My Favourite Things 2021
US Thanksgiving still looked a little different this year. We could not tailgate at the Lions game as we typically do (Canada still requires a very expensive PCR test before re-entry), but this year we were fortunate to be able to have a smallish gathering at the house. We roasted a turkey while watching the game, had a lovely Friendsgiving gathering and counted our blessings for another year of good health and great company. For Black Friday my daughter and I headed out to the mall (yes- shopping again!), we spent the evening trimming the tree and getting into the holiday spirit. A wonderful kick-off to what I hope will be a very merry season!
And in what has now become another tradition, here is my annual list of kitchen favourites for the cooks in your life!
#1- Instant Read Thermometer
I cannot believe it has taken me years to post what in my mind is one of the most essential kitchen tools. It is right up there with a proper chef’s knife. An instant read thermometer is the only way to properly cook meat. No you cannot press the meat and know if it is done! This is the way to ensure that your birds are not dry and your steaks are not sadly overcooked. Repeat after me: Check the internal temperature!
Cooks Illustrated and Serious Eats both recommend the Thermapen thermometer, which is really the Cadillac of instant reads. However, its hefty price tag ($180 Canadian) is just more than I can stomach spending. My Javelin thermometer from Lavatools gets the job done at a fraction of the price ($34.99 on Amazon). It is extremely reliable, easy to clean and use, and fits lovely in a stocking!
#2– Wooden Spoons of Various sizes
Ok I may have included this post as an homage (roast) of my little sister. I was at her house this summer, helping her prepare dinner and was confounded by a lack of spoons. I had to stir pasta sauce with a ladle. I didn’t now if was possible to have a kitchen without a wooden spoon. When you purchase a house, doesn’t your kitchen just come with them? They sell that at Dollarama for Pete’s sake; 3 for $1. There is just no excuse not to have this essential versatile tool in every kitchen in North America. So if for some reason you are reading this and you don’t have a wooden spoon in your utensil drawer, go out to the dollar store and buy some now before someone heckles you for months. And since you can never have too many wooden spoons, maybe add a few to your stocking anyways.
#3- Cast Iron Skillet
Another workhorse in the kitchen, a properly seasoned cast iron skillet is one of the only pans you really need. This baby can go directly from stove top to oven. When properly seasoned it is naturally non-stick, without fear of chemicals or flaking Teflon. It is the perfect vessel for cooking a steak, frittata, cornbread, potatoes, you name it. You can even throw it over an outdoor open campfire without fear. It is basically indestructible. As if I haven’t already convinced you, a cast iron skillet is one of the cheapest pans you can buy. Forget your name-brand, copper core, foodie lines (you know which ones I’m talking about), a Lodge cast iron skillet will run you only $30-40. I have them in various sizes, but if you have to choose only one I would go with the 9″ diameter.
Not sure how to properly season your pan? The manufacturer may say they come pre-seasoned; they lie. Put your skillet over low heat on the stove or in a 250F oven. Take a few tablespoons of cooking oil (not olive oil) or shortening and put it in the pan. Using tongs and a paper towel, spread the oil out all over the pan. Repeat every 10 minutes or an hour or so. This will get you started with a base. And then just use your pan, often, and it will naturally season and become non-stick. Make sure not to wash your pan with steel wool or anything too abrasive. Just lightly brush it with hot water and thoroughly dry it (no soap needed). When you start out, if the pan is not completely dry it may start to rust. Put the pan over low heat on the stove to make sure it is fully dry.
#4- Cook this Book, by Molly Baz
If you are buying only 1 cookbook this year, this is my recommendation. Molly Baz has been a regular contributor at Bon Appetite and is well known for her cooking videos. This is her debut cookbook and it is gorgeous. She includes QR codes throughout the book which will instantly take you to instructional videos to easily demonstrate various techniques. This is one of those rare gems that not only includes great recipes but teaches the reader how to be a better cook.