Page 18 - Valley Table - Spring 2022

CHEF’S CHOICE
Even if you aren’t ready for a
reno, we bet your tools and small appliances could use an upgrade. We asked top chefs and Valley residents Dan Kluger and Michael Mignano for their favorites.
1 KitchenAid Pasta Roller
“Making pasta from scratch can be intimidating but having the right tools really simplifies the process. If you have a KitchenAid stand mixer, the pasta roller attachment ($90, kitchenaid.com) helps cut your dough to the right size and thickness with consistency.” —DK
2 Peugeot Pepper Mill
“Invest in a high-quality pepper mill with an adjustable grind setting—mine is made by Peugeot ($20+, us.peugeot-saveur. com)—and you’ll never regret the purchase.” —DK
3 Vitamix Blender
“A Vitamix ($250+, vitamix.
com) is an industry standard for purees, sauces, and soups (it also makes a great margarita!) that gives flawless results, and is very maintenance friendly. If you want something more portable, try the Braun Immersion Blender ($55+, braunhousehold.com) for smaller jobs.” —MM
4 Benriner Mandoline
“I use a lot of thinly shaved fruits and vegetables in my cooking, and a Japanese Benriner mandoline ($35+, amazon.com) will not only speed up your prep work, but give you more consistent cuts than you can ever achieve with a knife.” —DK
5 Winco Bouillon Strainer
“A ‘chinois,’ like the Winco Bouillon Strainer ($37, amazon.com),
adds an essence of refinement
and versatility to your sauces
and soups at home, making them smooth and velvety.” —MM
6 OXO Thermocouple Thermometer “A good instant read thermometer is essential for cooking meat and very helpful for deep frying as well. I like OXO’s Thermocouple Thermometer ($105, oxo.com), which measures to the tenth of a degree.” —DK
7 Masanobu Knife
“Knives are the most personal tools a cook owns, so you’ve probably already found some that work for you (and hopefully you’re keeping them sharp). If not, I’d invest in
a small, sturdy paring knife for
fine cuts, a utility knife, an offset serrated knife, and a good chef’s knife—I use a Masanobu VG-10 Gyuto ($435, korin.com).” —DK
8 Staub Coccotte Dutch Oven “Nothing beats a heavy, gorgeous Staub Coccotte ($200+, zwilling.com) for cooking everything from a cold weather roast to a large pot of meatballs and tomato sauce.” —DK
photo by ariel camilo
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