Poll: Are you into all the kitchen gadgets?

[lindrusso]

I was thumbing through a catalog recently and noticed the plethora of gadgets that one can clutter one's kitchen with these days. What struck me was that many of the items were very specific in their purpose. I saw an egg cooker, a rice cooker, a nutmeg grinder, a yogurt-maker, a Mickey Mouse waffle iron, a pineapple slicer, etc. Some items were not so narrow in purpose, but did take up a lot of room and were not what I'd term "necessities" - espresso machines, capuccino maker, a convection steamer, rotisseries, indoor grills, chef's torch, dehydrator, etc.

Are you "gadgety"? Have you ever regretted a purchase of one of these types of items?

I've always had to choose carefully due to lack of storage space. I do remember, however, purchasing a garlic baker and a garlic storer. As if a piece of tin foil or a plain old bin under the sink wouldn't work just as well! They got sold at our last garage sale....

[SandyM]

Hiya Lindrusso,

Gadget Queen here.

Regrets: like you, I bought the garlic roasting crock; also, the ice-cream type scoops for cookie dough - I don't get it. I forget I have them, and after I've already used my 2 trusty teaspoons, I realize I haven't used them. Some people might think otherwise, but I have 2 sizes, and they're taking up valuable space in my gadget drawer!

I bought a lemon juicer (squeezing it with my hand works just as well), and the tube to peel garlic (what was I thinking? I spent $XXX on an expensive chefs knife and could easily smash garlic with that!!!)

Bagel Biter - the thing you slice bagels with. Once again, the expensive knife set came with a great bread knife, and it does a marvelous job.

I'd better stop before I embarrass myself further....... http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/eek.gif

[heeter]

A dirt devil broom - the worst. I'll probabaly have some disagreement on this one but in addition to the espresso machine I got a electric juicer for free. $10 at a garage sale. And back in the corners of my cabinets I'm sure I have more http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Sandy1]

Hey... Star Frit has my home phone number:-)
Thing is; I cannot bear to discard any of those supposedly useless items..I'm almost positive that once I throw it out I'll find a use for it.
And on a positive note; I bought a cherry pitter; and it works great! I found myself searching out cherry recipes just so I could use it:-)
Sandy.

[mlou]

It's a MAD plot make people spend money. I know people that have every gadget there is and I am guilty of many myself. Now I am trying to simplify life and make do the way folks did before all the gadgets. I am considering that apple peeler though and would love to hear how many are in the closet and how many get used. I think that is the defining moment so to speak, stop and think how often you will really use the item. I splurged against my better judgement on the garlic peeler/mincer and now I actually do use it every day...go figure http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[This message has been edited by mlou (edited 10-17-2000).]

[emilycat]

I've never bought any of those things...I always felt like it was cheating in the kitchen. I do have one of the vacuum-sealing wine saver pumps, though, because I drink wine all the time (however, not an entire bottle in one night) and it works great. If any of you have been searching, in vain, for a good zester, the microplane is only $2 and works like a gem. It shaves parmesan, garlic, nutmeg, lemons, EVERYTHING. It's the most indispensable tool I have. Of course, I don't have many other tools, but that's beside the point.

Emily

[Mamasue]

Good thread Lindrusso!

I am a gadget person too but try to think it out if I really, really need it. I have bought a few through the years that I thought would be useful and found out the hard way. One was the sandwich maker...the electric one that you lay a piece of bread; choose a filling and then another piece of bread and the machine makes a filled sandwich type of effect. I played with it for a while and then just put back in the box and haven't used it again.

Like SandyM I had to have the garlic tube and even bought one for my sister and mother for Christmas. Guess what....it takes longer to reach for it then using my chefs knife to wack it...and then you have to wash and dry it too! I have had blenders, food processors and hardly ever used them....maybe for that one recipe or two. I would rather chop my vegetables with my Henschel knives...good therapy!

I love my rasp grater or as emilycat calls it Microplane. Mine didn't cost $2.00 though. This is a must for every cook...it grates the zest of oranges, lemons, limes finely and without a mess. Put this one on your Christmas Stocking list. I, like SandyM, have cookie scoops (think I purchased at a Pampered chef party...can't remember) and they were collecting dust in my gadget box. Well one day, I decided that I would give it a try and have been using them ever since....I love them....easier and less messy on the fingers too!

