Christmas is almost here, and we've been reviewing what we have in our kitchens to make sure that we have all the tools we need for a wonderful family celebration. Here's a checklist of what to have on hand for kitchen tools and cookware for a grand meal!
• Find lots to shop online here - I've linked to various items you can shop on our website. Select curbside pickup at checkout - you can also pickup your order and come inside to browse more if you wish, or we can run the order out to you! •
1. Tea Towels are essential for quick cleanup - and grabbing things from the oven when you can't find your oven mitts. If you are doing a family style dinner service, protect your table with tea towels as they make for lovely "trivets" to set hot dishes on. If a hot bowl of mashed potatoes is being passed around, a Christmas themed tea towel adds to the visual delights of the season, and protects your guests hands. We have a wide selection of Christmas themed (among other designs and themes too!) tea towels at the store right now, and you can shop some online here.
2. A Meat Thermometer is essential for checking the internal temperature of your turkey, especially as the breast meat and leg meats cook at different speeds, with the leg meat being more dense and taking longer to cook. Check the temperature at the thickest part of the thigh where the temperature should read 77ºC/170ºF. See what thermometers we have available to shop online here, and also find a great selection at our store! I love my OXO Good Grips Chef;s Precision Digital Thermometer and highly recommend it for accuate temp readings, and easy cleanup after use - Shop it here.
3. Baking Paper or Baking Silacone Mat can be used for baking cookies to prevent sticking to the tray. It also comes in super handy for an easier clean up after baking sticker items including appetizers and meats. See the manufacturers instructions for maximum temperature as some papers are good up to 375ºF and others can go up to 450ºF. Shop silicone mats on our website and find both silicone and baking paper at the store.
4. Pestle and Mortar for smashing together butter and herbs for a spectacular butter selection at your Christmas meal! Shop them here online or at the store.
5. Swedish Dish Cloths are a spectacular option to mopping up spills as opposed to paper towels. I use mine for washing dishes as well as cleaning in the kitchen, and quick wipeups of spills on the stove and counters. These cloths are made from natural cotton and celulose and are compostable, and last a wonderfully long time. I throw mine in the washing machine and hang to dry. With a wide selection of designs, you will find plenty of these will delight you and make your cleanup a snap! Shop some of the selection online here, and find plenty more at our store.
6. Wooden Spoons are essential for everyday cooking, from stirring gravy to cookie dough. Why a wooden spoon? They don't heat to scalding temperatures, or scratch nonstick pots and pans, and don't chemically react to acidic foods. Perfect! We have wooden spoons to shop at our store.
7. Reusable Food Storage is another essential for the holidays for all those left overs! We have a wide selection of types of storage containers as well as various brands at the store, including Mepal, Stasher, Danica Jubilee and NOW Designs, RSVP, ZWILLING, Danesco Fusionbrands, and more! Shop some of the selection online here, and find more at the store.
8. Colanders and Strainers are great to have handy for draining the water from your cooked vegetables and potatoes. We also have Fat Separators (gravy strainers) to separate the fat from your gravy! Shop online here, and visit the store for more!
9. Measuring Jug/Cup/Spoons/Scales are very handy to have so that you are not guessing with what amounts to put into your cooking. From OXO Good Grips to Mason Cash, you can find unique and fun looks as well as the classic - clear with red measuring markings - Anchor Hocking measuring jugs that have been the staple of my family's kitchen for years! Shop a wide selection here online and find even more at the store.
10. Graters/Peelers/Tongs can be found on our back walls, with lots to choose from. Shop online here for a great selection from Microplane, and we have an awesome selection at the store.
11. Kitchen String is very handy for tying up Christmas puddings, porchettas and the turkey itself! We have various types of kitchen string to shop at the store, and Butcher's String can be found on the website here.
12. The Roasting Pan is the crowning piece of kitchen essentials for the holidays, and we can give you lots of options to choose from at the store. You might want to get a cast iron cocotte to get a wider range of options for cooking, or a nonstick or stainless steel option instead. Foil may also be found at the store. Take a peek online to see what options there are as well!
Of course we have a selection of knives and chopping boards, so if you find you need to update yours take a peek at our selection of brands, styles and materials. (Shop these online here) We even have some gorgeous hand made boards that you might want to use for charcuterie - shop these ones in-store.
