Milk Street Közmatik
This Turkish tool is the secret to perfect char-roasted vegetables, especially if you don’t have a grill or fire pit. The disk fits perfectly over the grate of a gas grill or the burner of a gas stove, so no more painstakingly monitoring vegetables under the broiler or accidentally setting them on fire. The design lets heat circulate evenly around the vegetables, so you are truly roasting, rather than searing (as you would on a skillet). The holes in the közmatik are spaced close enough to hold even small veggies, so there’s no struggle to keep a bulbous eggplant steady or keep slender spring onions from falling into the fire or rolling off. It’s also less messy than trying to char directly on the burner: The közmatik catches nearly all of the bits of charred vegetable skin and juices that would otherwise leak onto the surface of the stove; and, once cooled, it can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. Virtually impossible to track down in the U.S., this tool is essential for achieving luscious roasted eggplant and smoky-sweet roasted peppers.
Milk Street: Közmatik
This Turkish tool is the secret to perfect char-roasted vegetables, especially if you don’t have a grill or fire pit. The disk fits perfectly over the grate of a gas grill or the burner of a gas stove, so no more painstakingly monitoring vegetables under the broiler or accidentally setting them on fire. The design lets heat circulate evenly around the vegetables, so you are truly roasting, rather than searing (as you would on a skillet). The holes in the kozmatik are spaced close enough to hold even small veggies, so there’s no struggle to keep a bulbous eggplant steady or keep slender spring onions from falling into the fire or rolling off. It’s also less messy than trying to char directly on the burner: The kozmatik catches nearly all of the bits of charred vegetable skin and juices that would otherwise leak onto the surface of the stove; and, once cooled, it can be thrown in the dishwasher for easy cleanup. Virtually impossible to track down in the U.S., this tool is essential for achieving luscious roasted eggplant and smoky-sweet roasted peppers.
Anatolia Hand-Painted Ceramic 4-Inch Bowls — Set of 4
When traveling in Istanbul, our buyers found world-class Turkish ceramics at the Grand Bazaar—one of the world’s oldest markets—including these hand-painted 4-inch bowls. They’re sourced from Kutahya, a Turkish city renowned for hand-painted pottery. The bowls are painted with vibrantly colored motifs inspired by Iznik tulip designs, featuring red and blue flowers. Iznik, an art form dating back to the 15th century, fuses Ottoman patterns and elements of Chinese design—its abstract patterns, floral motifs and bright colors are synonymous with fine Turkish ceramics. As every piece from this maker is crafted by hand, slight variations in design are natural and add to their beauty. Sold in a set of 4.
Anatolia Hand-Painted Ceramic Round Platter
When traveling in Istanbul, our buyers found world-class Turkish ceramics at the Grand Bazaar—one of the world’s oldest markets—including this hand-painted ceramic platter. It’s sourced from Kutahya, a Turkish city renowned for hand-painted pottery. The platter is painted with vibrantly colored motifs inspired by Iznik tulip designs, featuring red and blue flowers, and finished with a decorative edge. Iznik, an art form dating back to the 15th century, fuses Ottoman patterns and elements of Chinese design—its abstract patterns, floral motifs and bright colors are synonymous with fine Turkish ceramics. It’s sized perfectly for serving appetizers, grilled meat, vegetables, sides or even a roasted chicken. As every piece from this maker is crafted by hand, slight variations in design are natural and add to their beauty.
Turkish Barbecue Skewers
Crafted in Turkey, these classic kebab skewers are made from stainless steel and finished with brass handles shaped like adorable farm animals. Used traditionally for kebabs, these skewers work for any chopped meat or vegetable. The stainless steel construction makes them safe for grilling (they’ll tolerate high heat), and their flat design keeps food from spinning around every time you flip a skewer on the grill. Each set comes with 6 skewers in the following shapes: cow, sheep, duck, pig, fish and rooster.
Turkish Zirh Butcher’s Knife
When traveling in Istanbul, Chris Kimball saw chefs using stunning “zirh” knives as comfortably as if they were using a chef’s knife to efficiently mince meat and vegetables. This impressive Turkish knife gets even the most painstaking jobs done in a flash, thanks to its large, curved blade. Use the 3-inch deep blade, which looks like a saber, by rocking it back and forth through a mound of vegetables, meat or herbs. The rocking motion is Turkish chefs’ secret for perfectly uniform chopped meat, peppers and onions for kebabs, with just the right texture—and much less effort.