Kitchen Ideas

Over the course of trying out new recipes, experimenting with new foods, and trying to keep my culinary adventures interesting, I’m constantly on the look out for new items for my tiny New York City kitchen that can add flare to my dishes and serve up double duty in a place where storage is a premium. The last several months have found me cleaning out the kitchen of tools and gadgets I really don’t use anymore (or never used in the first place) and restocking with new items to freshen things up. That’s where this list comes from. These are gadgets and tools that I have purchased in the past several months that I find incredibly useful and wanted to share. JB Chef Culinary Micro Butane Torch Ah yes, FIRE! The touch that gives anything a gourmet touch. I bought this when I was developing my S’mores Brownies recipe and…

Have you ever looked around your kitchen and felt that your array of serving dishes and cookery is just less than stellar in comparison with all those great cooks you see on TV? I can relate. Up until I discovered the local restaurant supply store I thought the only way I could have all these fun toys was to shell out mega dollars at the high-end kitchen stores (you know which ones we drool over). Now if you’ve never been to a restaurant supply store, be prepared to spend a bit of time exploring. You will be overwhelmed! But here is a short list of the five must-have items to make all your favorite Pumpernickel&Rye recipes and serve them up with an extra touch of class. 1)  Sheet Pans Sure you can buy your sheet pans, cookie sheets, etc at your local discount store. But once you see how inexpensive…

I recently purchased a water infusion pitcher and water consumption in my house has gone up immensely. Both the adults and the children are really enjoying the flavor that it adds to the water and makes it much more appealing without all the added calories and sugar of other beverages such as juice. It is very easy to use. Simply cut up your fruits of choice, put them in the pitcher with water, and stick in the fridge. The hardest part is having the patience to wait a few hours for the water to be ready in anticipation of the delicious beverage that is brewing. The model I have is the Primula Flavor It Pitcher 3-in-1 Beverage System. The benefits of this model is that it is designed to fit in the door of my fridge and is dishwasher safe. Previously I had a different infuser that was larger, and required…

We all dream of that amazing kitchen where we have the ultimate prep spaces and top-notch appliances to create our favorite dishes. I’m certainly no different as my Pinterest board will show. One of my favorite elements is a stone countertop. Perfect for kneading dough, rolling out cookies and pastry, and plenty of space to spread out all the ingredients I want to play with. Lately I have found  a love for cararra marble. Mostly because of how inexpensive it is. It’s certainly not the most durable in terms of potential for stains and blemishes. But I love that about the material. Over the years your counters can age and share the story of your culinary adventures in a way that is sophisticated, clean and lends a sense of brightness to your kitchen space. Here are some photos of our favorite cararra marble kitchens from Houzz. Traditional Kitchen by Seattle…

Let me tell you, moving from a vast Minneapolis, MN apartment complete with custom cabinets, island, and accompanying sun room was a shocker for what I have now.  At best my New York City kitchen is 100 square feet. Yeah, you heard that right.  Complete with a mini 20 inch stove, a sink, 4 upper cabinets, and a refrigerator. You might have noticed that I didn’t mention counters. Yup, there are no counters in my tiny little Upper West Side paradise near Central Park. So what’s this foodie to do? Why, hit Pinterest of course and get super creative with storage and design ideas to maximize every square inch. The Wall Can Store Anything and Everything The first thing that stood out to me when perusing the Pinterest rolls is the use of open shelving and rails to store and hang things from the walls. Genius! You can see this in the…