Ceramic Pie Pan
Le Creuset Stoneware Pie Pan
Now that you have all been practicing the “One-Handed Pie Crust”, you need to make sure you have a good pie pan. I like the Le Creuset 10” Stoneware Pie Dish – about $35. It comes in three colors – white, red (my choice) and cobalt. I like this product because it looks great and it can be used in the oven, broiler or microwave. Find it at Amazon, Williams Sonoma, Macy’s and others.
Instant Read Thermometer
Thermapen Instant Read Thermometer
The Thermapen is a wonderful instant read thermometer made in the UK. It is very accurate and is ideal for measuring meat temps, but it will also measure ambient air temperature and the temperature of any liquid or oil (very handy if you are into Tempura dishes or any deep frying). If you tried the Pork Tenderloin with Chinese Five Spice, you could have made good use of this great device. It’s a great addition to the Bravado kitchen, but it isn’t cheap – about $90. In my opinion, it is worth it. Go to www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen for interesting details or to purchase. You can also find it on Amazon or Williams Sonoma.
Mandolin
Mandolin
No, it’s not an instrument that you play – it’s a great device to slice things a uniform thickness. It is especially good for potatoes, carrots, celery and any hard vegetable, even cabbage. I think the best bang for the buck is the Progressive International HGT-11 Folding Mandolin Slicer, which is about $18 on Amazon and Target. It has separate inserts for thin or thick slices, is easy to use. Whoever you gets this gift will be using it all of the time.
High Tech Frying Pan
The Green Pan
My wife gave me a Greenpan 11-Inch Thermolon Non-stick Skillet for my birthday. I love it. It is made in Belgium and is the latest technology in non-stick surfaces. My non-stick pans get grungy (a technical term) after a while – the Green Pan does not. Amazon has a great description: “This aluminum skillet has a high-quality Thermolon Endurance non-stick interior coating which is durable and highly scratch resistant. Thermolon-coated cookware releases 50% fewer greenhouse gases during production and contains no toxic substances that could be released at high temperatures. In contrast to conventional non-stick coatings, Thermolon is completely free of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and is manufactured without the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). It is heat-resistant to 850°F/450C. The aluminum pan has a black exterior, an extra-thick forged base for even browning and cooking, and is suitable for use with induction cooktops. The skillet has a sleek, rounded shape with ergonomic riveted cast hollow stainless steel handles.”
Again, this is not a cheap gift – about $80 – but it is bound to make a hit.
Email Subscription to Bravado Cooking
Clearly one of the best gifts for everyone and very cost effective ($0) is an email subscription to the Bravado Cooking blog. Copy the following link and email it to all of your friends: www.Bravadocooking.com. Tell them to click the button that says “Email Subscription” and join our society. Do this now – Santa will know if you don’t.
Categories: Diary of a Wandering Foodie, Holidays
Bravado Cooking 
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