You may need this!
If you are wondering how to find some of the things I’ve referenced, this is the place to find a good source for: cookware, gadgets & tools, ingredients, and serving & table settings.
Cookware
The grill pan can be set on the stovetop across two burners, placed in the oven or set on an outdoor grill. This one has no nonstick coatings so it’s safe to use for your family. I love to use the smooth side for pancakes, chicken picatta, seared shrimp, etc. And I use the ridged side for steaks, grilled veggies, lamb, or anything else that you like to see seared ridges in.
Gadgets & Tools
The Bernzomatic torch is the perfect tool for putting the crisp caramel topping on a creme brullee. It can be used to light candles, crisp up the surface of steaks, warm the bottom of a pudding that needs to slide out of a pan, and so many other things. It’s a real conversation starter sitting on your countertop along with the olive oil! Also, for some reason, guys really love this thing.
I love these for buffet dinners. A heated serving mat can go underneath your tablecloth. Or, you can put a pretty tea towel over it to disguise it. It keeps everything warm without being so hot that it dries out the food. With three heat settings, I’ve found it will keep food warm when I set up an outdoor serving station in cooler weather.
Every cook needs an immersion blender. For partially blended soups, dressings, mayonaise, and sauces, thing thing is a godsend.
A professional grade Vitamix is essential if you want to produce creamy soups. It will take just about anything you throw in there and reduce it to a completely smooth consistency without a hint of any straggling bits.
Ingredients
These dried morel mushrooms are perfect. No bits and pieces. Perfect for making Herbed Beef Tenderloin with Madeira Cream Sauce.
Demerara sugar is a a minimally processed, raw cane sugar with large, crunchy, golden-brown crystals and a subtle molasses flavor. It makes the best sugar crust for your creme brulees. It’s also beautiful dusted over the crust of a galette or even on top of sugar cookies.
Special oils are a great trick to giving salads a more interesting flavor. Match the nuts you are using with your salad with the oil. Just a little goes a long way. I use about 1 part nut oil to 3 parts olive oil. Hazelnut oil is wonderful in the dressing of a salad with toasted hazelnuts. Almond oil is also beautiful with toasted chopped almonds. The same goes for walnut oil.
These vinegars are another treasure in salads. Use vinegars to match your salad ingredient. Blood orange vinegar for salads with citrus. Pear vinegar with salads that include pear or apple. And raspberry vinegar for salads that include berries.
A good supply of crunchy sea salt is a foundational supply for any kitchen. Use it for finishing at the end. These beautiful large sparkly crystals add crunch and flavor. A bucket this large will last you at least a year.
Castelvetrano olives are a mild buttery Italian olive. Be sure to get them pitted. They are delicious in salads, pastas, and on charcuterie boards.
Supreme Bottarga is salted and cured wild mullet roe from Sardinia. What to do with this? It basically adds a salty umami to anything. Finely grate a healthy dusting over your simple pasta dish. Grate it over a salad. Thinly slice it and serve it with bread and olive oil and lemon as an appetizer. It keeps in the fridge for months and adds an upgrade to most foods.
Serving & Table Settings
Shallow bowls are a nice way to serve a hearty salad or stew. You get more surface area along with the depth to contain your dish.
I use these place card holders for seated dinners. I also use them for buffets where I want guests to know what is being served. The great thing about them is that they are slightly weighted so they don’t blow away if you’re having an outdoor dinner.
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