For cooks and anyone who likes to eat...

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Under $15

Pineapple peeler and slicer

If you love pineapple but hate to peel it, this is the tool for you. Peel, slice and core a whole pineapple in the about the amount of time it takes to open a can. Use this tool to make my pineapple and pork lettuce wraps.

Maldon Flaked Seasalt

This crunchy finishing salt makes everything taste better. Use it in salads, to finish a steak, chicken, fish or vegetables. Wonderful for making salted caramel. Try it once and you’ll be hooked.

Mutti Tomato Vinegar

Intensely tomato vinegar is wonderful for salad dressings and marinades.

Pomegranate Molasses

If you are an Ottolenghi fan, you need a bottle of this delicious syrup. Use in Middle Eastern recipes, and add to your favorite barbecue sauce, marinade or my favorite pomegranate cocktail.

Spanish Sherry wine Vinegar (Vinagre de Jerez)

Prized by chefs for its smooth flavor, I use Jerez vinegar in most of my salad dressings and always in gazpacho. Try it with Roasted Yellow Gazpacho.

French De Puy Lentils

These flavorful lentils are packed with protein, nutrition and flavor. They keep their form and do not get mushy when you cook them. Essential ingredient for French Lentil and Garlic Sausage Soup and Down Under Halloumi and French Lentil Salad. 

Spanish smoked paprika

This is not your grandmother’s paprika. Smoky and flavorful Spanish paprika is a key ingredient for paella. I use it in Cioppino,  Roasted Tomato Soup,  Chimichurri sauce, and Killer Chicken tacos. This is one of my very favorite spices.

La Tourangelle Roasted walnut oil

This delicious aromatic oil makes wonderful salad dressing. Try it with Butter lettuce salad with fines herbes and walnut oil dressing for a refreshingly light salad.

Oxo steel muddler

If you like hand-muddled cocktails full of herbs and fresh fruit, this is the tool for you. Perfect for my Fresh grapefruit and basil cocktail, Ginger smash Christmas cocktail, or Jalapeno margarita.

Oxo Good Grips mini angled measuring cups

I use these 4-ounce capacity measuring cups everyday for salad dressings, baking , mixology and any time I need to measure small amounts of liquids. Easier and more accurate than tablespoon measurements. Classic Zester/Grater Home Series Fine Grater

Professional Coarse Grater

Microplane zesters and graters

The best tools for zesting citrus, shaving chocolate or cheese, and grating nutmeg. You will want an assortment of sizes.  

$15- 30

For healthy, beautiful and delicious food, these cookbooks give me inspiration: 

Ottolenghi: The Cookbook by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi and Sami Tamimi

The Very Best of Recipes for Health by Martha Rose Shulman

True Food: Seasonal, Sustainable, Simple, Pure by Andrew Weil and Sam Fox

This last book is an encyclopedia of fun, hand-crafted cocktails. Make these recipes and you will make new friends. Period.

The world’s Best Cocktails by Tom Sandham

Stonehouse blood orange infused olive oil  

Late harvest olives are pressed with blood oranges. The result is a phenomenal oil that makes incredible salad dressing.  

French Pommery Mustard

This beautiful crock of whole grained mustard is made from a closely guarded secret of the Pommery Family since 1692. It is seriously good stuff that will liven up your sandwiches and salad dressings.    

Norpro stainless steel citrus press

The BEST way to squeeze small volumes of citrus juice. I use nearly every day.  

Old Dutch solid copper mule mugs 

A must for serving authentic Moscow mule cocktails just like they do in NYC.  

$30 - $50

Cazuela

Use this versatile oven-to-table baking dish for everything from Mac and cheese, to Hawaiian chocolate bread pudding, to Apple crumble. Looks beautiful and retains heat well.

Cuisinart Mini-prep

These 3-cup little work horses will speed up many of your culinary tasks, from chopping nuts, garlic and herbs, to making salad dressings in a few seconds.  

Eurocuisine yogurt maker

Make delicious, additive and sugar-free yogurt with just a few minutes of preparation. Once you get hooked on homemade yogurt you will never go back to store-bought.

Investments

3-1/2-Quart Dutch Oven

Le Creuset  5-1/2-Quart Round French Oven and  7-1/4-Quart Round French Oven

These cast iron and enameled pans are luxuries that will provide a lifetime of great meals. These fabulous pots will turn out risottos, stews, braises and more.  Buy the biggest one you can afford. I love to give them for wedding presents.

Shun Classic 3-Piece Boxed Cutlery Set

Shun Ken Onion Chef's Knife

Shun knives

Everyone needs at least one really great knife. A sharp knife makes cooking more enjoyable, precise and safer. Shun makes gorgeous knives in the samurai tradition using 33 layers of high-carbon steel. You will love working with these beautiful high performance knives.