Ankarsrum Assistent Original Stand Mixer — Matte Finish
Stand mixers are one of the most versatile tools in the kitchen, yet most are clunky, inefficient and can’t handle larger portions of dough without rocking on the counter or speeding down substantially. But thanks to a bit of Swedish ingenuity, Ankarsrum has come up with a one-of-a-kind design that maximizes capability and stands up to hefty quantities of dough. Normal mixers have a bowl that doesn’t move and beaters that do move. The Ankarsrum has a stainless steel bowl that spins, while the blade, beaters and other attachments stay in place. No more stopping and starting your mixer to scrape the sides of the bowl your beater can’t reach. The spinning bowl results in more mixing power without overexerting the quiet, spiral gear shaft motor. That’s why it can easily accommodate heavier doughs (up to 11 pounds) and even has motor feedback to help regulate speed on its own.
Not making dough? Simply swap the stainless bowl for the included BPA-free 4-quart beater bowl (does not spin, comes with attached drive shaft) to mix, whisk and combine batters, cream butter and sugar, whip cream and frosting and more.
The Ankarsrum’s unique design offers a stable, low weight distribution, tremendous torque, infinitely variable speed and a timer for automatic shutoff. Plus, because there’s nothing blocking the top of the bowl, adding in ingredients while the mixer is on has never been easier. Even better? This mixer is several pounds lighter than your run-of-the-mill stand mixer and more low profile, making it easier to take in and out of storage for use. The entire set comes complete with the mixer motor base, a 7.4-quart stainless steel bowl, a 4-quart BPA-free whipping bowl, a dough roller, dough scraper, dough hook, proofing lid, spatula, double beater/whisks and cake beater whisks, as well as a starter guide and recipe book. Available in a variety of colors with a matte finish.
Iwachu Cast-Iron Grill Pan
This grill pan from Iwachu is made to order from Nambu iron, a traditional Japanese cast ironware known for heat retention and durability that dates back over 400 years. The perfect companion for meat, chicken, fish, veggies, sandwiches and more, the pan is designed with a corrugated wave pattern on the bottom that leaves your burgers and grilled cheese with beautiful grill marks. Its compact, not-too-heavy size is just right for an at-home grilling experience, not too bulky like big cast iron griddles, and easy to use at any time, unlike a full-sized grill. And its natural cast iron construction makes it practically nonstick. Plus, the thoughtfully designed handle stays cool longer on the stove, so you can skip the potholder and still keep your hands safe when handling.
Milk Street Limited Edition Premium Kitchin-to™ — Cocobolo Wood
Traditional European chef’s knives are big, heavy and awkward because they evolved from Middle Ages daggers, which were designed for personal defense, not kitchen work. There’s good reason its so hard to prep a tidy dice.
Our solution was to look toward Japan, where there’s a long history—and huge range—of smartly designed kitchen knives grown out of swordmaking. By design, Japanese knives are thinner, lighter and task specific—separate blade styles, for meats, fish, vegetables, etc. Based on these knives and our own cooking experience, we developed an all-new modern chef’s knife that’s remarkably easy to use. It’s the Milk Street Kitchin-to, part cleaver and part vegetable knife. It can handle small jobs such as slicing garlic but also makes heavy-duty jobs a breeze. With the Kitchin-to, you let the knife do the work!
This is a Limited edition, premium run of our tried-and-true Milk Street Kitchin-To knife. It features a high-end Japanese AUS8 steel blade specially treated with a non-stick “Tsuchime” hammered surface and a gorgeously grained cocobolo wood handle. And it comes with a custom saya, or knife guard, to keep your blade keen and protect it in storage. Consider it an heirloom-quality tool to pass on to the next generation.
Mastrad Three-Piece Mixing Bowls
This durable three-piece metal mixing bowl set from French brand Mastrad is designed to do more than just hold ingredients. Equipped with a non-slip silicone base for extra stability, these bowls won’t shift or slip at all while mixing, stirring or folding. The steep sides, fitted with measurement lines on the inside, help keep food from spilling out. Unlike regular mixing bowls, each bowl in this set comes with a transparent fitted lid for storage, perfect for keeping an eye on freshness. But even better, each lid is also splatter-proof and contains a removable middle piece so you can whisk, beat or blend without making a mess. The largest two lids can even fit an immersion blender! When not in use, this nesting set stores compactly, so it won’t take up too much space in your cabinet. Available exclusively online at Milk Street in the US.
Provence Platters Lazy Susan — Medium
Meet your next heirloom piece. Provence Platters reclaims retired wine barrels from vineyards in the countryside of Napa or Bordeaux and turns each one into stunningly beautiful serving pieces, like this Lazy Susan. Like great wine, every piece from Provence Platter takes time and skill to perfect. Each platter takes four or five years to make, from drying out retired wine barrels all the way to using woodworking techniques, like elegant Swiss biscuit joinery, which strengthens the assembled pieces and prevents warping or cracking, seamlessly, without any extra hardware. This item brings added ease and functionality to entertaining (or even everyday dining) with its rotating Lazy Susan base—it’s optimal for use at a seated table. Its surface is completely food-safe, thanks to three coatings of beeswax on the oak wood. And each one is buffed to a soft luster and finished with iron handles, forged by hand in Brooklyn the old-fashioned way: by heating and hand-bending each piece. And the spinning mechanism is made from high-quality aluminum.
Every Lazy Susan is handcrafted and entirely unique (many will bear their original cooperage marks, which share the origins and construction of each barrel). These are some of the most stunning, elegant reclaimed pieces we’ve seen yet—each one is truly a collectible statement piece. Note: The underside of each Provence Platter piece may contain wine stains from its first life.
ITALO Acetaia Pedroni Traditional Balsamic Vinegar of Modena D.O.P.
One of the oldest artisan balsamic makers in the world, Acetaia Pedroni has been in the business since 1862. They make their Italo balsamic vinegar from start to finish in Modena, which earns the bottle the “Protected Designation of Origin” mark—a verification that it’s as high quality as it gets. Made only from pure, juicy trebbiano wine grapes, the vinegar is aged for a minimum of 12 years in oak and chestnut wood barrels, moving into smaller and smaller barrels as it ages to concentrate the flavor. The finished result is filled with complexity: rich, heady, sweet, earthy and tart with notes of raisins and umami. It’s thick and syrupy from years of evaporation and a natural sugar content, so it’s perfect for finishing the most special dishes, like risotto and meats, or drizzled over strawberries and cheese.
Fiero Forni Italian Pizza Stone
From an Italian maker famous for their wood-fired pizza ovens, this pizza stone is the real deal. Thanks to its refractory material with a high ratio of alumina, this pizza stone will heat up quickly and produce a crisp crust with every use. Its porous, very thin surface helps produce steam—moving moisture away from the pie, ensuring it doesn’t reabsorb into the crust—while also preventing burning. The refractory stone diffuses heat at the same rate over its entire surface, for an even bake every time. Plus, it has high heat resistance, so sudden changes in temperature (as might arise when using a grill) are much less likely to compromise an evenly cooked pie. The stone sits in a handy steel frame complete with handles and is quite lightweight, so it’s easier and safer to transport than a typical flat stone (with oven mitts, of course). Also, the “pizza backsplash” prevents your pie from sliding off the stone during cooking and while maneuvering it in and out of the oven. The Italian-made refractory stone (composed from natural raw materials) is incredibly thick and durable, so it can be used not only in the oven but also on the grill, which would burn other pizza cookware. The stone also comes beautifully wrapped in artisanal, traditional Florentine paper, making it a stunning gift for the pizza lover in your life.
