Cooking Little

Prepara Flip Masher

Don't be skeptical. This is a well-designed improvement on a classic. By squeezing the sides of the masher the disc swivels and locks into place for mashing. Flip it back for storage. This is a winner and an exclusive at Sur la Table. Or you can buy it direct from the Prepara web site, makers of all manner of herb contraptions and the salad prep set.

$20. AT SUR LA TABLE

Gifts for Micro-Kitchens

By cookinglittle on November 18, 2009 11:47 AM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Lucero Olive Oil

Winning Groves

For four generations the Lucero family has been growing and selling olive oil very locally. In 2004, they expanded beyond their lucky circle of friends in Northern California and started marketing their heritage extra virgin olive oils, mono-varietal extra virgin olive oils, flavored oils and traditional balsamic and flavored vinegars. Once the Lucero products officially hit the market they started collecting awards from the California Olive Oil council and fans such as the folks a Dean and Deluca and William Sonoma. Anthony's Blend from Lucero is now the house oil at William Sonoma. This is not surprising since the olive oils are are all rich and buttery and the vinegars have bright and complex flavors. Anything from the Lucero grove would make a satisfying gift for someone with an educated palate or at least one that is eager to learn. For full immersion into everything Lucero has to offer try the sampler. Shop at the Lucero web site and you can purchase single bottles or fill customized gift boxes according to individual tastes. Just click on a picture of a bottle and it pops into a box. (Several people on our lists are getting what we are calling the "Mission Fig" custom box -- Fig Vinegar matched with the Mission Oil.) Single 8.5 oz bottles start at are around $8.00, the sampler is $40., the custom boxes are priced as you mix and match bottles.

starting at $8.00 AT LUCERO OLIVE OIL

Food Gifts

By cookinglittle on November 17, 2009 7:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Lodge Double Dutch Oven

No Lightweight

Cast iron cookware has been popular for decades because it is inexpensive, conducts heat well and is long lasting. Recently, cooks have been embracing pre-seasoned cast iron as a safe nonstick alternative. Among all the hardworking pre-seasoned cast iron pieces made by Lodge, the 5 qt Double Dutch Oven stands apart. The lid also functions as a 10 ¼ skillet or bake pan that is terrific for cornbread, tartin, frittata and anything that you may start on the stove and finish in the oven. Pot and lid together create the “oven in an oven” system used in Jim Lahey’s no-knead bread technique, and if pictured on the cover. Shop around for this one because prices vary from $35 to $55.

$37.96 AT WALMART.COM

Gifts for Micro-Kitchens

By cookinglittle on November 11, 2009 9:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

My Bread

by Jim Lahey

Thanks to this book, and the tenacious curiosity of baker Jim Lahey that gave way to its contents, tables all over the country are studded with home baked loaves of bread made with his revolutionary no-knead method. Here, in Brooklyn, it is THE thing to bring to a dinner party. Handing your host a wrapped loaf of homemade bread made from Lahey’s no-knead method, is simultaneously showy and humble. It looks like more work than it was and it probably set you back less than the $2.50 subway ride you took to the party. There is also something hugely restorative to making a loaf of bread. If you haven’t made yeast bread for a while or never done it, My Bread, is for you. The primer no-knead recipe, made famous by Mark Bittman, is a straight forward whole wheat boule. The Coconut-Chocolate Bread is a spectacular end to a meal as part of a cheese and dessert course or simply accompanied by a strong cup of coffee. This book is a wonderful gift for anyone who appreciates fine food, even the small-kitchen cook. If your kitchen can accommodate a full sized cooking board, you can make pretty much any bread in this book. Starting November 2nd Barnes and Noble is offering the member price on select books to non-members. Save $12 off list price on My Bread now.

$17.51 AT BN.COM

Gifts for Micro-Kitchens

By Katie on November 10, 2009 9:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Vervacious

Stand Up Gifts

Sure they stack, but even if you give a gift of just one jar of something wonderful from Vervacious it still rates as a stand up gift. This is because the flavors in their cheese complements, savory preserves, finishing salts, table sauces and mignonettes are transformative. High praise, for sure, but when we sampled the black truffle pineapple conserve with goat cheese and dark bread, we paused for a moment of silence. If you know someone who is fond of nibbling shards of parmesan cheese then the Espresso Balsamic Drizzle is a must. Vervacious also offers loose teas and spiced cocoa mixes with low-sugar. And you can mix and match a stack of flavors to suit your taste or be guided by the wide variety of gift sets such as Spain Favorites, Best of the Med or Caribbean Grill Stack. If you feel like going big, there is the Vervacious Explorers Club for $300. This is a year of monthly surprises from the Vervacious to inspire your kitchen adventures.

from $6.50 AT VERVACIOUS

Food Gifts

By cookinglittle on November 4, 2009 5:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

All-Clad Round Baker

Potluck Chic

Make an entrance at your next potluck dinner with the industrial chic of the Round Baker from the All-Clad. This nine inch pan is the right size for cakes, fruit crisps, frittatas, gratins, small roasts or a pair of Cornish Game Hens. Try it for one-pot oven recipes such as the Caramelized Onion Butternut Squash dish, a vegetarian Thanksgiving side-dish classic in the making from the Veganmonicon cookbook. For petite baked dishes, the All-Clad Soufflé/Soup Ramekins, also from the Gourmet Ovenware collection, are right for individual baked entrees, onion soup or a small shared side dish. Pair the round baker with the ramekins and you have an oven-to-table set – think main dish cooked and served in the round baker and the garnish and finishing sauce warmed in the ramekins. If it is a late night dessert that you are after, the ramekins stand in beautifully for the bulky fondue pot that you don't have room for anyway. They measure 4 1/2 by 2 1/4 inches and, if you have one handy, will sit squarely on a votive candle stand. The All-Clad Soufflé/Soup Ramekins come two in a set and cost around $54 and make enduring vessels for those homemade food gifts that will soon be delicious memories.

$89.95 AT SUR LA TABLE

Gifts for Micro-Kitchens