Topic: Cookware - Your favourite kitchen tools

[Pohjolas Daughter]

My parents have an old clay "bell" to bake potatoes à l'étouffée. I only know it as an old traditional cooking apparatus used in the north of France but i am sure there are other regional or national variations. it has that shape:



in our family, that was known as patates à'l'cloque (Cloque being the Northern patois for la Cloche, the Bell). Not had them since my teenage years but the taste was fabulous.

More info in French here :

https://douaivox.fr/les-patacons-une-recette-pas-si-cloche/

Olivier,

I finally got around to translating that article.  What are metka?  Interesting that some people added coffee to their recipe too!  In any event, I like the idea of potatoes, onions, and herbs.  Hungry now!  Must fix something to eat. 

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Will have to think of my top staples list...

PD

Awaiting your list. 

[Papy Oli]

Do you have your family recipe Olivier?  And who is the current owner of the family bell?  If it's unrealistic for them to lend it to you, perhaps you could find one of your own and have a go at it in the kitchen?   

PD

No memory of a specific recipe, PD, but i remember the additions of onions and Bay leaves.

Would have to check with my parents if they still have that bell next we can visit them over the Channel and it is safe to do so 

[Papy Oli]

Olivier,

I finally got around to translating that article.  What are metka?  Interesting that some people added coffee to their recipe too!  In any event, I like the idea of potatoes, onions, and herbs.  Hungry now!  Must fix something to eat. 

PD

I thought Metka was a type of dried Polish sausage but it turns out it is a German spreadable raw mince pork sausage (also called Mett).

[Pohjolas Daughter]

No memory of a specific recipe, PD, but i remember the additions of onions and Bay leaves.

Would have to check with my parents if they still have that bell next we can visit them over the Channel and it is safe to do so 

Good luck with that and thanks for the info regarding metka!

Onions
Garlic
Fresh thyme
Italian sausage
Homemade vegetable broth
Boneless chicken thighs
Dry white and dry red wine
Fresh dill
Grated parmesan cheese
Gnocchi

Well, you asked....here are some of them in any event:

Favorite staples (some of them):

Smoked paprika
Vietnamese cinnamon
Whole nutmeg for grating
Fresh herbs: (I haul in several pots of mostly tender herbs to overwinter them) including rosemary, sweet marjoram, sage, thyme (2 types:  German and golden lemon thyme) and a lemon verbena plant plus other herbs from grocery store
cans of beans:  I buy flats of organic garbanzo, cannellini, red beans from my coop
Dried beans, rice, and other grains like quinoa (one of my favorite fallbacks is Texmati long grain brown rice)
Organic tomatoes - flats of canned, some smoked, various cuts, purées, etc.
Garlic
Onions and shallots
Parmesan cheese
Balsamic vinegar - various grades and ages (incl. some really lovely reduction for drizzling over special dishes)
Olive oil, one for cooking and a nice one for drizzling and/or making salad dressing
Some good olives for general snacking on (normally from coop) - one of my favorites is a combo of green olives with chopped garlic and tiny bits of sliced lemon mixed in--yum!
Butter!
A selection of different vinegars for making salad dressings/sauces
Same thing but different oils
Dried pasta (often organic from coop)

[Mandryka]

The Terra Creta Estate olive oil sounds nice (looked at their website).  I'm guessing that you use it for making salad dressings or more as a finishing oil (vs. cooking with it)?

San Marzano tomatoes are wonderful though not the easiest to source in my area for 100% authentic SM ones; there are some that used to be labeled as such, but then changed their name/labeling as they come from California....though apparently, they are the same variety as those grown in Italy.  Would be interesting to do a side-by-side blind taste comparison.   

Saffron I use but very seldom.

Will have to think of my top staples list...

PD

I buy the tomatoes and the oil from Amazon. I don’t heat the oil, so yes, only for dressings.  I think the San Marzano tomatoes make quite a difference to sauces. I only use saffron for risotto.

[OrchestralNut]

Good luck with that and thanks for the info regarding metka!

Well, you asked....here are some of them in any event:

Favorite staples (some of them):

Smoked paprika
Vietnamese cinnamon
Whole nutmeg for grating
Fresh herbs: (I haul in several pots of mostly tender herbs to overwinter them) including rosemary, sweet marjoram, sage, thyme (2 types:  German and golden lemon thyme) and a lemon verbena plant plus other herbs from grocery store
cans of beans:  I buy flats of organic garbanzo, cannellini, red beans from my coop
Dried beans, rice, and other grains like quinoa (one of my favorite fallbacks is Texmati long grain brown rice)
Organic tomatoes - flats of canned, some smoked, various cuts, purées, etc.
Garlic
Onions and shallots
Parmesan cheese
Balsamic vinegar - various grades and ages (incl. some really lovely reduction for drizzling over special dishes)
Olive oil, one for cooking and a nice one for drizzling and/or making salad dressing
Some good olives for general snacking on (normally from coop) - one of my favorites is a combo of green olives with chopped garlic and tiny bits of sliced lemon mixed in--yum!
Butter!
A selection of different vinegars for making salad dressings/sauces
Same thing but different oils
Dried pasta (often organic from coop)

My goodness. That is quite the list! 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

My goodness. That is quite the list! 

You did ask! 

But it does lead to crowded cupboards.

And next time, I think that I will buy less *canned tomatoes (even though they were on special) at one time; there's only just so much tomato/spaghetti sauce one can make over the course of a year!  I do, obviously, use them in other dishes too.

*and probably less beans too!  Co-op sales can be dangerous! 

Speaking of crowded cupboards, oh the issues that can arise when one starts experimenting with other cuisines:  Middle Eastern, Japanese, Chinese.....oh, boy!

