They may not be the flashiest holiday gifts, but Vermont cooks are very thankful for useful kitchen gadgets. Many food-enthusiasts have a list of things they want for their kitchen, but can’t quite justify buying.
Candace Page, food writer for The Burlington Free Press, did some digging to find out what gifts cooks love most. She knows a lot of people who love to cook, so she posted on her Facebook page and sent an email blast to family and friends. She asked, “What is the best kitchen gift you’ve received in the past and what is the worst, or most useless?”
Her email inbox lit up like a Christmas tree. Surprisingly, the only “worst kitchen gift” that was mentioned was a one-use-only kitchen gadget, such as a garlic press. Enjoy some of the favorites she cooked up below.
Vermont cooks' favorite kitchen gifts:
- An immersion blender
- High quality kitchen knives
- Ice cream making attachment for a Kitchen Aid Mixer (very specific)
- Heavy duty kitchen shears
- Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Childs
- 12” cast iron frying pan
Also, anything made in Vermont. But especially:
- Vermont-made cheese
- Maple syrup from Vermont
- Vermont distilled spirits (there are quite a few to choose from these days!)
- French butter dishes made by potter Bruce Murray in Bradford
- Walnut serving board from Vermont Farm Table in Burlington
- Smoked maple syrup from “Sugar Bob” Hausslein in Londonderry
- Wildly colorful aprons from Green River Aprons in Guilford
- Heady Topper jelly from Potlicker Kitchen in Bethel
To go along with a gift of Vermont smoked maple syrup, enjoy a recipe from owner “Sugar Bob” Hausslein. His smoked maple syrup, available in stores around Vermont and online, has been infused with hardwood smoke. You wouldn’t pour it on pancakes, but it makes an intriguing addition to BBQ sauces and salad dressings.
Smokin’ Salad Dressing
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon tamari or soy sauce
1 tablespoon smoked maple syrup
Combine ingredients in a mason jar and shake until blended.
The VPR Café is produced in collaboration with The Burlington Free Press.
Broadcast on Sunday, Dec. 14, 2014 at 10:50 a.m.
