What kitchen device or ingredient...Follow

At some kitchen shop out at the outlet mall (Kitchen Collection, maybe?), I bought this little metal thing that you rub between your hands like a bar of soap to get rid of onion and garlic and fish odors. Since I love cooking with onions, this is very important. YAY! No need to wash my hands with ketchup any more!

I've grown fond of my acrylic canisters with ball and seal lid. I initially got two - for flour and sugar, but then got two more for coffee beans and rice.

Last week I had some leftover garden peas from the farm stand. There weren't enough for for a meal, but I shucked them and snuck them, raw, into a mexican dip that I needed to beef up a bit (salsa, sour cream, chopped tomatoes). The young people I had at my house loved it.

My latest discovery was a raspberry patch out in my woods. This is our second summer here, and I can't quite figure out how I missed it last summer, except that we've cleared alot of brush out. It's young, the vines only about thigh-high, but it's pretty extensive. I've picked about a quart of raspberries so far, and imagine I can get another quart. In a couple years the patch should be mature enought to yeild me enough for canning.

I just watched a cooking show on pbs. They tested baking pans. The Goldtouch baking pans from Williams-Sonoma won hands down for baking cornbread with the best crust. I use cast iron for corn bread.

Equipment wise, a good wok! Great things to work with. Also, finishing a beef by putting it in the oven for a short bit instead of letting it fry in a pan, tastes much better! (ofcourse, first fry it in a pan, just finish it in the oven)

As for ingredient, haven't really tried out much new to be honest.

I recently picked up a ceramic knife. I love that thing. it is a bit fragile though.

Goya Jalapeno Salsita.

A few drops on the Mexican food of your choice adds just the right zing. Not too hot, and very, very tasty.

I found out if I cook my food in the big hot door thing with the knobs.. that food comes out crispy.
such an amazing modern age we live in.. I wonder if they make food JUST for it.

My first truly sharp knife and a large bamboo cutting board. I chop almost everything that I cook, some things very finely.Last night's beef stew? Instead of stewing beef, it was a discount broiling steak with the streaks of fat cut off, and cut up into nice stew-sized chunks, with a vidalia onion. Add in a bag of frozen mixed vegeables, a packet of stew mix, and tada!

I also love my rice steamer.

I got an electric hand mixer. So pretty and no more stirring! :D

I'm so damned spoiled. I have my own lemon bush in the front yard and in my climate, it basically has ripe lemons 9/12ths of the time. The prior owners must have pruned the heck out of it to keep it this small, but I'm growing it. In the back I have a giant avocado and small plum, orange and peach. In addition to an herb garden and tomatoes.

Edited, Jul 22nd 2008 10:09am by yossarian

Really, unless you have a damn proficent skill at sharpening, I'd take them to a professional. Unless your Tarv. But preventive maintainence will go a long way, a couple swishes on a Tru hone would keep them nice and sharp.



Not to bust your bubble or anything because kitchen gadgets are cool but if you have a stainless steel faucet, it would do the exact same thing. And look snazzy while it was at it.



Edited, Jul 22nd 2008 12:15pm by Kaelesh

I received a very nice coffee grinder as a birthday gift last year. I use it almost every day. Nothing like a fresh cup of coffee house strong coffee to start my school days.