[Irons]

Someone I had not heard of until reading an article about her this weekend is Rachel Khoo.
https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/books/rachel-khoos-kitchen-notebook

"I spend way too much - about £1000 a year - on plates, cutlery and pots and pans. Whenever I travel somewhere I take an extra suitcase so that I can bring back what I buy; I usually spend at least a couple of hundred of pounds on crockery when I visit Japan. I'm fast running out of cupboards to store everything."

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Someone I had not heard of until reading an article about her this weekend is Rachel Khoo.
https://thehappyfoodie.co.uk/books/rachel-khoos-kitchen-notebook

"I spend way too much - about £1000 a year - on plates, cutlery and pots and pans. Whenever I travel somewhere I take an extra suitcase so that I can bring back what I buy; I usually spend at least a couple of hundred of pounds on crockery when I visit Japan. I'm fast running out of cupboards to store everything."

  Oh, I can relate!  Though I certainly don't spend anywhere near that amount--at least these days.  I did pick up some nice lacquerware while in Japan years ago though. I'll bet you though, that she can at least write off a good chunk of what she spends on it since it looks like cooking and writing is her main business?  At least that could help tax-wise.

I'll check out her recipes.  Have you or your wife ever tried making any of them before now Irons?

[DavidW]

What I use on a daily basis is the electric kettle.  I have a variable temp one that I use for pour over coffee and tea, and a normal one I just use for boiling water.  After that the digital scale gets frequent use.  And after that various knives.

On the opposite end I hate garlic presses.  And I like but rarely use my food processor and my blender.

[Pohjolas Daughter]

What I use on a daily basis is the electric kettle.  I have a variable temp one that I use for pour over coffee and tea, and a normal one I just use for boiling water.  After that the digital scale gets frequent use.  And after that various knives.

On the opposite end I hate garlic presses.  And I like but rarely use my food processor and my blender.

Oh, nice!  I've been wanting to get an electric kettle--for the times when I want to make tea (I have a drip coffee maker by Zojurishi).  I didn't know that they made variable temp ones.  How do you like it and does it take longer to heat up than your 'normal' one?  Kitchen counter space is at a premium in my kitchen though. 

Do you do a lot of baking?  Or use your scale for all around use?

PD

[DavidW]

Oh, nice!  I've been wanting to get an electric kettle--for the times when I want to make tea (I have a drip coffee maker by Zojurishi).  I didn't know that they made variable temp ones.  How do you like it and does it take longer to heat up than your 'normal' one?  Kitchen counter space is at a premium in my kitchen though. 

Do you do a lot of baking?  Or use your scale for all around use?

PD

Yes the variable temp one takes longer but I can set it at precisely the temperature I want other than boiling.  I use the scale to measure the coffee beans.  And then I used the scale alot when I was on a diet to more precisely measure portions.  I don't do alot of baking but one time last year I baked marzipan cookies that required very precise measuring and the scale paid off then.

[Irons]

  Oh, I can relate!  Though I certainly don't spend anywhere near that amount--at least these days.  I did pick up some nice lacquerware while in Japan years ago though. I'll bet you though, that she can at least write off a good chunk of what she spends on it since it looks like cooking and writing is her main business?  At least that could help tax-wise.

I'll check out her recipes.  Have you or your wife ever tried making any of them before now Irons?

I'm dead jealous you have visited Japan.

The Sunday Times business section run an interview each week "Fame and Fortune" where they ask the same set of money related questions to successful people in all walks of life. This week it was Rachel Khoo's turn. In 2006 she moved from London to Paris unable to speak French and stony broke, she said she had to save up to buy bread. As they say "who dares wins" she now lives in Stockholm. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

I'm dead jealous you have visited Japan.

The Sunday Times business section run an interview each week "Fame and Fortune" where they ask the same set of money related questions to successful people in all walks of life. This week it was Rachel Khoo's turn. In 2006 she moved from London to Paris unable to speak French and stony broke, she said she had to save up to buy bread. As they say "who dares wins" she now lives in Stockholm.

Hey, put it on your bucket list (maybe a year from now??).  I would love to go back!  So many things and places I would love to see and experience (like when the cherry blossoms are flowering).  And the people are lovely!  And the food....and....and..... 

PD

[BWV 1080]

Rust is a problem in humid houston, mine does not look near as good after 5 years outdoors, but still works

[Pohjolas Daughter]

Rust is a problem in humid houston, mine does not look near as good after 5 years outdoors, but still works

Oooh!  Lovely!  What all have you smoked/cooked on it?  I only have a little pan smoker (for stovetop) though I really should make better use of my charcoal grill.

[BWV 1080]

Oooh!  Lovely!  What all have you smoked/cooked on it?  I only have a little pan smoker (for stovetop) though I really should make better use of my charcoal grill.

The usual BBQ fare- brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, chicken, sausage.  Did alligator once, was just OK. 

[Pohjolas Daughter]

The usual BBQ fare- brisket, ribs, pork shoulder, chicken, sausage.  Did alligator once, was just OK.

Sounds great!  Must admit, I tried alligator once in Louisiana--not really my cup of tea.

Here's a question for you all:  Do you have a favorite (or favorites) digital meat thermometer?  I've been wanting to get a new one.  The ones that I've used in the past never seemed to last long or sometimes were inaccurate.  I've had to fallback to older mechanical ones.

PD

[OrchestralNut]

Here's a question for you all:  Do you have a favorite (or favorites) digital meat thermometer?  I've been wanting to get a new one.  The ones that I've used in the past never seemed to last long or sometimes were inaccurate.  I've had to fallback to older mechanical ones.

PD

For a digital meat thermometer, I have a relatively cheap Taylor 9847N model, less than $20. It seems to do the job just fine.

I do have a mechanical one as well but hardly use it.