What’s On Your Wish List for the Holidays?

Anyone who enjoys cooking or even wants to learn should consider adding some kitchen equiment to their wish list for thier holiday gifts.  I think a must have is a pressure cooker.  With time being so limited for many to get a meal on the table, a pressure cooker can speed up the cooking process often up to 1/2 the time.  I have a Fagor 8 quart and love it.  It doesn’t have the old jiggly top, which is nice.  Some people had bad experiences with those pots years ago when they would explode without warning.  However, I believe the whole pressure cooker industry has improved.

Next, I’d suggest a coffee grinder – not for coffee but for spices.  If you really want to enjoy the full flavor that spices offer, grinding them when you need them makes all the difference.  Spices contain volatile oils that lose their potency over time.  In fact, any bottle of dried herb or spice that you’ve had for longer than 6 months should probably be thrown away.  I know it’s hard to imagine doing that but you’re not getting the most from them when they’ve gotten old.  If nothing else, you may find that you need to use more than a recipe recommends just because they’re not as fresh as they should be.

Another recommendation I would make is getting a wok.  Unless you want to brown a chicken breast or piece of meat in a frying pan, which does require a flat surface, almost anything else that must be sauteed can be done in a wok.  I love it because when you get a good one, the sides get hot, as well as the bottom of the pan.  When sauteing, you’re supposed to keep the food moving, which is easily accommodated for in a wok.  In fact, because of its depth, you’ll find less food ending up on the stove.  While you could get one with a non-stick surface so you can cut down on the amount of fat you would use to cook food in the wok, I have a stainless-steel clad wok so I can make a good sauce in it if I want.  It’s those beautiful browned bits that stick to the bottom of the pan that you can’t create with a non-stick surface.  Get a wok with a cover so you can also steam food in it.

Many times I need a beater but don’t want to drag out the big stand-mixer.  Having a heavy-duty hand mixer is the answer.  When I bought my Kitchen Aid hand mixer, I looked for one that had a good sized motor and a number of speed choices.  Since this really was going to take the place of my stand-mixer, I wanted it to be able to stand up to the challenge.  It works great and now I don’t have to have the stand-mixer taking up precious counter space.

I’ll be adding more ideas in the next few days.  This should get you started.  And I’m sure you’ll be able to find some good sales going on.

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