my TOP 10 kitchen tools
aka perfect gifts for all the foodies in your life
Congrats friends, if you’re reading this email, it means you survived Thanksgiving. (Which is something I no longer take for granted… maybe someday I will tell y’all about the time a few years back when a “cooking incident” on Thanksgiving sent me to the ER and left me with 19 stitches holding together what the doctor kindly referred to as a “macerated” index finger… a story for another day lol).
Because we’re all eating Thanksgiving leftovers for the foreseeable future, instead of a new recipe today, I’m sharing my TOP 10 MUST HAVE kitchen tools. I’m not calling this a gift guide (because lord knows the world does not need one more gift guide), but this list could come in handy if you’re shopping for any food lovers this season… or if you need some ideas for your own holiday wish list!
A note that I’ve included shopping links for these items, and most of the links will take you to Amazon (where I get a small affiliate kick-back if you purchase there) – but honestly, I would WAY rather that you purchase any of these items from a small business in your community if you can!
Le Creuset pieces are an investment, but every piece is built to last multiple lifetimes. Made from cast iron and a crazy durable enamel exterior, these pieces can go from stovetop, to oven, and straight to the table – AND they are ridiculously easy to clean (trust me, I've put mine through the ringer). Dutch ovens come in a range of shapes/sizes, but I recommend starting with the Round 5.5 Quart size for the most versatility. There's a rainbow of different colors, so choose the hue that speaks to you (I'm a Marseilles Blue kinda girl).
Everyone needs a good chefs knife! And my absolute favorite is the Victorinox Fibrox Chefs Knife. This knife is light in your hands (which really makes a difference if you’re doing lots of chopping), it's durable, and stays super sharp. I used to think that a quality chefs knife had to be super expensive (you can easily spend upwards of $200), but this knife only costs $45 and will last forever!
Of all the tools on my must have list, this one costs the least, but may be the most important. This handy knife honing tool only costs about $11, but it has totally revolutionized how I keep my knives sharp. It may seem counter-intuitive, but a sharp knife is a safe knife (because you won't be fighting tough roots or bulky winter squash with a dangerously dull blade) so do yourself a favor and add this tool to your kit.
This 4-cup food processor from Cuisinart ($40) is a freaking WORKHORSE. She may lack some bells and whistles, but she gets the job done and is just the right size for whipping up homemade sauces, pestos, dips, etc. I love that this petite food processor is super easy to clean and doesn’t take up much space, and I end up using it WAY more than my giant, fancy-schmancy food processor.
I use a microplane every. single. day. because it helps add SO MUCH FLAVOR to your food. From mincing fresh garlic or ginger, zesting citrus, or grating a big wedge of Parmesan cheese, a microplane is a simple and inexpensive ($12) tool that will make a huge difference in the way you cook.
If you’ve been around for a while, then you know I LOVE a good sheet pan recipe (here, here, and here). I’ve tried a lot of different brands, and these baking sheets from New Star are the best quality for a very reasonable price ($20).
I have a giant wooden cutting board that sits out on my counter *at all times* and I love it so much. Not only do they look beautiful, but wooden boards are easier on your knives, and studies have shown they are actually better at keeping bacteria at bay compared to plastic boards. You can’t go wrong with a wooden board from John Boos, which come in a range of sizes (the bigger the better) and wood types (walnut, cherry, and maple), with prices ranging from $100-$150.
If you come visit my kitchen, you’ll quickly see that there are mason jars everywhere. We use them as drinking glasses, for storing food in our pantry, making vinaigrettes, pickles, jams, etc etc! I like having a mix of sizes (half pint, pint, and quart), and pro tip: top your jars with these plastic lids, which won’t get rusty over time.
I know it might seem *extra*, but an electronic kitchen scale is so incredibly useful! Especially if you do a lot of baking, a scale is the best way to accurately measure out your ingredients. There are tons of different scales out there, and you really can’t go wrong, but this is the exact one that I use (less than $20)!
Diamond kosher salt is the gold standard for cooking, and without question it is the primary salt that I cook with. For some inexplicable reason, it’s nearly impossible to find Diamond kosher salt in most grocery stores, so I stock up on Amazon ($12 for a 3lb box). Pour it into a cute salt cellar and you’re ready to get cookin, good lookin!
Alright, there you have it! My top 10 / must have / can’t live without / use every single day kitchen tools. If you have any thoughts, comments, or questions about anything on this list, let me know in the comments. :)
PS – one last reminder that you can get a 20% discount on all annual newsletter subscriptions AND a free farmers market tote bag by signing up for an annual subscription by Sunday, Dec 1!
(after you sign up for your discounted subscription, just send an email to michelle@farmbelly.com and let me know the best address to send your snazzy new bag!)