All I Want For Christmas 2015
Every year at this time I make a Wish List of some of the cool gadgets and kitchenware I would like Santa to put under our Christmas tree and hope my wife reads this post. There are so many exciting new products on the market I would like to cook with, read or serve wine but here are a few that recently caught my eye.
Some of these may not be new to you, but they are to me. If only we had more room in our kitchen to store them!
Number 1 On My List - Sous Vide Precision Cooker by Anova
Number 1 On My List - Sous Vide Precision Cooker by AnovaMy friend Chef David Nelson has one and has being going on and on about how great it is and how he can now cook a medium-rare steak to perfection so that the internal temperature of the meat is exactly the same from end-to-end, top to bottom. He says cooking anything including chicken, lobster, vegetables come out amazing.
Another friend Sharon from my Facebook What I Cooked For Dinner Last Night group has been experimenting with one she received from her son who is a chef and they are having a blast with it.
I don't know that much about sous vide cooking but I'm determined to learn and will be sharing what I come up with in future posts. To be perfectly honest, I have been a little cautious about cooking at these low temperatures but after speaking with Chef David, I'm getting over those fears.
You can lean more about the Anova Sous Vide Precision Cooker and purchase one at Amazon by following this link, Anova Culinary PCB-120US-K1 Bluetooth Precision Cooker, 800 Watts, Black
Number 2 - Searzall Torch Attachment
I also learned about the Searzall torch attachment from my friend Chef David. Turns out when you cook sous vide, the meat or chicken or whatever you are cooking doesn't look so good. It may be perfectly cooked throughout but the exterior will be gray and unappetizing.
Now you could throw the steak onto the grill for a minute or two to brown it up and get those important grill marks or throw it onto a cast iron pan on top of your stove or try the Searzall.
Basically, the Searzall turns an everyday propane blowtorch into a "hand-held, supercharged instant-power broiler". The Searzall attachment forces the flame through two layers of "fine, high-temperature-resistant" mesh wires to produce a consistent and evenly spread flame.
You can use the Searzall for sous-vide but also pizza, grilled cheese, s'mores, French onion soup, creme brule or any dish you need concentrated high heat. Plus, it looks really cool.
Learn more about the Searzall Torch Attachment and purchase one at Amazon by following this link, http://amzn.to/1QbYyF8
Number 3 - Cuisinart Metal Classic 2-Slice Toaster
We need a new toaster because my wife hates the one we have. I have to admit I did try to save a few bucks and purchased a no frills model at a very conservative price. This time I need to add a few bells and whistles but not too many.
My biggest complaint with our current toaster is - it doesn't work. Well, it does work, but not so well. It's tough making toast when you can't get the toast out after it pops up. For some reason, the toaster doesn't push the toast high enough to grab so out come the tongs or wooden skewer. I digress.
This Cuisinart CPT-160 looks like it will do everything my wife wants it to do and more. Nice 1-½ inch toasting slots for those fat bagels, 6 browning settings, dual reheat (never had that on a toaster before), defrost and even a bagel button that I can't wait to figure out how it works.
Best of all, it's on sale right now at Amazon, 45% off it's list price and I can get free shipping with my Prime account.
Check out this toaster and many more at Amazon at this link, http://amzn.to/1Qc4T3s
Number 4 - Calphalon 5 - quart Commercial Saute Pan with Lid
I've owned a 3 quart hard-anodized aluminum Commercial Calphalon saute pan since before I was married over 20 years ago. I love this pan and cooked a lot of meals on it but it is getting tired and wants to retire.
Every time I use it I notice it doesn't sit flat on my stove top. For the longest time I thought my stove grates were off and not my saute pan but one day I bit the bullet and placed the pan on the marble counter only to discover the bottom of the pan was warped.
I tried to throw it out a couple of times but just can't do it. Yes, I have a couple of really nice All Clad stainless steel pans that work great, but this one has so many fond (that's fond in two ways) memories in it. I've looked for a replacement hard-anodized aluminum pan but most of them are nonstick and I don't want a nonstick saute pan because I like to make pan sauces with the fond.
I did find this Calphalon commercial 5-quart saute pan that is both oven and broiler safe, dishwasher safe although I've never put a pan in the dishwasher before and has stay-cool handles except when you stick the pan in a very hot oven for 5 or 10 minutes.
I really want the 3-quart model and called Calphalon. It looks like they still make it but are out of stock for the holidays and suggested I check back later. Not sure I can hold out and if I get this one, I'll be able to retire my old one with the warped bottom.
You can find this commercial model at Amazon at a deep discount here - http://amzn.to/1lVOnJI or on the Calphalon site for $10 less plus free shipping here.
I just found the 3 quart Commercial Saute Pan by Calphalon at a site called Wayfair.com. I'm getting this one because my wife like this size the best.
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