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Canwest News Service
Whether we're seeking the comfort of home cooking, the creativity of culinary exploration or simply a break from the high cost of restaurant meals, we're all spending a lot more time in the kitchen these days. And that means the cooks on your holiday list are likely eager for a few new tools, gadgets and ideas to help them with their braising and baking. Here are a few ideas to help you get cooking.
Hot stuff
Thanks to Julie & Julia, the classic boeuf bourguignon is appearing on dinner party menus once again, along with all those other rich, stewy braises. But to make them, you need the right pot, and that's where the Le Creuset Heritage Oval Cocotte comes in. This enamel-coated cast iron casserole is sturdy, non-reactive, easy to clean and goes from stove top to oven without a hitch. Its tight-fitting lid seals in heat and juices, and it works on any stove top, including induction. Besides, its classic design (which comes in red, blue and flame) is just plain pretty. The four-quart cocotte retails for $199. 95 at Williams-Sonoma stores (www.williams-sonoma.com).
Knife skills
A sharp, well-balanced knife is essential for any good cook. Yet so many of the steaming-and-sauteing set are blundering along with dull and antiquated blades, it's amazing they haven't severed a limb or two. Why not make this the holiday you change your favourite cook's life forever with a knife from Japan? Think samurai swords in the kitchen, with razor-sharp edges and perfect balance. For instance, the Global seven-inch cook's knife features Cromova 18 stainless steel, ice tempered so it holds its edge longer than any other steel and resists rust, stains and corrosion. Or the seven-inch Shun Santoku Classic, which features the look and functionality of Damascus steel, without the risk of rust, making food less likely to stick during chopping. Global and Shun knives are available at high-end cookware stores such as Cookworks, where the Global Cook's Knife retails for $119 and the Shun for $159. Visit www.cookworks. ca for more info or to order online.
Dice and go
A great knife is essential for slicing and dicing, but when you need perfect dice – not to mention crinkle cuts, waffle cuts and diamond cuts – a mandoline is the way to go. This handy French slicing machine is a great tool for a prolific chef, and the newest versions, like the Williams-Sonoma de Buyer Dicing Mandoline, not only come with a variety of attachments, but also have safety features that make it less of a safety risk. The de Buyer Dicing Mandoline retails for $229.95 at Williams-Sonoma stores (www.williams-sonoma. com).
Small fry
We may love the crisp texture and savoury flavour of fried food, but the mess, the waste and the calories? Not so much. But now there's the T-fal ActiFry, and things may never be the same again. This handy countertop appliance uses only one spoonful of oil to make a whole kilogram of deliciously perfect french fries (or veggies or meat). It's safe, easy to use and just as easy to clean. No wonder it won the Canadian Grand Prix Best New Product Award in May. It retails for a suggested price of $349.99, exclusively at The Bay stores across Canada (www.t-fal.ca).
Sweet, chocolatey goodness
It sounds like a chocoholic's fantasy, but it's real all right – a tabletop fountain that pours out warm, luscious melted chocolate any time you want it. Giles & Posner, the company that introduced the Chocolate Fountain to Europe, has collaborated with U.K. chocolatier Cadbury to create a whole line of chocolate home entertainment products, including fondues, fillers and, of course, the Cadbury Mini Chocolate Fountain. This must-have gadget only needs about a pound of fondue chocolate to create seemingly endless cascades of the gooey stuff, and with a suggested retail price of only $49.95, how can anyone resist? It's available at Walmart, Kitchen Stuff Plus, Stokes and other retailers (www.gilesandposner.com/cadbury).
Clean hands
It's impossible to underestimate importance of frequent handwashing, and nowhere is that more crucial than in the kitchen. But keeping a soggy bar of soap by the sink isn't that appealing. Thankfully, Williams Sonoma has come up with a practical and elegant solution: A metal caddy that sits by the sink and contains hand soap, hand lotion, and, if you want, your dish soap, too, all in the gorgeous fragrances of the Williams Sonoma Essential Oils Collection. There's everything from basic Meyer lemon or lavender to the seasonally spicy, piney winter forest. Items in the Williams-Sonoma Essential Oils Collection retail for $12.50 to $34.95 at Williams-Sonoma stores (www.williams-sonoma.com).
Cool sippers
Chardonnay should be served at 14.5 C to 16.5 C (58 F to 62 F) and Pinot Noir should be served at 15.5 C to 18.5 C (60 F to 65 F). But chances are, you're pouring your Chard too chilly while your Burgundy is broiling. And that's why you need Sharper Image's new Single Bottle Wine Chiller. It has pre- sets for 70 different wines or you can set your own. Just choose the right setting, pop the bottle in the brushed metal pod, wait a few moments, and voila! You've got the perfect glass of wine. The Single Bottle Wine Chiller retails for a suggested price of $119.99 at The Bay and Home Outfitters (www. sharperimage.com).
Cooking school
Whether your favourite cook is a Michelin-starred chef or can't boil an egg, chances are they'd love to learn a bit more about how to bake and boil, steam and saute. So why not sign them up for a course at one of the country's great cooking schools? Look into the Cordon Bleu in Ottawa (www.cordonbleu.edu) The Cookbook Company in Calgary (www.cookbookcooks.com), The Dirty Apron in Vancouver (www.dirtyapron.com) and the Calphalon Culinary Centre in Toronto (www.calphalonculinarycenter.com).
Cookbooks
Those who love to cook probably love to read recipes. Here are three new cookbooks the food lovers on your list will love to see under the tree this holiday:
Modern Gastronomy: A to Z by Ferran Adria (Crc Press Llc, $71.95) is for the mad scientist in your kitchen, the cook who gets into things like sous vide, reverse spherification and carbonating fruit. Adria is the father of molecular gastronomy and here he explains food from a uniquely scientific perspective. Note that the book won't be released until Dec. 22, so get your order in now.
My Bread by Jim Lahey (Norton, $37.50) is for the cook who loves the wholesome goodness of the grain. Lahey is considered New York's premier baker, and demonstrates easy ways to make bread that don't rely on breadmakers or complicated kneading techniques.
Ad Hoc at Home: Family-Style Recipes by Thomas Keller (Artisan Press, $65) is for the person who believes in preparing restaurant-worthy meals at home. Keller is quite possibly the United States' most highly regarded chef, and it's almost impossible to get into his most popular restaurants, The French Laundry and Per Se. But here he demonstrates how to make the comfort foods that are closest to his heart: flaky biscuits, chicken pot pies, New England clam bakes and more.
A new kitchen
If you've been hearing a lot of slamming, swearing and mutterings of "I hate this kitchen" coming from the room where the fridge and stove live, perhaps it's time to take the plunge and invest in – deep breath – a whole new kitchen. If so, then check out the offerings at Ikea, where they have designers on staff to help you decide which of the clever cabinets, islands, drawers and storage spaces you should install. The price is right, the look is stylish and the quality is high, and we bet you'll have a very happy cook on your hands (www.ikea.com/ca).
