These Are a Few of My Favorite... Kitchen Tools?

I'm going to let you in on a dirty little secret: I am a self proclaimed kitchen gadget/appliance/tool junkie. No, really. It's a problem.

I can spend hours roaming the mecca that is Sur la Table. HOURS. (And our Sur la Table is not that big.) I try not to, especially because the sales people tend not to like it when customers caress the spatulas and such.

The only problem is... well... this:

That tiny little detail called a tiny little kitchen.


For those who are "I Cook Because I Have To Eat" sort of people, our drawers are probably sufficient to house the basics - flatware, cutlery, can opener, blah, blah blah.  But for someone like me who considers most food somewhat of an art form, these drawers scream claustrophobia for cooking tools.

So, I've had to tame my gadget buying urges and keep it simple, which has actually turned out to be a good thing. Here are my top five favorite kitchen tools (for this week, anyway). ;)

1. Citrus Press

Why I love it: Aside from the fact that it's shiny, red, and made by Martha... it truly makes juicing lemons and limes a magical experience. (You try squeezing enough fresh juice for a key lime pie by hand and tell me that it isn't.)

2. Kitchen Tongs

Why I love it: I use these for so many things. Grilling. Flipping things on the stovetop. Tossing pasta dishes  with sauce. Avoiding contact with raw meat on days when I'm sick of washing my hands a million times. They're great. Trust me.

3. Mini Ice Cream Scoop

Why I love it: Because it's itty bitty. It's also VERY handy for producing perfectly sized cookie dough scoops, meatballs, mellon balls, & mini sorbet scoops for these.

4. Silicone Basting Brush

Why I love it: It's perfect for basting chicken, fish, etc. with oil or delicious sauces. Fabulous for brushing egg wash over pastries and breads before baking. AND much more sanitary than the brushes with bristles, in my opinion. Plus this one's got a little knob so you can rest it on the side of the bowl without it falling in.

5. Good spatulas

Why I love it: Because it's an essential! I use it almost daily, so it better be a good one. I like my good 'ol silicone spatula. And it's a pretty color, too. :)

Well, there you have it. If I HAD to choose just a few kitchen tools, I guess these would be the chosen ones. But that certainly wouldn't stop me from paying some more visits to Sur la Table...