For fluffy, evenly sized cheese shreds, this is the
perfect grater. Its design is based on that of a rasp,
the small and efficient woodworking tool. The cutters
are especially sharp, which guarantees easy grating. But
this also means you'll need to exercise extra caution--no
one likes grated knuckles. The large handle allows for
a firm grip, and the completely flat grating surface makes
it easy to move the cheese across the blades. Carrots,
onions, and medium to firm cheeses all worked beautifully
with this grater. It's also an excellent choice for larger
strips of citrus zest or ginger. -- Amazon.com
Hoffritz Stainless Steel Mandoline
Slicer
This professional mandoline slicer for slicing and shredding
potatoes and other vegetables comes with everything you
need: a 4-quart stainless-steel bowl, a plastic storage
lid, four interchangeable cutting blade cartridges, and
a cutting slide with a safety guard. Just slide in the
cartridge you need--thin slice, thick slice, julienne
(1/8-inch), or french-fry cutter (1/4-inch)--press the
safety guard with sharp prongs onto the end of the vegetable,
and slice away. The safety guard rests on side rails over
the blade so your hand can't slip, and the entire cutting
slide apparatus snaps onto the top of the bowl. The stainless-steel
bowl has four rubber grippers underneath so it won't slide
while you're slicing. Pop the plastic storage lid on top
and put leftovers in the fridge. Every part of the mandoline
slicer, including the cutting blades, is dishwasher-safe.
Lifetime limited warranty. -- Amazon.com
Taylor Digital Instant-Read Pocket
Thermometer
For professional accuracy, nothing beats this digital
thermometer for instantly ascertaining the temperature
of foods, whether they're frozen, on the buffet line,
or being cooked. Its 1/3-inch LCD face, protected by a
rugged polycarbonate cover, displays temperatures from
minus 58degrees to 302 degrees F, and updates every second.
An on/off switch prolongs the life of the 1.5-volt watch
battery that powers the thermometer. (Two batteries are
included.) The thermometer comes with a pocket case and
has a 4-5/8-inch stainless-steel stem tipped with a temperature
sensor, so the thermometer reads temperatures near a food's
surface or deep inside. -- Amazon.com
Calphalon 4-Piece Nylon Utensil Set
Heat-resistant up to 400 degrees F, these large nylon
utensils won't melt in a hot skillet or on a backyard
grill. They're tough and durable, they won't scratch nonstick
cookware, and they're dishwasher-safe. Their handles are
notched on the backs so they can rest on a pan's edge
without sliding, and they have holes so they can be hung
on a hook or a peg. The set consists of a 14-inch spatula
with a 4-by-4-inch head, beveled to slide easily under
food; a 13-inch spatula with a 3-by-3-3/4-inch head, also
beveled; a 13-inch ladle with a 5-ounce-capacity head;
and a 13-1/2-inch spoon with a 4-inch oval head. -- Amazon.com
Black & Decker Gizmo Cordless Can
Opener
Offering three storage options, this cleverly designed
appliance is not only convenient, it turns the chore of
opening cans into a hands-free operation that's as fun
as it is effective. The opener is cordless so it goes
anywhere, eliminating the need to carry a can to a countertop
or mounted electric opener. Simply clamp the opener onto
any size can and let go of the soft-grip top. The opener
then walks around the can on its own, shutting off automatically
when the can is open. A swing-out magnet lifts the lid
free. The opener is lightweight and recharges in a compact,
6-3/4-by-5-1/2-inch plastic charging base that can be
mounted on a wall (mounting hardware included), set on
the counter, or placed in a drawer. For easy cleaning,
the removable, stainless-steel blade is dishwasher-safe.
-- Amazon.com
OXO Good Grips Salad Spinner
Washing and drying leafy vegetables has never been simpler
or more fun than with this gadget. One hand is all you
need to press the soft, cushioned knob to start the spinning;
when the built-in brake is applied and the job is done,
the basket and bowl can be taken apart and used separately.
The knob locks down for easy storage, and the spinner
is dishwasher-safe. Use this tool with lettuce, raw spinach,
broad-leafed herbs, and greens--they end up clean and
oh-so-dry, and the drier your leaves, the better salad
dressings will adhere and the less mushy your sandwich
bread will become. Puddles at the bottom of your salad
bowl disappear... Good Grips products are moderately priced
and have won the Tylenol/Arthritis Foundation Design Award.
-- Amazon.com
OXO Good Grips Measuring Cup Set
Finding the right measuring cups in a crowded cupboard
is always a hassle--it always seems that you only find
the ones you're not looking for. This set takes steps
to solve that problem, first by providing a ring so you
can hook them all together. And color-coded measurement
labels are eye-catching. The labels are clearly marked,
and the color-coding is great for little helpers who haven't
mastered their fractions yet. Each cup in this set of
four has a wide handle that's comfortable to hold. As
are all Good Grips gadgets, these cups are dishwasher
safe. A matching set of measuring spoons is available.
-- Amazon.com
OXO Good Grips 2-Cup Angled Measuring
Cup
A brilliant innovation, this 2-cup measuring vessel
is not round but oval. That means calibrations are printed
on the cup's sides, as is conventional, as well as on
a patented guide inside the cup that's angled so it can
be read from above. The result is that this cup doesn't
have to be held up--or bent down to--in order to determine
how much liquid it contains. While Oxo guarantees satisfaction
with a money-back guarantee, there's no reason to return
this product. It's better than any other measuring cup.
Moreover, it has a slip-resistant handle for when hands
are wet, and it's made of rugged, dishwasher-safe plastic,
with calibrations in both standard measurements and metric.
-- Amazon.com
Villaware Pasta Drying Rack
Making your own pasta is enough of an adventure without
having to find places to hang it out to dry. That's what
all those clotheslines in Italy are used for when they're
not drying clothes. This wooden rack takes about 10 minutes
to put together (really) with a Phillips screwdriver.
It stands 15 inches high, and has 12 wooden dowels upon
which you can hang your fettuccine, spaghetti, capellini,
and the like. Go for it. Making fresh pasta is fun and
worth it--and if it doesn't work out, you can always use
it to hang your socks out to dry. Ciao! -- Amazon.com
French Fry Cutter
This lightweight cutter divides a potato into its french-fry
essence in a jiffy. One blade creates up to 49 3/8-inch
fries with a single lever-push. The other creates up to
25 half-inch fries. You'll get those numbers, however,
only if you precisely shape a large potato to fit the
bed. The bed's size is the cutter's only drawback. Even
if you cut a large potato to fit the head, the fry length
is at most 3-1/2 inches. That length, however, is ideal
for carrot, cucumber, and zucchini batons to assemble
a vegetable tray around a bagna cauda, an Italian dipping
sauce of olive oil, butter, garlic, and anchovies. And
such batons get you halfway to a pretty dice for a vegetable
soup. Hand wash. -- Amazon.com
Villaware Imperia Pasta Machine
Nothing beats a plate of truly fresh pasta. And now
it's easy to roll out your own at home, with Villaware's
Italian-made pasta maker. Whether the craving is for spaghetti
or fettuccine, this sturdy machine handles the job with
efficiency and style. Made of heavyweight chromed steel,
with an attractive wood grip handle, Villaware's pasta
maker looks great on the counter and is easy to use--there's
nothing to plug in as this is the tried-and-true hand-crank
variety. The easy-lock adjustable dough-dialer rolls thick
or thin pasta, and it comes with spaghetti and fettuccine
cutters. Cutters for tagliatelle and angel hair pasta
are available separately. -- Amazon.com
