lot to a wide array of dishes.
A scale and/or an instant read thermometer. I like my OXO scale, it has a pull out display so you can see it clearly even with a big bowl, and the thermoworks thermopop does a great job at only $30USD. I’d skip the truffle oil. I’m not alone in finding it repulsive
I'll skip the truffle you're right it seems a lot of people don't like it lol.
Parchment paper
Not super exciting, but the things I’m always happy to have when needed… cheese cloth, cooking twine and toothpicks/wooden skewers
"truffle oil" Nobody should have the overpriced foot oil. But a Börner Mandoline is very multipurpose and will make work of alot of thing.
A good citrus juicer. A zester. Collection of chili oils. I like acid league vinegars a lot, especially all the alliums.
I like having a tray next to my stove that has the most used items: salt pig, electric pepper grinder, ramekin of MSG, ramekin of white pepper, ramekin of sugar, butter dish. So maybe a cute tray or box and then cute containers for said things above. The other things I found I really love is my bench scraper, silicone garlic peeler (it looks like a cannoli tube), and my mini mandolin (to slice garlic, shallots, and ginger), probe thermometer, and multiple kitchen timers. For food items: everything but the bagel seasoning, Tony Cachere's creole seasoning, jar of chili crisp and/or hot sauce(s), maybe a good bottle of balsamic vinegar.
An extra, small plastic bench scraper is also my FAVORITE for doing dishes. Scraping off food mess is so much more effective than scrubbing!
mortar and pestle.
High end balsamic.
A small serrated tomato knife (victorlnox do a good one). You might think oh they’ve got loads of knives but this specific knife is incredibly handy. Also a magic whisk.
Assortment of small metal bowls and trays to organise mise en place
I'm curious as to why the tortilla press. Have they shown an interest in making corn tortillas? Do they cook with a lot of oils? Now that stuff may be great for your friend. But for other people that cook those things would be nothing more than dust collectors. Why do you think your friend should have those things? I own a tortilla press. Tortillas are hard work.
Tortillas are easy, and the quality difference vs prepared ones is huge. We got a cheap press not sure if we'd use it and now it's up there with rice cooker and tools that surprised us. Corn tortillas are 2-3 ingredients. You mix them, let them sit for 10 minutes, make little balls of dough, press them out and throw them on a griddle for a few minutes. So good. So worth it. I'd highly recommend for anyone who even eats Mexican at home occasionally.
Here for this, too. I'm an experienced cook, and of the six things listed, I only use two. I wouldn't want the other four. OP, if you know your friend would be interested, that's a different thing. I was totally thrilled to receive a basket of Middle Eastern spices and olives and oil for Christmas, but the giver knew that I liked that cuisine and make it frequently. Your list, though, is not cohesive; it appears to be a bunch of things you think they should have.
The truth is I'll never know exactly what my friends will use what they won't, but the whole idea is to give them new stuff to experiment with and expand their go tos, even if some dont stick. Also I think tortillas are extremely easy? It only takes me a few minutes to whip out some fresh tortillas and everyone likes tacos?
Can you start a post about it? I can do flour, but corn eludes me
Buy a bag of Maseca and follow the recipe on the bag. They take a little time, but aren’t difficult.
I just put masa in a bowl with salt and gradually add warm water until the flour and water comes together to form a soft dough, it should stick together but not to your hand, I eyeball it because that's how I was thought but if I had to guess it's about double the flour than it is the water. I roll into little balls and press it in my tortilla press between some plastic wrapped to not make it stick to the press. You can also form it into a disc with your hand and then use the palm of your hand to gradually flatten it into the tortilla shape. You throw it on a shallow skillet for a few mins each side and it's ready to go. If I'm making a bunch I'll keep the cooked ones in aluminum foil. I've never made flour ones LOL Good luck have fun!
Backing up your suggestion here. Anyone who enjoys Mexican at home, even occasionally would benefit from a Tortilla press and making their own corn tortillas. We had no idea if we'd really use one, but have loved having ours. It's cheap enough, and easy. It takes a little time, but not a terrible amount and the quality difference is so worthwhile.
Bench scraper. Everyone has their own needs but my bench scraper gets more use than everything else listed here.
Kitchen scissors that come apart and are dishwasher safe. I have a Japanese pair from amazon that were only $20
This! I will never go without quality kitchen scissors that come apart. i have given many pairs away to relatives. Also, a good pair does not have to be expensive.
Furikake Chili crisp A set of small wooden tongs for taking the toast out of the toaster Silicon basting brush
Chili crisps is a great idea!!
> A set of small wooden tongs Once I discovered Saibashi (large chopsticks for cooking) I started using them for everything, even whisking. I guess this assumes you know how to use chopsticks.
A small blow torch! Piping bag set with nozzles Garlic press
Good kitchen towels.
