Looks like the folks at British kitchenware outfit üutensil decided the traditional whisk was due for a redesign. They call their updated gadget The Squisk, and claim it gets the job done faster than regular whisks, by incorporating 40% more air into your mix. They also make a reimagined potato masher called The Spudnik and say it yields fluffier mashed potatoes more quickly and easily than a standard masher. Their mortar and pestle looks the most promising: as someone driven mad by the shrapnel inevitably unleashed when pounding spices, I think their clever ball-and-socket design looks like a brilliant solution to the problem of flyaway peppercorns. Anyone out there ever use or own one of these gizmos? Curious to hear if they live up to the claims. For anyone interested in buying one of these, they’re available at chefsplanet.com.
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Tags: Gear
The rondeau is an interesting piece of cookware – a hybrid dutch oven and straight-sided skillet that’s great for a number of cooking techniques. It’s a popular tool in restaurant kitchens, and given its ability to sear, simmer, poach, shallow-fry, pan-roast, and oven-braise, it’s clear why. With so many uses, the rondeau also looks like a great choice for space-deprived city cooks. Why have a cabinet full of single-purpose pots and pans when one rondeau can do it all? I recommend checking out Portland chef Kelly Meyer’s detailed post on this great piece of gear.
Tags: Gear
When it’s time to buy a knife, you want a store where you can test a wide range of blades with someone who knows what they’re talking about. Here’s a round-up of the best knife-sellers in New York.
Tags: Gear, Knife Suppliers
A sharp knife in the kitchen is non-negotiable. Blunt knives are clumsy and dangerous, and they can do serious damage to your food and fingers. As someone who’s hacked up both with a dull blade, I recommend you keep your knives as sharp as possible. Bring them to a professional sharpener at least once a year. It’s extremely cheap – on average less than $5 a piece – and you’ll save yourself a lot of frustration (and bloodshed) in the kitchen. Here are the best places to go for a good grinding.
And to all you DIYers hell-bent on sharpening your own blades, a word of caution: proper knife sharpening on a whetstone is a difficult skill to master, and you can easily mangle your blade if you don’t know what you’re doing. When you consider how cheap it is to pay a professional, doing it yourself isn’t worth the risk.
Tags: Gear
Looking to rein in your bar tab? One solution is to make your own beer. Aspiring brew-meisters can now purchase kits designed specifically for apartment-sized operations. Brooklyn Brew Shop and Brooklyn Homebrew sell equipment, books, hops, yeasts and grains, including starter kits beginning at $40. Not a bad investment if your final product is even remotely drinkable (considering how many people think PBR is quaff-worthy, that shouldn’t be too hard to achieve). Curious to hear from anyone who’s given home-brewing a go for the first time. Let us know about your experience and I’ll post the feedback.
Tags: Gear
Check out The Kitchn’s post about over-the-sink prep boards.
They’re ideal space-makers for tiny New York kitchens.
Tags: Gear