Locally Carei: Must-have gifts for the cook
This holiday season, remember expensive kitchen equipment a cook does not make. He or she has to have the desire to cook. So if you are buying these things in hopes your loved one will cook, think again. If he or she loves being in the kitchen, then he or she will love kitchen equipment. If not, buy jewelry.
I am going to give four gifts that I feel the cook needs, plus a couple of other gadget items.
The first item to buy is a good knife or set of knives. One good knife is worth 17 bad ones. An 8-inch chef’s/cook’s knife, a paring knife and a serrated bread knife are the most important. The Germans make great knives so a Wustoff, Henkel or Forschner are good choices. Many chefs like the Japenese knives like the Shun brand and Lamson is an American/German hybrid. I have both Wustoff and Henkels and a few American made Dexters for banging around with.
Next top item is a good stand mixer. A Kitchen Aid stand mixer is tops on the list because of its versatility. Cuisinart, Sunbeam and Hamilton beach are also good second choices. Some have the ability to use attachments, such as pasta makers, cheese graters, meat grinders and even ice cream makers. Decide how versatile you want your cook to be.
A food processor and/or blender are next on the list. Cusinart tops the list for home Robot coupe is the best commercial choice, but the price tag is not a value. Waring is more versitale and Cusinart is more accessible for the home cook. Breville and Hamilton Beach are a good substitute.
Rounding out my top four are hand tools. Get a good set of tools for your kitchen. These are must have: zester/microplane, pastry brush, pepper mill, kitchen shears (good for so many uses) small scale, good thermometer, timer, good peeler, balloon whisk and a good set of hi-temp rubber spatulas. You may need more based upon what you do and how much or how little you cook, but these are what I cannot live without.
For the serious cook, a mandolin is a good idea. It is indespensible for thinly slicing vegetables and potatoes. It will save you time and also create consistant size scalloped potatoes or cucumbers for your salads. Most come with attachments that will also have you crinkle cutting and event waffle-cutting vegetables. You will also be able to cut julienned vegetables and produce matchstick cuts. Be prepared to spend over $100 for a good one, but they can be had for as little as $30. I have had mine for over 20 years and still works great. BronCouke, Dalstrong and De Buyer are pricey, but a good value. On the less expensive side OXO, Progressive PL8 and KitchenAid have gotten good reviews.
Although you have lived without an immersion blender, you may wonder why once you get one. Emulsificatin is a breeze. It is great for sauces and dressings. Creating your own mayonnaise is a breeze. You are able to puree soups and sauces without the mess and danger of transferring to a blender or processor. You do it right in the pot. Prices for immersion blenders range from $30-$90. I am pleased with my Waring, but Breville makes a good immersions blender. Cusinart leads the way with a variety of blenders that all serve a purpose.
For your sophisticated chef, I would recommend getting a sous vide circulator. Sous vide is a gentle poaching of your food over a period of time with a constant temperature. It creates a melt in your mouth meal. It is great for creating moist dinners and can turn a top round steak into filet mignon. It used to cost over $1000 for a circulator, but now you can get them for under $200. Although I use a Sansaire which works great, Anova, Gourmia and Nomiku are others to consider.
We did forget the obvious: pots and pans, but that is like choosing wine, too many varietals and uses.
So remember when buying kitchen equipment, you are buying for one that has the desire to cook. Otherwise the knives will be an expensive substitute for a screwdriver.
Chef Joe Carei has been an award-winning chef in Fayette County nearly half of his life. The former PA Restaurateur of the Year now operates Ellie Mae’s Catering and Food Clubs. He can be reached at joe@elliemaescatering.com.