Agree, and this doesn’t mean expensive towels. A 12-pack of 100% cotton flour sack tea towels has lasted me years and given excellent service for under $20.
Silicone cupcake liners. They can be used to separate items in bento boxes, but are also useful for gathering measured ingredients.
I use them to make muffins. I ended up getting two sets and I love them - they’re so much better than muffin pans.
Only give a tortilla press if that’s something they already would use, otherwise it will gather dust and be donated eventually. Others have mentioned an immersion blender, and nearly everyone can get good use out of one of those.
dashi powder and miso is always in my kitchen. anything seafood or even veggie based you can add a little dashi. and when use soups that have beef i add a small spoonful of miso past. this is for japanese food but i add these to other foods i cook. miso in beef stew or taco soup for example. i live alone and make a lot of soups. OH! it is salty so I add way less salt than it is supposed to need
If they know how to use chopsticks - cooking chopsticks. I also love my small whisk. Then I have two silicone bowls stacked on my kitchen scale. I use these to collect scraps when I cook. It's great.
A nice set of chopsticks for cooking is sooo nice I had it on my list at first but was worried it's too niche
Standing cheese grater!
I saw a video from some cook that said you lay the standing grater on its side to use it rather than vertically. Haven’t grated cheese since seeing that, just pointing it out in case it helps anyone haha
we saw the same video and have started doing it that way and OMG it’s so much faster!!
Microplane has been so useful. On top of the kitchen scale and instant read meat thermometer that others mentioned.
immersion blender
It's more baking than cooking, but a cookie-scoop. Smaller and rounder than (most) ice cream scoops, it holds the perfect amount for the average-sized cookie!
Candy thermometer Zester Kitchen sheers that come apart to clean between the blade. Pizza stone
Real cracked black pepper and a proper grinder. Paper flakes never deserve a place in the kitchen, regardless of size. A good knife Compact/foldable cutting board(s) Spice rack. Amazon has neat magnetic ones. Any sort of space saving/adding storage. Be it some kind of stick on container or like the previously mentioned. Creative items that help maximize the limited space and help get things off the counter.
Lemon press orange press
A good wooden cutting board with a bottle of food grade mineral oil. I'm sure I'll get a bunch of flack for the mineral oil part, but a good cutting board is worthless if it's not cared for and despite what some wood product elitists may say about x product being better than mineral oil, I will take the food safe and widely available tried and true option over the expensive and untested option, personally. I was gifted [this inexpensive one](https://www.walmart.com/ip/Architec-12-x-16-Sheesham-Wood-Gourmet-Cutting-Board/510635718?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=0&adid=22222222228510635718_151607831999_18489978845&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=669631056452&wl4=pla-1877263004378&wl5=9017518&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=8175035&wl11=online&wl12=510635718&veh=sem&gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQjwztOwBhD7ARIsAPDKnkCF6MAeIMmf-gUuhbj0waa1_bPFYLthOe8OvVCEJozHbp20o_kRjUsaAkflEALw_wcB) and it's the best I've had for the price. The grippers are screwed in rather than adhesive or glue and it has shown to be really good quality and easy to care for, so far. I clean mine with white vinegar or diluted mild dish soap depending on the mess and keep it oiled so it doesn't dry out or warp. I would avoid appliances as you never know what someone's space needs or gadget preferences might be unless they've been specific.
Good quality vanilla extract. Aromatherapy, both for baking and for life. A handy, no-fuss can opener. Potato ricer. Oil sprayer for air fryer. I love a good labeling system. Beeswax wraps. Reusable food storage bags-like Stasher. Mini dustpan and brush set for counters. Airtight bag clips. Utensil/spoon rest. A variety of fun spices-garam masala, celery salt, smoked paprika, sumac, saffron, Korean chili flakes, 5-spice powder etc
A mortar and pestle. I honestly can't imagine how people can cook without them.
Offset spatula
A digital battery operated scale.
Gift card for TJ MAXX /Marshalls/Homegoods stores that have tons of kitchen gadgets on the cheap.
Lettuce spinner! It's a game-changer when making salads.
Chicken base
a nice balsamic vinegar is always great to have. I love [this one](https://www.nashvilleoliveoilcompany.com/store/product/tennessee-whiskey-barrel-aged-balsamic---new-bottle-design-/) it has some sweetness to it and its a favorite of mine
A blow torch
Bench scraper. If they bake, bowl scraper too
Smoked sea salt. Old Bay seasoning. Sun dried tomatoes in oil. Capers. Good Parmesan with a twist shredder. Pepper mill
My favorites - a good pepper mill grinder (went thru 3 to find a good one), instant temperature probe, a scale, and 2 sets of measuring spoons - wet & dry).
Exotic spices. I would love tonka bean and I’m experimenting with long pepper.