These are the gadgets that I use the most:
garlic press
rasp grater
cookie scoops
battery frother
swiss peeler
nutmeg grater
coffee bean grinder (one for coffee beans and one for spices)
regular hand can opener (always hated the electric ones)

[marys]

I admit - I have a problem with kitchen gadgets. It all started about 2 years ago when I was new in town and didn't know many people and everyone from work started having Pampered Chef parties. It started out as a social event, now I'm a junkie.

There are a few things that I really like and use often - my garlic press, food chopper, apple slicer, mister. Some things still sit there - the springform pan (used once - but I do have plans for more cheesecakes!)I just received an invitation to another Pampered Chef party next week - if I do go, it's for Christmas shopping only!

[MrsReber]

I only buy the gadgets that I know I will use. I really do use everything I have. It's only the gadgets that I get as gifts that I hardly ever use! I love my pastry blender, my bread machine, my waffle iron, my garlic press, my slice and serve from PC, and I ALWAYS use my apple peeler, slicer, corer. Takes no time at all! I don't want to clutter my kitchen up with stuff that I may not use, so I put lots of thought into each purchase. Sometimes I'll even decide not to buy something!

[lanie]

Great String - that we can all probably benefit from intresting:

The Worst: starfrit grapefruit/orange peeler/juicer, electric veggie steamer, bread machine, that dumb rubber garlic peeler, another dumb garlic that you put the clove into and squish it, all the bagel stuff, toaster oven, pizza stone - could prob go on and on.

The Best: crockpot, george forman grill, henckel knives from paring to chef, lagonstina pasta pot, processor/juicer,
henckel garlic press (although I prefer to chop most times) AND THIS COMPUTER!!!!!!! (which sits in my kitchen)

[Beth H]

Gadgets I own and never use:
pasta maker (never should have registered for this)
salad spinner
bread maker

Gadgets I love:
belgian waffle iron
crockpot
toaster oven
Braun multi-mix
kitchen aid stand mixer

So, I have more gadgets I really like than those I don't!

[sneezles]

I truly am a gadget-holic! I have a cherry pitter, asparagus peeler, lemon squeezer, tea-bag squeezer, wooden toast tongs, 2 zesters, 5 sets of measuring cups, 3 sets of measuring spoons, a graduated measuing cup and a graduated tablespoon, a CO2 wine opener, a stove-top wok and an electric one, rice cooker (which gets used about 3X a week), electric steamer, a hot cocoa machine, electric kettle and a stovetop one, a regular size processor and a mini one, stick blenders, cordless mixer, hand-held mixer and an Osterizer with all the attachments, pasta machine, bread machine, a DeLonghi deep fryer, waffle iron, 2 slow cookers, a dehydrator (got it for Christmas about 10 years ago and never took it out of the box), a meat slicer...Yes, I love gadgets and I have a very good friend from Scotland and whenever we are together (either in the US or UK) we hit the kitchen shops just searching for new gadgets!

[Grace]

I have to say, I too, am a gadget-a-holic!!! I have just about every gadget known to man (but no hot chocolate machine??? Never heard of this!! What is it?). I must say, though, the only one I really don't use is the pasta machine. Oh, and I don't have a bread machine - and I don't want one, because it's too much trouble to make the kind of bread I want (multi-whole grain) - not easy to come by lots of bulk whole grains on a regular basis - when it's easier to buy Natural Ovens of Manitowoc super healthy multi-whole grain breads (and they taste fantastic). But anyway, while I don't use every gadget every day, I store a lot of stuff in the basement on some wonderful shelves that give me easy access to everything, so when the mood strikes, I can make something in the crock pot, or make some belgian waffles, etc. I also don't own a deep fryer, and don't want one because we don't eat fried food. But other than that, I have pastry blenders (yes, plural), apple peelers, garlic presses, cookie dough scoops, a mandoline, large and small food processors, mistos (yes, plural), an immersion blender, KitchenAid stand mixer, a hand mixer, a Vita-Mix (I love it), a marble slab, a baking stone (which I use ALL the time), every shape and size baking pan and tart pan (and I mean EVERY size and shape!!), cookie cutters galore, salad spinner, lemon reamer, meat mallet, chocolate chipper/ice pick, cherry pitter, digital scale, TONS of cake decorating supplies, food dehydrator, Foodsaver vacuum sealer, ice cream machine, hand crank meat grinder, and well, I could go on for another three pages here I think! And like I said, I use all of them at one time or another. I love being able to look at nearly any recipe, and say, I have that, I can make it. And I do! Oh, and one more thing I DON'T have ....an electric can opener - a waste of space and electricity in my opinion, unless you have arthritis or something where you can't turn the handle, but otherwise, unnecessary! But I'm starting to wonder how I manage to fit all this stuff in this house (it's a small house!).

