Box Graters Good for: Shredding soft cheeses (for tacos or mac-and-Jack) and harder foods (say, potatoes for hash browns); use the side with the large holes. The medium-size holes make smaller shreds of hard foods. The tiny holes turn out fine, crumblike Parmesan. The single horizontal sharp edge is for shaving thin slices of hard foods, […]

A beautiful, yet functional, knife block set is hard to find. Add to the list one that is also relatively affordable, and you’ve got your work cut out for you. Fortunately, the Schmidt Brothers - a New Jersey design duo known for their super effective curved heel knives – have recently teamed up with West Elm to […]

Best Cookie Spatula Things Cooks Love Classic Turner Don’t let your gingerbread men lose their heads. This flipper’s beveled blade slides nimbly under even the thinnest cookies. To buy: $8.99, surlatable.com. Best Mini Offset Spatula Ateco Small Sure, you can use a butter knife to spread batter and frost cupcakes, but this inexpensive utensil does the job […]

Get yourself set-up with all the right gear to have a spectacular gilling season. Here are a few items that make grilling easy. Brought to you by Epicurious.com: Tongs You can do 90 percent of your grilling work with tongs alone. Look for ones made of heavy-duty stainless steel (aluminum versions aren’t as sturdy) with […]

These supplies may seem a bit mad-scientist, but they’re easy to use. Find them―unless otherwise noted―at The Beverage People (800/544-1867).* In tomorrow’s post we’ll suggest recipes for ricotta cheese and fromage blanc. One very important note: Be scrupulously clean when making cheese―scrub surfaces with antibacterial soap and boil utensils (ladle, spoons, etc.) for 20 minutes before using. You don’t want bad […]

What’s the oldest kitchen tool in your arsenal? Ganda Suthivarakom of Saveur explains why the following 9 items are essential in her kitchen and have been for years. Global Spear Paring Knife and Glestain Santoku 6+ years I think of this Global Spear Paring Knife as the extension of my index finger—the sharpness and thinness of […]

Cazuelas Mexican Pottery Dishes These large clay dishes are ideal for simmering mole and other sauces because the clay heats very evenly eliminating burnt spots. Cazuelas are shallow, usually 5-7 inches deep and rounded like a bowl. They often have handles for easier handling over open fire. The outsides are sometimes painted with bright beautiful colors. […]

Test Drive: Roasting Pans Our top picks will improve your odds for ”Oohs!” and ”Aahs!” at this year’s holiday table. The biggest meals of the year—Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, New Year’s Eve and Easter, to name a few—always seem to revolve around a roasted something—a turkey, a rib roast, a leg of lamb—and using a good-quality roasting pan is essential for great results. […]

With Thanksgiving fast approaching, the focus is usually on the food: making sure that you have the tools that you’ll need for the big feast is often a second thought. You can get ready in advance to prepare your meal without a hitch—here are some handy items for each course that will make your special […]