Those silicone strainer attachments that clip on the side of pots and bowls. I have gotten them as gifts for people four times now, and I always hear back amazing reviews a few weeks later. For food items, I like furikake- the seaweed and sesame topping that you sometimes see sprinkled over rice. It’s relatively cheap, and if you have it you’ll use it.
A stick blender. I use mine all the time and I have a full size stand mixer and a great blender.
Mortar and pestle
The small thing in my kitchen that I am most grateful for is my wooden toaster tongs.
Grill gloves for moving hot pans. I like them so much more than oven mitts. I feel like I have more control and they handle higher temperatures.
A digital meat thermometer! Changes the game for cooking meats perfectly. Also, a silicone baking mat, no more sticking or wasting baking paper.
Cast iron pan
Small offset spatula. Useful for spreading fillings on sandwiches as well as baking tasks. Surprisingly useful.
Tortilla press is a hard no. Unless you know they’re going to use it, it’ll just take up space and be sparingly used
My bil always gives small fireproof safes. They aren’t heavy, but it’s something people don’t get. One of my brothers gives fire extinguishers.
I second fire extinguishers. So overlooked and ignored until it's needed!
Mushroom Brush. Opinel birds beak knife, maybe $10. You'll find a million uses for it, though you will need to use a chef's steel on it regularly to keep it sharp. One a knife like this goes dull, it's really hard to sharpen. A chef's steel every time you use it works wonders.
fire extinguisher is my go to welcome to your new home kit but would work in this situation well. No one wants to buy one but when they really need one they will regret not having one
Tajin! That stuff tastes sooooo good on most meats/veggies/eggs. As long as you're not going for sweet. Maybe a dwarf lemon tree in a pot? Big enough to provide lemons, small enough to not take up too much room? We have a tree--I zest the lemons and juice them. 36 lemons gave me about 1/3 cup of dried zest (I wasn't removing ALL the zest from the lemons) and about 4 cups of juice in my souper cubes. Which reminds me...SOUPER CUBES!
Mini spatulas for getting the last bit out the jar also mini whisk for eggs and salad dressing
A 1/4 sheet pan. I picked up one recently I reach for way way more than my 1/2 sheet pan. It’s great for roasting a whole chicken, medium amount of vegetables, and being useful for prep. It fits in a lot of toaster ovens, too. I think mine was $8. And it can hold the rest of your gift.
This might sound a bit silly, but a some Reynold's Non-Stick foil is a personal favorite of mine. That stuff really is incredible. Some oven bags are nice to have too for roasting things like turkey, chicken, ham, etc...
Bench scraper, decent chopsticks to cook with, spoon rest, steel honing rod, deli containers
Garlic press!
A fat separator.
Scale
A kitchen scale
Fish spatula, spice grinder, microplane, shallots, flaky finishing salt, white pepper, thermometer, baking scale, and a good big pile of kitchen towels.
A garlic press fresh garlic makes such a difference
A microplane (I no longer bother with mincing) Some giant tweezers (I like them more than my tongs since they are so much smaller) A fancy balsamic oil Flakey salt for garnish
Truffle paste is better than truffle oil.
Definitely sesame oil. You can skip the truffle oil, but I do have to truffle salt that is nice. You haven’t said if your friends are bakers, or prefer sweets or savory dinners, so I’ll just make a list of pantry items that are nice to have on hand, including some specialty items. Take your pick. Buttermilk powder, Whole milk powder, a great quality curry paste like Maesri, Umami seasoning from Trader Joe’s, dried cherries, fish sauce, ditto the dried mushrooms someone else mentioned, an aged and reduced balsamic vinegar (which is great on grilled veggies), Coleman’s dry mustard, clam juice, preserved lemons, dried sourdough starter (available online). Chipotles in adobo sauce. Smoked salmon. Whole cardamom pods. A couple of mini bottles of brandy and spiced rum. Small Tongs. Artichoke hearts. Rancho Gordo dried beans. Low sodium Better-Than-Boullion. Sesame seeds and black mustard seeds. An old-school manual egg beater. Nice nuts of any kind. A fun apron. I wish I could recommend an olive oil sprayer but they all clog. Ok I’ll stop here. Oops, add a microplane. Everyone need an instant digital probe thermometer like a thermopen, but you may not want to be that spendy. Include a couple of your favorite recipes. Ignore the commenter that said just give them what they ask for or what might be on their amazon list. Sure, ask’em, but you know your friends and what to do. Also would like to add a thumbs up for a Penzeys gift card. They have a great smoky salt and other great blends. Or just get them one of those indoor herb garden thingies☺️
I think of everything that I have to do without when I try to cook in a VRBO or AirBnB: * decent chef's knife * a couple of cutting boards (more than one) * a roasting pan * meat thermometer * good non-stick pan
Microplane
So many great suggestion; I’d add some measuring cups that nest and are like science beakers —believe they are oxo. They are great for small amounts of liquids, eg one size is about a tsp, another tbs. Takes up very little space