Vibrant Nation

Because I run a cooking school, I am always trying to test new kitchen products. When I find things I really like, I have my students use them in class. For 2008, I had a difficult time paring my list down to just the best ten, but since it is a top 10 list, pare it I must. Remember, just because something fell off of my list from last year does not mean it is not a good product. It just means that I found some that I liked even better. Not all gadgets specifically for cooking, as you will see in the list. Just be creative and you will find that you can use lots of things as kitchen helpers and not have to buy or store so many single use items.

I hope you enjoy my list of gadgets. Maybe a few will even make it onto your list for Santa this year!

	1. Digital meat thermometer from $10 up Every time I cook meat or chicken I test them with a thermometer to assure they are properly cooked. But there are other uses for this handy tool. I use mine to test the water temperature when using yeast, and it's also great to test the temperature of freshly baked bread. Lots of uses and if I could only have one gadget in my kitchen, this would be it.
	2. Microplane zester (around $13) These are perfect for zesting citrus, grating cheese and chocolate. There are 3 types of Microplanes; citrus zester, cheese grater and ribbon grater. If I could only have one, the regular zester would be the one to buy. But they are small, inexpensive, and don't take up much room in your kitchen so why not have for all three!
	3. Cuisinart Smart Stick ($30 and up) This is one of those dual purpose gadgets. It is a mini chopper, stick blender and egg whipper. I use it all the time. Easy to clean and easy to use.
	4. Silicone brushes ($8 to $10, depending upon size) )If you use brushes in the kitchen you know that the bristles can end up in your food. With silicone brushes that does not happen. Look for brushes with thinner bristles. They are very easy to clean and can even be used on the grill.
	5. Silpat baking sheets (about $20) Silicone baking sheets are great for keeping cookies and other baked goods from sticking to your pans. If you are a candy maker, they're also great for that. I wouldn't make caramel or brittle without one. They are eco-friendly since I don't have to use parchment paper. They last for about 2000 uses which for most people is a long, long time.
	6. Melon baller (about $5 to $8) I used to keep my melon baller in the drawer, under the other unused gadgets. But once I figured out that it was great for lots of things, it surfaced as a very useful tool. Okay, I make melon balls, but I also use it to remove cores from apples and pears, and to cut and scoop things that are small. It's one of those items that once you have one, you will think of many ways to use it. I prefer a metal baller since it can also be used to cut cores, etc.
	7. Baby spoon (around $1) So it isn't a gadget, but it's a wonderful tool for spooning small amounts of filling into ravioli or filling nut cups, thumbprint cookies, etc. And what's even better is that if you don't have any, get one from a friend. If you're really lucky, you'll have one from your child or grandchild so every time you use the spoon, you'll always think of your wonderful family.
	8. Ziploc bag and or disposable piping bag with tip (about $2) If you do not have piping bags, don't fret. Use a Ziploc bag with a fancy tip to decorate appetizers, cupcakes, etc. I like to use disposable piping bags, but if you don't have any, Ziplocs work well.
	9. Messermeister 'thin skin' Peeler (around $7) Perfect for removing tomato or peach skins. Much easier than using boiling water to pop skins from thin-skin fruits and vegetables.
	10. Oxo rubber tipped tongs (about $12) These are perfect for using in non-stick pans since they will not scratch pans. They work the same as 'regular' tongs, but are more gentle on your pans. They come in a few different sizes.