Kitchen Raves & Reviews
Well-designed everyday essentials
well-designed everyday essentials
I’ve never missed cooking more, and cannot wait to be reunited with my kitchen next month (I’ve been in Hawaii for some photo work for about 8 weeks now and am on the home stretch of the project!). While I’m wrapping up my time here, I thought I’d run through all of the gadgets I love and miss at home. I get a lot of questions about the Always Pan, for instance, and at this point, I’ve tried the cast iron, the original pan, and the 2.0 version of the original, so I’ve got some thoughts. I also wanted to run through my everyday essentials, as well as some interesting brands that’ll add some color and charm to your kitchen. 🎀
faves That I use daily
Hay chopping blocks, cute and practical
Misen bench scraper, simply can’t live without it: perfect for slicing dough and piling all of your finely chopped aromatics and veggies into a bowl or pan
Ceramic colander, fun for displaying fruit and obviously great for rinsing herbs
Airtight jars, the best for pickled red onions
Tiny measuring cup, great for cocktails and cooking with small amounts of liquid that you don’t want to dirty the large measuring cup for!
Ichendorf Milano
The most adorable glassware brand: makes for the best housewarming gifts and offers so many ways to add personality to your everyday items!
The Always Pan: Cast Iron
I’d say the cast iron is worth getting if you have to keep your pans out on the stove and want something visually appealing, which is ultimately what I’ve got going on here. Or, if you don’t care about the price tag and would prefer something colorful to a classic Lodge cast iron, it’s a great choice. This cast iron takes a few minutes longer to heat than my husband’s $25 Lodge cast iron from a million years ago and doesn’t have any particularly magical qualities, as you could probably assume. I end up using the Lodge pan for the vast majority of searing and high-heat cooking, then use the Always Pan when I need an additional surface to cook on. I will note that it’s good for simmering sauces and in general, treating it like a Dutch oven if you don’t have one (I don’t either). Overall, no major qualms with it—if you feel like spending the money, you should get one!
Nordic Ware Sheet Pans
These sheet pans are the only ones I’ve ever used, so sadly I can’t speak to Caraway or any other newer brands. These come in a bunch of sizes, are super affordable, and last over a year before they’re a complete eyesore (if you place things directly on the pan like me, lol)
Roli Poli Glasses & Palette Plates
These are my favorite wine glasses and glasses in general: I originally found them at Spartan Shop in Portland, but they eventually stopped carrying them before I had a complete set. Years later, I ended up learning what the original brand was (!) and also that Jenni Kayne carries them now.
Boos Block Cutting Board
This is the main item I wish I’d gotten years earlier: I messed around with thin plastic boards that slid around the counter for far too long ✍🏼
The Always Pan: 2.0
Compared to the original, this one is leaps and bounds better—it heats up quicker and the ceramic nonstick coating cleans much easier. It was redesigned to last longer, so I’m looking forward to seeing how it’s holding up in a year. I still think it’s dumb that it needs to be heated over low heat, as you don’t run into that issue with pretty much any other type of pan. I get that it’s to protect the coating, but still. It’s oven-safe, which is great for things like shakshukas and Dutch babies. All in all, I’d recommend the 2.0!
Vitamix A2500
The Vitamix A2500 is easily my favorite kitchen purchase in the last several years: it blends and heats soups, makes ice cream and sorbets, juices and smoothies, and is great for blending salad dressings and making whipped cream. This particular blender self-cleans: you add a drop of dish soap with water and blend on high for 30 seconds to a minute and all it needs is a rinse, afterward. This makes it very enticing to use, knowing that it won’t have to soak or take ten minutes of scrubbing to get oil or other difficult-to-remove substances off the sides. You can grab a refurbished one off of the Vitamix site, and they generally come with a 10-year warranty!
Dusen Dusen
Dusen Dusen is always coming out with bright, Scandi-inspired linens, oven mitts, and other kitchen things like these spice grinders.
Other Essentials
Pairing knife, and knife recommendations come straight from my chef-brother-in-law: he gets all of his knives from Epic Edge and suggests getting whatever’s affordable for you as you can’t really pick a bad one on the site
Tongs, having 2 pairs is good but having 3 is much better
Thermapen Thermometer, I’ve tried a lot but this one is the best
Fruit and veggie wash, also love Koala Eco
Hedley & Bennet Apron, washes well, very sturdy, lots of pockets
Electric spice grinder, learn from my mistakes and don’t wait on this one
One or two cooling racks
Round glass baking dish
Parchment paper
Cast iron x2
I think that’s about everything! More next week xo
Disclosure: I only share items I love. I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you if you decide to buy any of the products I refer to and promote, and all opinions are my own.