For holiday prep, baking, and hosting, as well as anytime in the new year ahead, clever gadgets can make your life in the kitchen a little easier and save some time—plus, they could make nice gifts or stocking stuffers for the foodies in your life. Of course, you could just, for example, roll balls of cookie dough with your hands, but using a scoop produces uniform cookies that bake in the same time and shaves some time on prep. You could stir furiously with a spoon, or would you rather use a tool (such as the immersion blender) to get the job done faster?
As new kitchen appliances and gadgets have been introduced over the years, skeptical people may have questioned the need for such things—like the character of Mr. Carson on “Downton Abbey” who raised his furry eyebrows at the appearance of the new electric toaster device in the kitchen. Why would you need such a thing? But can you imagine not having a toaster today? A can opener? A cheese grater? There are a ton of gadgets out there that can do countless tasks, so I gathered this roundup of gadgets we have featured in Real Food magazine that caught our attention, which can help you chop, stir, sprinkle, grate, and more with ease.
Photo: Adobe
Upgrade the Gadgets
Investing in high-quality kitchen gadgets can save both time and energy during an already busy time of year. Equipment worth purchasing or upgrading? A food processor and an immersion blender (pictured here). Work smarter (not harder) with a food processor that can be used to chop, slice, and shred vegetables and fruits for salads and side dishes, as well as make dips, sauces, and spreads. An immersion blender is perfect for making soups and sauces and allows you to blend ingredients right in the pot, making it easy to puree hot ingredients without the fuss and mess of transferring to a blender. –Alesha Taylor
(Try it when making this Curried Apple-Squash Soup recipe or some of these soup recipes.)
Photo: Adobe
Bye, Bye Soggy Pie
A pie bird (also referred to as a pie vent, pie chimney, pie whistle, or pie funnel) is a small ceramic or metal figurine that is placed in the center of a double-crusted pie before baking. Using a pie bird during baking helps prevent the crust from getting soggy and ensures that the filling is evenly cooked. How does it work? The pie bird allows steam to escape from the pie as it bakes, which helps prevent the filling from becoming too watery. It also helps the crust bake more evenly by allowing hot air to circulate around the pie. Whether you’re baking fruity apple or a savory meat pie, using a pie bird is a simple yet effective way to ensure your pies turn out perfectly every time. –Alesha Taylor
(Try it in this classic apple pie recipe.)
Photo courtesy of Chicago Metallic
Split Pie or Cake Pan
To alleviate your indecisiveness and dishwashing duties, try a split pie/cake pan, such as this example from Chicago Metallic. It is perfectly split down the middle, allowing you to bake two treats simultaneously and experiment with fun flavor combinations. –Julia Jacobson
Photo: Adobe
Food Decorating Pen
When it comes to frosting baked goods, precision is key. But mastering your icing projects doesn’t need to be a daunting task with the food decorating pen. A decorating pen, with its quickly drying edible paint, adds the perfect finishing touch to your desserts, making you feel like a professional baker in no time. –Julia Jacobson
Photo courtesy of OXO
Cookie Press Decorating Kit
With a cookie press decorating kit, you can create beautiful, uniform cookies with ease. Simply scoop your dough into the press and effortlessly make batches of cookies with intricate designs. With 12 custom design options, this cookie press from OXO, for example, allows you to get creative anytime of year and bake cookies that make you look like a pro. –Julia Jacobson
Photo courtesy of Silpat
Silpat Baking Mat
This food-grade silicone baking mat eliminates the need for parchment paper. Reusable and easy to clean, the Silpat baking mat is a staple for any kitchen. From roasted vegetables to warm cookies, it guarantees a nonstick, heat-resistant surface for any recipe requiring an oven. –Julia Jacobson
Photo: Adobe
Dusting Wand
This is such a sweet little gadget for dusting foods neatly and quickly. Instead of the alternative of a fine strainer and a spoon, this duster holds flour in the end of the wand, in a capsule, and then when it is time for dusting, you just shake it a bit. Use it to dust breads, pasta, muffin tins or cake pans, or fill it with powdered sugar and garnish tarts, cakes, and all types of sweet treats. –Chef Jason Ross
(Use it when making these pancake recipes.)
Photo: Adobe
Micro Grater
Two things about a micro grater: Every chef has one, and no other tool can replicate what it does. There simply is no other tool that can shave and grate foods as finely and wispy as a micro grater. Use it for cheese, lemon zest, spices such as nutmeg, dark chocolate, garlic, and probably 20 other foods. –Chef Jason Ross
(Use it when making this Creamy Lemon Pasta with Chicken Recipe.)
Photo: Adobe
Sauce Whisk
A sauce whisk functions just like a balloon whisk except it’s better and smarter for warm sauces made in a pan, such as butter sauce or gravy. The flat whisk lays against the bottom of flat-sided pans and is able to bind and incorporate sauces faster and without as much movement, effort, and splashing as a regular balloon-style whisk. –Chef Jason Ross
Photo: Adobe
Low and Slow
A slow cooker is a great tool to keep food warm and ready to serve throughout festivities. Up the ante with removable slow cooker inserts to make it even easier. From soups and appetizers to veggies and dips, these silicone liners help keep food separated and warm for hours after cooking—all while saving precious counter space, too. Cleanup is also a piece of cake, as most inserts are dishwasher safe. –Alesha Taylor
