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 Favorite Kitchen Tools (Page 3)
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| Author | Topic: Favorite Kitchen Tools |
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Nieci Housemate |
posted 08-26-2003 12:40 PM
  
ok this thread is too funny. Great. Now I want a zester. my favorite kitchen tools are my garlic press and my mini food processor. I don't know how I ever existed without either. IP: Logged |
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frootloops Subletter |
posted 09-17-2003 03:03 PM
I love my ice cream machine. Sorbets, ice creams, frozen custards, granites, frozen margaritas. I havent bought ice cream since I got this machine. IP: Logged |
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jstrizzy Housemate |
posted 10-14-2003 10:10 AM
I just bought a citrus reamer that I used to make lemon bars last night. Man, is that satisfying: big heavy metal reamer, just squishing the hell out of those lemons... I also bought a zester. Zesty! IP: Logged |
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SuzyB Housemate |
posted 10-14-2003 11:33 AM
Best kitchen gadget ever: a digital meat thermometer w/alarm. The temp. sensor is attached to a long cord and goes in the meat inside the oven. The little plastic readout thingy has a magnet on it and goes on the outside of the oven. It is preprogrammed for safe meat temperatures and doneness levels, and an alarm goes off when your meat is done! No more overcooked meat or checking every 2 minutes!! Not cheap ($30-40) but I asked for it last Christmas. Also I covet my BF's mom's apple peeler-corer-slicer. Makes applesauce/pies sooo easy. Plus spiral-sliced apples are just darn cool. [Edited to say, the thermometer also has 1 temp you can program yourself. Ahhh, technology.] [This message has been edited by SuzyB (edited 10-14-2003).] IP: Logged |
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jazzberry Housemate |
posted 10-14-2003 01:05 PM
Gia, are you still zester-less? IP: Logged |
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natalie Housemate |
posted 10-14-2003 01:23 PM
My favourite kitchen gadget is by far the beautiful white Kitchen Aid stand mixer that we received for a wedding gift. I love it so much, I get misty just thinking about it  Oh, it makes baking so easy and so fun! On the Yam-patented rating scale of Martha Stewart (good) to Arthur Erickson (very bad), the Kitchen Aid stand mixer rates Martha++.Oooh, Henckel knives make cooking a pleasure. Luckily I don't have to worry about the husband trying to open cans with them or anything - he loves them more than I do (they were his wedding gift request). Other good stuff = bamboo ginger grater from Chinatown for $1, metal measuring spoons, mini whisk for sauces, stovetop espresso maker that was left behind by former tenant, and the list goes on.... IP: Logged |
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krshultz Housemate |
posted 10-14-2003 04:56 PM
All-time favorite is the GE smoothtop range (I don't have gas at this house  ) with a 5 cu. ft oven, warming zone, bridged left side burners and resizable right front. Easy to clean, consistent, and nice to look at. It's what got me into cooking.Just remembered something I like even better - the little stackable glass bowls from Williams-Sonoma. Mise en place is not overrated. Second is the Le Creuset 10" square grill pan. Bought so I could grill indoors and it's awesome. $40 off on closeout at Williams-Sonoma. I've got a set of Henckles kitchen knives, but my favorite is this ancient, at least 50 year old Sabatier chef's knife. Probably 10" long and heavy and holds an edge far longer than the stainless Henckles stuff I've got. Of course the double mezzaluna is nice, as is the over-the-sink cutting board with built in colander... I'm a gadget whore. I can't help it. IP: Logged |
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pollyhyper Housesitter |
posted 10-15-2003 07:10 AM
So unnecessary, but my mom just gave me an olive pipper (aka pitter) and it's so much fun. Those "pips" just pop right out of the olives. I use a lot of kalamatas in recipes so I actually AM putting it to use. IP: Logged |
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meggo Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 08:11 AM
I have to put in my two cents for my kitchen timers. I have two - one shaped like a flower, one shaped like a cow. I think they were about $2 each and they are SO helpful. I haven't figured out the timer on the new oven yet- and have had a bad experience setting a timer on microwaves - plus I can take this little thing anywhere. I can go putz in the garden & know when the cookies will be done. LOVE it. I also love my pampered chef knives. The ones that have the little sharpener case for them? I love that they sharpen when you put them in their case & I love that they have a case so they're not getting dinged up while in the drawer. IP: Logged |
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pollyhyper Housesitter |
posted 10-15-2003 08:27 AM
quote: My mom has the "rotato" and my brother and I literally fight over who gets to peel the potatos and apples for Thanksgiving. Those things are soooo sweet! IP: Logged |
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ecochica Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 08:42 AM
i recently bought, at a cool vintage store, an old, mechanical juice king citrus juicer. delicious, fresh grapefruit juice every day! and it's very cool to look at, too -- chrome and cream, with a 50s sensibility. also love my new microplane graters. they work wonderfully. IP: Logged |
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giamaria Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 08:53 AM
quote: Alas, I am. Why do you ask? IP: Logged |
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BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 09:11 AM
