Kitchen Gifts to Get You Started
Your nephew has just moved into student accommodation and is fumbling around in the kitchen? Your neighbour has discovered that her oven can do more than just bake bread rolls. Or your friend has signed up for The Great British Bake Off. A kitchen gift is always appropriate, really. The best gifts are the ones you would never, ever buy for yourself, but once you have them, you can’t live without them.
Example? A salad spinner. Never, and I mean never, would I have bought that old-fashioned contraption myself. Until a friend saw me patting the lettuce dry leaf by leaf and promptly showed up with a bright orange salad spinner. A stroke of genius. Not a day goes by that I don’t use the thing… the satisfaction it gives when the droplets go flying everywhere.
Limburg Asparagus in Amsterdam
Essential items
There are more where that came from. The most essential items really don’t cost a fortune but are priceless in the kitchen. They’re also fun enough to genuinely feel like a gift. Practical and beautiful—that’s the combination you’re looking for. Not everyday kitchen gadgets you would buy for yourself anyway. A potato peeler is useful, but it doesn’t exactly make your heart beat faster. Pylones’ Japanese Geisha peeler certainly does. It does its job brilliantly and looks great too. (More into pirates or samurai? They’re available too!)
Deservedly on the kitchen counter
Another gift that has truly earned its place in the kitchen: the Bialetti. The espresso makers look great and produce a delicious cup of coffee. A coffee machine takes up half the countertop, while a moka pot needs no more than an unused corner. A citrus press takes up a little more space, but produces more juice than you could ever squeeze out with your bare hands. Another one in the ‘on the counter’ category: a toaster. Really? Yes, really. With a crumb tray—that’s what you want.
Practical utensils
Looking for more practical utensils? A good knife turns every cook into a chef. The days when Tupperware was strictly forbidden are over too. Whether you cook ahead or want to store leftovers, nothing is more convenient than a large supply of sealable containers. You can never have enough baking tins either. Sooner or later, every cook reaches the point where potatoes, a sheet tart and a chicken all need to go into the oven on the same day. You’d better be prepared. The one thing you really only need one of: the Microplane. It grates like no other. A little orange zest or grated Parmesan brings your dish to life and turns you into a fantastic cook.
The beginner’s pan
For beginner cooks, ten pans is a bit excessive. But with a versatile cast-iron pan, you can kick-start a kitchen career. They can take a beating, making them ideal for the still somewhat clumsy novice cook. Pay attention to the handles—plastic is best avoided, so the pan can also go in the oven and becomes an absolutely fantastic gift.
