The ECG's Top 10 Kitchen Gadgets of 2022!
2022 was a year full of reconnecting with the outside world. The ECG eased out of her Pandemic routine and got back to travel, concerts, and large gatherings. But she also kept one dare-she-say good things she gained from the almost 2-year hunker-down. Mainly, the rekindling of her love of cooking...not just baking. And here's her list of the top 10 things that she learned to appreciate in this past year in the kitchen.
#10) Spaetzle Maker
Don't let her Italian Mama hear about this, but the ECG started exploring the comfort foods of other countries during lockdown. And one that stuck and has become a favorite in her house (especially for entertaining post-pandemic) is Spaetzle. These little home-made dumplings are stupidly quick and easy to make, and impress any guest at her table. The recipe is simple, just throw together the ingredients in a bowl and stir by hand. Fill the Spaetzle maker over a pot of boiling water, and let those little dumplings glide into the water. Drain them and toss them in a pan with some butter and cover with grated cheese of any kind for a hearty side, or use them in place of noodles for Stroganoff or Chicken Paprikash. You'll never go back to egg noodles!! Here's the only gadget necessary to make this must-have winter staple. Recipe and instructions included:
#9) Pomegranate Seed Remover
Pomegranates have always been a favorite in the ECG's kitchen. From adding those glorious little jewel-like seeds to salads, beverages, to making a mint-pomegranate relish to top Basmati Rice, they add a little glam to any meal. And after learning that the trick to removing the seeds is to cut the pom in half, and whack the hell out it with a wooden spoon, the ECG found herself more likely to include them in her culinary endeavors (partially because they were easier to seed, and partially because sometimes, you just need to beat on something). But, the down side to this method was that her kitchen repeatedly looked like a crime scene. There were red spatters all over the walls, her face, the ceiling, even her beloved canine sous chefs. Needless to say, the second she saw this COVERED Pomegranate seed remover-thingy, she had to have it. She loved it so much, that she added them to the site immediately!
#8 and 7) The World's Best Measuring Cup and Kitchen Scale
With more time in the kitchen cooking and baking, the ECG found herself less tolerant of her antiquated measuring implements. Separate cups for liquid and dry ingredients, and the inaccuracy of trying to measure small amounts (or sticky stuff) drove her mad. Two solutions: First, she's switched to weighing everything. This has completely changed the game for baking! Her recipes come out consistently fabulous, and she doesn't need to clean a full set of measuring cups and spoons at the end of the day. And for semi-solids, like peanut butter, shortening, honey and sour cream, this World's Best Measuring Cup is the best thing she's bought in years!! One cup measures dry, wet, and in-between stuff, and it adjusts to any measurement. Best thing is you just push the bottom of the cup and it pops out all of even the most gloppy of ingredients without having to scrape the sides of a cup! Can she get an Amen?!?!?!
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Digital Kitchen Scale Cutie Cupcake
Special Price
$14.99
Regular Price
$24.99
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Digital Kitchen Scale Cutie CupcakeSpecial Price $14.99 Regular Price $24.99
#6) Batter Dispenser
Speaking of gloppy...let's talk about batter. Not the batta, batta, batta sa-wing, batter. More like cupcake, pancake, really anycake batter. This batter dispenser has saved her cupcakes from drips all over the liners and pan, and it precisely fills cake donut pans, mini cheesecake pans, and madeleine tins too!
#5) Whisk Scraper Spatula
This Whisk Scraper is like "Type A" therapy. Get one...no more words necessary.
#4) Gravy Strainers
The gloriously simple design of these gadgets make the ECG equally stunned and outraged that she didn't think of this herself. But, hubris aside, she's so glad that someone created them! Every hack she's ever tried for de-fatting drippings to make gravy has been a massive let down. But this simple separator simply has the pour spout at the bottom of the cup, so the fat rises to the top, and you pour out all the glorious meaty goodness from any roast, turkey, or chicken. It's potroast season...time to try this out.
#3) The World's Best Cheese Slicer
The ECG has been doing meat and cheese trays for decades. Now they call them Charcuterie Boards. This trend has taken off so much in the past year, that we've even added an entire section to our site for Charcuterie and Garnishing HERE. But nothing makes for a sad-looking board more than uneven, shaggy or broken-edged cheese slices. The ECG has tried EVERY cheese-slicer out there, and this, my cheesy friends, is THE BEST.
#2) Cup Warmer
Okies, the ECG bought hers to repurpose it to hold a cup of melted candy coating so that it wouldn't set up while she's dipping cake pops...and it worked like a charm!!! But much to her surprise, now that she has it around the kitchen, she actually uses it for its intended purpose too. Double bonus!
#1) Silicone Oven Gloves
Try these once, and you'll NEVER go back to oven mitts! Not only do they improve your dexterity by allowing your hands to operate like, well, hands, but they have a grippy quality, and wash up like a dream!! No icky burnt on food stains, no burned fingers when something liquid soaks through, like a traditional fabric mitt. When the ECG gets something on them, she walks right over to the sink, and washes them with dish soap while their still on her hands. Since they're silicone, they dry off instantly with a towel and are ready to use again immediately. She's had hers for over a year, and they look like new!