[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 10-17-2000).]

[lindrusso]

Okay Sneezles, so far you win! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I love my cookie scoops - they make nice, uniformly sized cookies. Plus, I always seemed to make a mess with regular spoons!

And I'm probably going to buy a Bagel Biter if I can ever find one - they don't seem to carry them in the stores around here! I like the biter because I buy my bagels 24 at a time, cut them all and then freeze them. I've already injured myself once with a regular knife - when I used the bagel biter I liked how easy it was and my fingers were safe!

I agree about the Dirt Devil broom vac - it doesn't even work! I don't know what made me think that using a regular broom wouldn't work just as well! Another regret - it will be in next year's garage sale.

My favorite item is my KitchenAid stand mixer. It's my baby. No more aching arms from stiff cookie dough! I have a feeling that my new FoodSaver will be a favorite soon too.

Gee - I guess I'm a lot more "gadgety" than I thought!

[sneezles]

Grace
Mr. Coffee makes the Hot chocolate machine, I bought it for my son who would drink it even if were 110º but since it stays in the kitchen I consider it mine!
I also have an ice shaver that I got this summer and I love it for "frozen" drinks!

[BarbaraL]

I love gadgets, but try to control my impulses (I have a small kitchen). I love my Zyliss garlic press and, although I don't use it all that much, I love my Pampered Chef apple peeler -- it's fun! I'm interested in the rasp/zester thing -- I hate zesting lemons and limes! At one time I bought a zester gadget (it had 4 little holes at the end to cut the zest) -- it broke immediately! I have an electric can opener (only because it came with my husband). Interesting to hear that several of you gave away a salad spinner; I eat salad for lunch almost every day; heard the Oxo one is good, and have been thinking about getting one. Usually just dry the leaves in clean dish towels -- works fine. The spinners just seem so BIG -- a pain to store. I have a baking stone, but almost never use it; we have a fabulous pizzeria here and that's an option I use when I DON'T want to cook. What else do you make on the stones (I seem to remember someone making pizza dough with mushrooms and garlic on it).

[Grace]

Barbara,

My husband likes those frozen steak fries (actually not too high in fat - about 3 grams for 8 big steak fries), anyhow, we put those right on the baking stone. Also, fish sticks (baked ones, of course!), cookies, reheating rolls or french bread - makes a nice crispy crust. Also, my galettes (they are fruit filled or savory - cheeses and herbs or potatoes, etc.) - anything with a pastry crust. I also make homemade naan bread (a middle easter/east indian bread), it comes out BEAUTIFULLY on the stone. I've made homemade pita bread too on the stone, and they are AWESOME!!! I get too excited when I think about all this stuff...but to answer your question, the "pizza stone" is for far more than just pizza!!

[BethH]

Grace:

I adore indian food and would love to make my own naan! Could you pretty please post your recipe? Thank you!

Also, did your last post really mention that you can put potatoes/cheese/etc. in your galettes? Would I use the same dough recipe as for the berry galettes? What are some of your favorite combinations? Thanks for that tip--it sounds super tasty!

[lindrusso]

Another vote for posting the Naan recipe. Does it come out as chewy and yummy as the restaurants? Naan is a favorite around here.

