Milk Street Közmatik
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
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.
ChefSofi Granite Mortar and Pestle Set
ChefSofi Granite Mortar and Pestle Set
This Mortar and Pestle's deep bowl, which is about 4.5 inches in diameter, will contain all of your spices as you're cracking or grinding, for fewer crumbs and bits on your kitchen counter. The pestle is 7 inches long and tapered to allow for comfort and control—a firm grip on the pestle makes grinding easier on your hand, and you won't have to worry about scraping it against the edges of the bowl. And, since the mortar is solid all the way through to its base, it provides a stable foundation for grinding spices finely or crushing herbs to release their aromas, as with our Italian-style Spicy Garlic and Herb Oil. This version, carved from unpolished granite, has a generous 2-cup capacity, which means you can make larger quantities of pesto or chimichurri at a time than with other brands.
Victoria Cast Iron 8-Inch Tortilla Press
Victoria Cast Iron 8-Inch Tortilla Press
Made by a three-generation family metalworking business, this cast iron tortilla press is made with care and craftsmanship in mind. Aluminum tortilla presses are common, but sturdy cast iron yields more even pressure and extra weight. Its plates are made through a precise sand-casting and molding technique to ensure they (and your tortillas) are perfectly flat. A lever helps you evenly press the plates together, while the base and handle are reinforced so it will last for generations. Plus, it’s pre-seasoned with flaxseed oil, which is generally regarded as the most durable oil for seasoning cast iron because, when it polymerizes at high temperatures, it forms a structure that’s more durable than other common oils.
JIA Inc. Companion Wok
JIA Inc. Companion Wok
Crafted from carbon steel, our preferred wok cooking material, this pan features a long beech wood handle (which won’t overheat) as well as an ear handle for easy pouring and transport. Although it doesn’t have any sort of chemical coating, the pan’s glossy black interior undergoes a special nitriding process, which produces an iron nitride layer that increases durability and prevents rust. The inside is then polished to a shine and given a fish-scale uneven finish to promote air flow under food, both of which give the pan incredible nonstick properties straight for the box with a quick initial seasoning. So you don’t have to worry as much about building up a layer of seasoning straight away like you would with other carbon steel pans or cast iron.
Plus, its flat bottom ensures it’ll work with any cooking surface and the accompanying lid with an easy-to-grip wood knob makes it ideal for steaming as well.
Kilner Fermentation Set
Kilner Fermentation Set
Homemade sauerkraut and kimchi are made safe and easy with this home fermentation kit. The set includes a three-liter glass fermenting jar—large enough to easily accommodate a large napa cabbage—as well as a silicone lid that seals more easily than twist-top metal lids. Simply slice vegetables, layer with spices and leave to soak in a brine solution. Kilner provides two ceramic stones that will keep your vegetables weighed down beneath the surface of the brine. Additionally, the airlock releases the carbon dioxide that results from fermentation without letting in any oxygen. We love to make homemade kimchi and we use it with our Pork and Kimchi Stew (Kimchi Jjigae) or Kimchi and Bacon Fried Rice; the pickled napa cabbage also serves as a spicy, crunchy key element of our Sesame Stir-Fried Pork with Shiitakes. Or make fresh sauerkraut, whose bright and clean flavor is far superior to store-bought canned and jarred varieties; it's perfect for dishes like our Paprika-Caraway Kielbasa Soup. And don't worry—the Kilner fermentation set is large enough that you will have plenty of homemade pickles for snacking even after you use them generously in recipes.
Crazy Korean Cooking Premium Korean Stone Pot
Crazy Korean Cooking Premium Korean Stone Pot
This traditional earthenware bowl (or ddukbaegi) is incredibly multifunctional, used in Korean cooking for simmering stews or making dolsot bibimbap, a popular sizzling rice dish. Safe for stovetop, microwave and oven use, the cookware is made from fine, porous clay that retains heat well but doesn't absorb soaps, chemicals or any off-flavors—plus, it doesn't require seasoning before first use. Korean stoneware has such excellent heat retention that the bowl is actually meant to double as a serving dish, since it keeps food warm as you're eating. A matching lid and heat-insulating trivet with handles make for easy transport to the table, while the double-fired glaze looks sleek and elegant.
de Buyer Mineral B Steak Frypan
