Chocolate. Cool Kitchen Tools. Beautiful Beans. Cookies, Cakes and More...
Deep Dives
Explore related topics with these Wikipedia articles, rewritten for enjoyable reading:
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Panettone
9 min read
The article discusses Roy Shvartzapel's obsessive pursuit of mastering panettone, mentioning he apprenticed with Iginio Massari in Brescia. Wikipedia covers the rich 500-year history of this Milanese Christmas bread, its unique baking process that 'defies every rule of baking,' and the cultural traditions surrounding it.
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Olive oil
11 min read
The article discusses olio nuovo (just-pressed olive oil) and the nascent American olive oil industry. Readers would benefit from understanding the chemistry behind why fresh olive oil has that distinct bright flavor that fades, the polyphenol compounds involved, and the history of olive oil production dating back 6,000 years.
It’s that time of year… so I thought I would begin with one of my favorite gifts. Show up with a box of Littlejohn’s Toffee and you will always be welcome.
And now, for a few more gifts….
The Best Way to Open a Wine Bottle
This is my favorite wine opener.
I bought it for $2 at a thrift shop in Berkeley in 1974 and I’ve used it almost every day since.
It has no bells and no whistles: it just works. And it wasn’t even designed to open wine. It’s an antique beer opener.
If you’re looking for a really thoughtful gift for someone who likes wine (or artisanal beer brews topped with corks), you could not do better than a vintage beer corkscrew. You can find them in many antique stores, rummage shops and the like. And there are dozens of online sources at wildly varying prices. Try this one - or this one.
While we’re on the subject of wine openers - my Chefman Electric Wine Opener is still going strong after six years of vigorous use. I have a hard time believing that something I got for less than $20 could last so long.
Cool Tools
If you’re looking for the perfect gift for someone who’s just setting up a kitchen, you could not do better than this entire set of tools from Hedley & Bennett. The company, a longtime supplier of aprons to chefs, has branched out with these thoughtfully designed and tested utensils. One by one I find myself shedding my old tools in favor of these… Should you be considering something for yourself, you might want to think about the silicon ladle which I am constantly reaching for; the tapered lip prevents dribbling and the unusual shape means it can get to the very bottom of a pot.
The artist and former New Yorker editor John Donohue has become our national chronicler of restaurants; this year he’s added Philadelphia to the list. (Other cities include New York, Paris, London, Chicago, Napa Valley, DC and Block Island.) If you know a restaurant-lover, these hand-drawn prints make thoughtful, personal (and affordable) gifts.
Kitchen Sculpture
You know how annoying it is when a cookbook won’t stay open while you’re cooking? I’ve fallen in love with this beautiful almond bookweight, a quiet piece of sculpture that looks lovely even when it’s not busy in
This excerpt is provided for preview purposes. Full article content is available on the original publication.