Thomas Labé.com

POTS & PANS
GADGETS & GIZMOS
TIPS & TRICKS

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	black steel pans and cookware Without a doubt my favorite type of cookware is black steel, whether it's pans, baking sheets, tart molds, and so on. These inexpensive and relatively lightweight kitchen workhorses cook everything better. Over time they develop a rich color and ideal cooking surface. They're not for everyone though: it takes a long time to thoroughly season them and they're certainly not "pretty."

	cast iron Considerably heavier than black steel cookware, cast iron has a well-deserved place in my kitchen. Once thoroughly seasoned (which can take years) they are up to any task and a snap to clean (which usually involves no more than rinsing them out while still hot and drying immediately). Depicted here is a double-dutch oven, an incredibly versatile combination that can also be used to make spectacular artisan breads.

	copper pots Not every recipe calls for the amazing heat of black steel pans. For slow, even cooking (soups, etc.), nothing beats copper.

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	Bialetti pizza cutter Unless you're going to eat your pizza with a fork and knife (as they do in Italy), this is the best tool for slicing up a pizza quickly and without all the problems that go with a pizza wheel.

	instant read laser thermometer Get the temperature of just about anything without the cleanup associated with deep fry thermometers, etc. (It won't work for taking the internal temperatures of things like meat or bread dough.)

	adjustable ravioli cutter I found this tool in a cooking shop in Florence. It's really handy for quickly and consistently cutting ravioli of just about any size.

	ginger grater You can grate ginger with just about anything, but this tool preserves all of the juice.

		mortar and pestle This vitrified cermaic mortar and pestle won't stain no matter how much pesto you make in it.

		silicone pastry brush If you've ever melted a pastry brush filming oil in a hot pan, or wished you could just toss one in the dishwasher after brushing olive oil all over a salmon filet, this is the way to go.

		maple butcher block Granite may well be the ultimate surface for kitchen counters, but it is slippery and will quickly destroy good knives. The solution? A maple wood cutting block, which is not only easy on knives, but grips the food as well..

		cleaver I bought this cleaver in amongst all the kitchen supply shops near Temple Street in Hong Kong and it is the perfect shape and weight.

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	The Grillery This all stainless-steel monster has been described as the "Maserati of grills" (The Atlantic). And while it certainly lacks the convenience of a gas or charcoal grill, it offers the superior taste and texture only available through cooking over a real wood fire.

	the Maestro garden It's not really a tip or a trick, but my garden is my summertime weapon for making great meals.

	sourdough bread starter I started this bubbling vat of wild yeast in 1997 and have been feeding it (flour and water) ever since: it almost feels like another member of the family. You can start one with yeast that's just floating around in the air, but I jump started mine by using some organic red grapes (which are yeast magnets - that's how we enjoy wine). It takes about two weeks until it is ready to use, but much more time to develop strength and flavor. It's a great thing to have lurking around the kitchen - for making artisan breads (for which it is unmatched), sourdough pancakes - even injera can be made on the same day by combining some of the starter with teff flour in the early morning. You can also use it to generate secondary starters made with rye or other flours. When need be, it will go dormant for up to a month in the refrigerator, springing back into action with a return of food and room temperature.

	Bar Keepers Friend This concentrated (a little goes a long way) high power cleanser cleans without scratching and for me is the ultimate copper cleaner (after trying all sorts of upscale copper cleaners I finally realized the very best was right beneath my sink: beware though, it will remove the laquer from laquered copperware).

	milk Most of the cow's milk sold in the United States has been both homogenized and ultra-pasterurized, all of which serves to break down the structure of the milk, its nutritional value and as a result, destroy its taste. The reason for the widespread use of high heat "ultra-pasterurization" is simply extra long shelf life (unopened it can last for months and therefore can be "produced" in giant dairy factories and shipped all across the country). If you want the real thing (absolutely essential for making cheese, or to enjoy the real taste of fresh ice cream, yogurt, cappucino and the like) you need to find milk that has not been homogenized and that has been low temperature pasteurized. Or even better, go to a local dairy, get the milk, and pasteurize it yourself!