quote: I totally want one of these now that I'm making homade baby food. It would be such a time saver. Anyone know how much they run? IP: Logged |
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Nieci Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 09:17 AM
Here's one for $7, BG Edited to fix super long link. [This message has been edited by BionicGirl (edited 10-15-2003).] IP: Logged |
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meggo Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 09:24 AM
just went to that site & they might have my answer to how to store my recipes!! YAY!! IP: Logged |
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jazzberry Housemate |
posted 10-15-2003 08:28 PM
quote: I was just wondering, since it's been a couple of years since you posted that you didn't have one. No one should ever be zester-less. I feel for you. (hehe) IP: Logged |
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Nieci Housemate |
posted 10-16-2003 05:53 AM
BG, thanks for fixing that link for me - I'm still learning my way around how to do stuff like that
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giamaria Housemate |
posted 10-16-2003 07:45 AM
Maybe that's my problem. Perhaps I will get one and put in the prosperity corner of my apt. along with my new jade plant. That should solve everything, eh? IP: Logged |
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minxx Housemate |
posted 10-16-2003 08:19 AM
I can't believe that no one has said the meat tenderizer. It's not often one gets an excuse to smash something on purpose. IP: Logged |
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detinu2000 Housemate |
posted 10-16-2003 09:58 AM
quote: lol - i totally agree! I was out of pepper and didn't even realize it! I just kept using it until my dad said "you know that we ran out of pepper last week, right?" IP: Logged |
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SuzyB Housemate |
posted 10-16-2003 11:12 AM
BG, this is like the kind my BF's mom has. http://www.applesource.com/peeler.html Cast iron $25, aluminum $18. Not bad! IP: Logged |
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BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 10-16-2003 11:37 AM
No problem Nieci, and thanks for the links you guys. I'm not sure which would be handier. But I actually did it the old fashioned way this morning and used a peeler and a paring knife. Now I've got enough applesauce for Flynn for a couple of months at least. IP: Logged |
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giamaria Housemate |
posted 10-17-2003 07:00 AM
My mom always used some of the peel when she ground the apples down for applesauce so it was always this great pinkish color. Do you guys do that? I loved that as a kid. edited to say that I am cultured now and thanks to the above link realize that it was a food mill she was using, not 'grinding' the apples! duh. [This message has been edited by giamaria (edited 10-17-2003).] IP: Logged |
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bekkaboo Housesitter |
posted 10-20-2003 07:32 AM
Bumping to caution against anyone purchasing a Quick Chop, or its cousin, the Tap Tap Chopper, or any other of the bastardized versions of this useless piece of crap. I chop up a lot of vegetables for stir fry and quesadillas in my quesadilla maker (MY favorite piece of kitchen equipment...I HEART my quesadilla maker) and thought that it would save me a lot of time. It left a lot of little indentations on the things that I was trying to chop, but failed to actually chop anything, no matter how hard I pounded on it. And, to add insult to uselessness, it was a big pain in the ass to clean as well. I hate Quick Chop. IP: Logged |
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Nieci Housemate |
posted 10-21-2003 06:28 AM
I love my quick chopper, tho I tend to use my food processor more frequently! Maybe the blades on yours aren't sharp enough? IP: Logged |
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jazzberry Housemate |
posted 10-21-2003 09:53 PM
Starfrit has a new chop-chop thingy that comes in stainless-steel. It's a pretty reliable brand. I might buy that as a gift for one of my gimmick-crazed family members. bekkaboo, you might want to call the manufacturer about that. It might just be yours that is that crappy. IP: Logged |
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bekkaboo Housesitter |
posted 10-22-2003 07:07 AM
Maybe....I had 2 of them, 2 different brands, one of them was brand new and was was given to me by my boyfriend's mom (she had barely used it). And they both SUCKED ASS. What brands are you guys using? Mine were both from TV. IP: Logged |
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KirstenL4W Housemate |
posted 10-22-2003 11:34 AM
I dont know if I posted here before, but I'm posting this regardless if its duplicate or not. I love my Braun Multi-Mixer. Its a hand held mixer with beaters, dough hooks, boat motor (that handheld blender stick) and a mini food chopper. I use the chopper most often. I also love my toaster oven. Dont know what I'd do without it. Actually I am really craving my own kitchen. Only renting a room right now. More affordable. Had to make a choice - school or own place? When I'm done school I'll be able to afford all the stuff I was drooling over in the Williams-Sonoma catalog. IP: Logged |
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bassoongrlspam Housemate |
posted 10-31-2003 02:00 PM
Do people like food processors? if so, what brands/ sizes and what do you use them for? (should i have started a new thread for this?) Any help would be appreciated. IP: Logged |
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bekkaboo Housesitter |
posted 10-31-2003 02:19 PM
quote:
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Merimoo Housemate |
posted 10-31-2003 04:02 PM
I got one and couldn't figure out how to use it.