[Karen from VA]

I just can't resist responding to this thread. Just yesterday, I was given (as a hostess gift from Labor Day weekend guests) an egg poker and an egg slicer. I've had a cheap egg slicer before--I bent it slicing mushrooms--but had never even heard of an egg poker. It's just a little plastic nest that you press the end of an egg into and a tiny needle pops up and makes a hole in the egg (so that it doesn't crack when you're boiling it). I now remember having a discussion with my friend about doing that with a needle so I think she thought it a cute gift---for the gadget geek who has everything!!!! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[BeckyM]

I too am a naturally "gadgety" person. I tend to collect every possible gadget that comes along. But after my husband came into my life, some of his desire for "simplicity" has rubbed off on me. So I've found myself being more selective and getting rid of the stuff I don't really use. Of course I'm also replacing some of my "junky" items with high quality ones that work well. Two things I've thought about but never bought are a bread machine (I like kneading my own bread, and they seem really big to store) and a food processor (so far I'm getting by fine with knives and a blender).

My favorite kitchen gadgets:
Pampered Chef garlic press
Citrus juicer
Henkels knives
all my Pampered Chef baking stones
Kitchen Aid stand mixer
Crock Pot

Ones I should give away:
Holder for slicing bagels
Pasta maker
Colander with a snap-on top (too bulky)

[Grace]

Hi Beth! You and I tend to like a lot of the same stuff!! Here is the "Persian Naan" recipe - it also comes from Baking With Julia, like the galettes (you might want to get that book - it has soooo many wonderful things - and all the ones that I've made have turned out beautifully!).

Persian Naan

Makes 4 long narrow breads

The look of this bread is at once dramatic and rustic. Long-snowshoe-shaped, actually and dimpled from stem to stern with fingerprints that give it an udulating appearnace and an interesting crisp-here-chewy-there texture, this thin flatbread of Central Asia is traditionally baked in a tandoor, a deep clay oven. But you need no out of the ordinary equipment to turn out authenti breads at home. The making of the dough follows standard techniques for mixing and rising - it's the shaping that's odd and fun. The breads are stretched, wet to just this side of soaked, pummeled with your fingertips, and tossed ontho hot quarry tiles (or a baking stone!) to bake for a mere five minutes, finishing with a firm, toasty bottom crust and a crumb that's soft but stretchy, warm and wheaty. Dont even think about slicing these breads; they're meant to be stacked on the table, an edible centerpiece, and torn into pieces big and small.

2-1/2 cups tepid water (80º to 90º F)
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 to 6 cups bread flour or unbleached all purpose flour]
1 tablespoon salt

Put the water and yeast in a large bowl and stir to blend. Add 3 cups of the flour, about a cup at a time, stirring in one direction with a wooden spoon. Beat for 1 minute, or about 100 strokes, to develop the gluten. Sprinkle the salt over the mixture and start adding the remaining flour, again about a cup at atim., stirring after each addition and then stirring until the dough is too stiff for you to work. You may not need to use it all.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and inead it vigorously, adding more flour as necessary, until it is smooth and easy to handle, about 10 minutes. (BETH: I do all this in my KitchenAid stand mixer - it works fine).

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, turnign to cover the entire surface with oil, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the dough rest at room temperature until it has more than doubled in bul, about 2 hours. Don't worry if it goes longer - it will be just fiine. If it's more convenient, you can put the bowl in the refrigerator and let the dough rise overnight; bring the doubh to room temperature before continuing.

When you're redy to bake, line the center rack of your oven with quarry tiles or a baikingstone, leaving a 1 inch air space all around, and preheat the oven to 500º. (If you don't have tiles or a baking stone, place an inverted baking shee on the oven rack and preheat it with the oven).

Deflate the dough, turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface, and divide it into 4 pieces. Flatten the pieces and shape them into ovals, each about 6 inches wide and 8 inches long. Cover the ovals with plastic wrap and let them rest for a few minutes to relax the gluten.

Start shaping the first bread a few minutes after the oven reaches 500º. Fill a small bowl with cold water, dip your fingers into the water, and , starting at one end of the oval, press your fingertips into the dough to make deep, closely spaced rows of indentations all across the dough. Don't be timid - the impressions have to be deep enough to remain after you've stretched the dough. Keep moistening your fingers as you work so that the dough's surface remains wet= really wet. In fact, it may look a little sloppy to you, but that's the way it's supposed to be.

