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I have a juicer and a bread machine that I used a few times and not anymore. They just take up space and are too expensive to discard. This is why I don't get a food processor.
Also, I read that that companies were stocking whole coffee beans for those with grinders, but they purchased so much (for the savings) that many companies sold stale beans, defeating the purpose of the grinder. This made me reticent to purchase a grinder, though I do have a small one for nuts and herbs.
There are two things that I use frequently that have not been mentioned.
The first is the meat pounder, the compact one, not the one with the long handle. It will tenderize a tough chunk of meat, make meat more eagerly take in marinade, make all of a piece of meat the same thickness so you don't have one end dry and the other rare, and it will thin cutlets out to the desired thickness for dipping in egg and breading.
This is easy to clean and has both a flat and pointed side (I am usually using ht pointed).
Then (I happen to like garlic) I probably have purchased every sort of garlic gadget on the market. My overall favorite is a mushroom shaped wooden thing that at first seemed overpriced and useless. It is the gadget I turn to every time, now. It will crack the clove open, making it easier to skin. It will mash the clove into a pulp if that is your wish, and it is very easily cleaned. It fits comfortably in the palm of your hand and you use the flat end to press with.
Loud Music, and a pint glass to put a nice IPA in. I enjoy making my food, and eating it!
Sharp knives (of course) and one of those Dough Scraper thingies comes in handy when baking.
I also LOVE my 8" unglazed brick tiles from Lowes Hardware. Four of them for about 64-cents (or something like that), better than any pizza stone I've ever used.... (must be the unglazed variety)
"must have" or "essential" ? My "must haves" cover a VAST array of tools/equipment (quite possibly WAY more than I actually NEED) - the "essentials" however, pretty much come down to a fork, a SHARP knife, a spoon and a pot/pan to cook in.
What a wonderful idea! I made up a bunch of bouquet garni bags out of muslin for that kind of thing, but they're futzy to make and use; a tea ball would be much, much easier to handle. Thanks for sharing that!
LOL - get with the program - I've been using them for that for years
My daughter actually bought me a special teaball type thingy that's made especially FOR that purpose (the spices/herbs) - it's an orb on a chain and hook but the two hinged sides are like a VERY fine sieve. Not sure where she found it though. On second thought - it probably IS a tea infuser LOL
I love my spring loaded stainless tongs (large and medium sizes) from Williams Sonoma. A variety of spatulas and whisks, Good knives - one of my favorites is a bird's beak knife - I use it every day....also my Japanese Chef's Knife (Santoku), several sets of sieves and strainers, plastic bendable measuring beakers (William's Sonoma), mandoline, digital metric scale (I use this all the time), emersion blender, multiple cutting boards of all shapes and sizes and materials, assortment of micro-graters, good stainless pots and pans - I only need a couple of frying/saute pans, a couple of stock pots, 4 sauce pans of various sizes, roasting pan and good cookie sheets.
I also LOVE my 8" unglazed brick tiles from Lowes Hardware. Four of them for about 64-cents (or something like that), better than any pizza stone I've ever used.... (must be the unglazed variety)
They don't crumble over time? Do you wash them or just whisk them off? Do you leave them in the oven all the time? You don't have a picture, do you?
I notice an 8" x 4" on their website. I wonder if you could make your own?
I was just at the grocery store today and I bought some potatoes. I never really buy them for the purpose of peeling, always just baking.
I few months ago we were at some place where I saw this cute little peeler that you put on your finger and it lays against the palm of your hand as you peel the potato. Works like a charm!
I have RA so it kind of hurts my hands for me to peel the potatoes but this makes life much easier. The hand that holds the potato still hurts a little but not the hand doing the peeling......and that is awesome!
I have that same one, and it works pretty well, but I don't feel like I have the same kind of control as with a traditional peeler. So I'm thinking of replacing it. I can see how it would be helpful for someone with RA though.
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