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lesliele Housemate |
posted 11-01-2003 04:05 PM
I have to chime in with my favorite kitchen tool... I got a fun rocking knife that has 2 blades and two handles. I can't remember what it's called, but it's AWESOME!!!  it makes very quick work of dicing anything, and I don't have to worry about cutting my fingers. However, you have to be really really careful about cleaning it, or you could chop off a finger!
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minxx Housemate |
posted 11-01-2003 09:23 PM
I just bought a tea kettle. It's my new favorite kitchen item. Now I'm making tea all the time. Nevermind it takes long to boil the water on the stove than in the microwave. It is so much more appealing to have the whistle of the tea kettle than the beep beep of the microwave. IP: Logged |
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ecochica Housemate |
posted 11-01-2003 10:02 PM
quote: based on your description, i think you've got a mezzaluna on your hands. great tool, i use mine a lot to chop herbs and greens. IP: Logged |
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septembergirl Housemate |
posted 11-02-2003 10:05 AM
quote: I have a Kitchenaid Little Pro, or something like that; at 5 cups it's bigger than one of those mini processors meant for tiny amounts, but still compact enough to take up almost no counter space in my tiny Manhattan kitchen. I love it for grating potatoes, onions, and so on: it takes seconds. It's a big pain to clean if you let it sit - especially the blades, which are so sharp you don't really want to be scrubbing them with only a sponge between them and your fingers. But if you rinse all the parts RIGHT AWAY with very hot water, the food comes right off. I use it for blending too, but I found out the hard way what Briezee said (on another thread?): it leaks if the liquid goes above a certain line. Which brings me to the only reason I'm not happy with it: I should have gotten the bigger size, tiny kitchen or no. Not only is it getting too small for cooking in the quantities I need, but because it is such an unusual size, Kitchenaid doesn't make any supplementary blades for it. I didn't know that when I got it. I really want to buy a julienne/french fry blade, like they have for the full size model, but it doesn't exist. IP: Logged |
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teakfreak Housemate |
posted 11-02-2003 10:13 AM
They're not really gadgets, but my two favourite things to cook with are my Emile Henry casserole dishes. They heat up so nicely and cook the food so evenly. Made some apple crisp that was to die for last week. IP: Logged |
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giamaria Housemate |
posted 11-03-2003 08:04 AM
quote: Aha, now I understand why you asked me this! (see "You know you're a Digster when..." thread) Too funny! You made my day. IP: Logged |
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LazyGoddess Housemate |
posted 11-05-2003 02:56 PM
Favorite kitchen gadget, hmmmm? I think it's a tie between the box grater and my Kitchen Aid. But then again there is the new chrome toaster or the pasta press. But, I have been known to sit and stroke my precious precious 12" cast iron skillet...the one true skillet, the one who will bind all the other skillets and allow me to finally rule the all domain of my kitchen.....bwaahahaha Yeah, I need to get out more. [This message has been edited by LazyGoddess (edited 11-05-2003).] IP: Logged |
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BionicGirl Housemate |
posted 11-25-2003 05:46 AM
Greshya's question about cookware made me think about howmuch I lurve certain pieces in my collection, most notably my big stock pot and my Dutch Oven, which I've been using lots lately now that the weather is getting crisp. I also love, love, love my wok. I use it all the time and not just for stir fries. Sigh, I love kitchen stuff.
quote: I love my food processor! I have a cuisinart, and I use it a lot... especially now that I'm making baby food on top of everything else. I also have a little mini food processor that came with my Braun 5-in-1 tool set (yet another favorite gadget, or set of gadgets). IP: Logged |
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muppet_girl Housemate |
posted 11-25-2003 06:52 AM
I fifth (or umpteenth) the food processor. Last project was peanut butter. I esp like the shredding/chopping blade: you can't beat slicing 5 apples in under a minute! Just got a mezzaluna. Now looking for things to chop *eyeing water bottle suspiciously* Anyone own metal mesh gloves? (Saw one on Queer Eye for shucking oysters.) I feel I should use these when cleaning all the blades. I'm so afraid of an accident. IP: Logged |
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