Lift the dough, drape it over your hands, and stretch it slowly pulling your hands apart. You will need to drape and stretch a couple of times in order to get the right shape - you're aiming for an oval that is about 5 inches wide and between 16 and 18 inches long. Don't worry if there are a few holes in the dough - carry on.

Carefully lift the dough with both hands and place it on the baking stone. Bake until the bread has golden patches on top and is brown and crusty on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Remove the bread from the oven, let it cool on a rack for 5 minutes, and then wrap it in a cotton towel to keep it soft and warm. While one bread is baking, shape the next bread. When you've had some practice shaping, you'll become fast enough to slip a second bread into the oven by the time the other is halfway through it's bake time. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Enjoy!!

[Grace]

Cheese and Tomato Galette

Makes 2 to 4 servings

1/2 recipe of Galette dough, chilled

2 ounces Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
2 ounces Mozarella, preferably fresh, shredded
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, cut iinto chiffonade or torn
2 to 3 firm but ripe plum tomatoes, cut into 1/4 inch thick slices

Fresh basil leaves for garnish


Position a rack in the lower thrid of the oven and preheat the oven to 400º. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Put the dough on a lightly floured work surface and roll it into an 11-inch circle that's about 1/8 inch thick. Since the dough is soft, you'll need to lift it now and then and toss some flour under it and over the top. roll the dough up around your rolling pin and unroll onto the prepared baking sheet.

Toss the cheeses and basil together in a small bowl, then scatter them over the rolled out dough, leaving a 2 to 3 inch border. lace the tomatoes in concentric circles, one slice slightly overlapping the last, on top of the cheese. Fold the uncovered border up over the filling, allowing the dough to pleat as you lift it up and work your way around the galette.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the pastry is golden and crisp and the cheese is bubbly. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, garnished with fresh basil leaves.


I think for fillings, you're limited only by your imagination! Think quiches, or even pizzas - you get the idea!

Hope that helps you!

[BethH]

Grace, you are the greatest! I can't wait to impress everyone with homemade naan! Thanks so much for all your great tips and advice! http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

PS...do you have to do anything special when you use potatoes in the galettes? I mean, do you boil them first or just slice them thin and cook them while cooking the galette? I'm thinking a little olive oil, potatoes, cheese and rosemary sounds wonderful for dinner with a salad. Mmmmm!

[This message has been edited by BethH (edited 10-17-2000).]

[Grace]

Beth, I would just slice the potatoes very thinly - your idea sounds wonderful. I may have to try that one myself! Let me know how yours turns out!

I'm glad to share. This board really is so much fun!

[Marg]

This is a great topic! I as most of you do have 'tons' of gadgets - guess us 'cooks' like to have it all - the ones I guess I use the most are grater/rasp (use that for garlic rather than a press) coffee mill and just purchased a small George Forman grill which I am getting to like very much!

[lorilei]

Main Entry: gad·get
Pronunciation: 'ga-j&t
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
Date: 1886

: an often small mechanical or electronic device with a practical use but often thought of as a novelty
- gad·ge·teer /"ga-j&-'tir/ noun
- gad·get·ry /'ga-j&-trE/ noun
- gad·gety /-j&-tE/ adjective
__________________

I find it somewhat fascinating that the word gadget has been around since the late 1800s. So many of the things we use in our kitchens today could be termed "gadget" by the word's original standards.

With regard to answering the question -- I myself am not a true collector of gadgets. I am the anti-packrat, so things in my kitchen are pretty cut and dried. I own a few small gadgets (how can you avoid it?), have received many as gifts, and admit that I appreciate some of their oddities.

My favorite gadget is the garlic press. I appreciate the immediate extraction of garlic essence -- and the fact that I don't lose flavor to my cutting board http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

I'm also in agreement with Mamasue on this one -- my extra coffee/spice grinder is indispensable for things like cardamom! I would be mortaring and pestling all day without it.

Gadgets I have owned but simply don't use:
pastry blender
melon baller
jar opener
salad spinner (recently given away)

I make it a habit to regularly go through my kitchen and give away items that I don't use to people who WILL use them. My best friend loves my salad spinner -- for me, paper towels work just fine http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif


[This message has been edited by lorilei (edited 10-17-2000).]