Santa arrives in his brand new convertible mini. Well, that is when there is not enough snow in Boston for the sleigh and reindeer to do the trick.
Anyone who knows a good cook knows that we are always looking for tools to make the job easier. With all of the proper ingredients, expertise, recipes, technique and time the job can still be daunting without the right tools. Equipment is ninety per cent of the game. These three will make any cook's life easier.
Ahhh, the frother. You just can't make a decent cappuccino or cafe au lait without it. Did you know that it also is great for making hot chocolate? And who doesn't need that at this time of year? The frother whips up steamed or heated milk giving the cappuccino that familiar crown of creamy foam. It is best when the milk is heated our poured into a tall, cylindrical container so that the frother can aerate it enough to form the froth. You'll never have plain coffee again.
The chinois is really just a very fine sieve usually used with a wooden implement that forces the food through it. It is the secret ingredient to the smoothest gravies and sauces, especially fruit sauces used to garnish that fantastic dessert. It virtually eliminates all lumps, burned bits and seeds from the perfect sauce, concentrating the flavor without the sediment. The advanced cook will always love getting a fine chinois.
Last but by no means least is the silpat cookie sheet liner. This is the greatest thing ever made for bakers! No more need to butter and flour the tins. It's a silicone sheet invented in France that replaces parchment paper when baking. No more need to buy and store parchment paper. Buy one silpat (which will never burn) and it will last the rest of your life.
All of these items can be found online with a simple Google search or at finer cookware and/or restaurant supply houses. While most homes will not have any of these items everyone will wonder how they lived without them.
Or....you could just get them what they really want...........
Happy shopping!
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