Useful and Cute: Christmas Goodies
December 28, 2009
As per usual for the season, yummy treats seem to be falling from the sky and sprouting up like mushrooms wherever one goes. I’ve had sufficient lounging time to peruse the beautiful and edifying book “The Sweet Life: desserts from Chanterelle” by Kate Zuckerman. She includes useful tips on the chemistry of baking — why beating egg whites with tartaric acid increases volume and stability, for example — as well as providing insight for the home baker on how to turn a lovely, family-size flan to decadent, individually portioned presentation. Although I still have to try the recipes, the chapter on souffles was full of valuable information that will undoubtedly allow for scrumptiously towering rise.
I have to share the many uncommonly superb kitchen-themed gifts I was honored with this Christmas:
To make the production of creme chantilly even more rewarding than usual, an astute friend gave me the delightfully cute rabbit whisk. Apparently one can also get bird whisks, but the cocked ears on Mr Rabbit have me sold on lagomorphic style.
Another gift wherein the giver had Patisserie Bateau in mind was the extendable cooling rack. One can lay out a whole batch of cookies on the counter without wrestling multiple cooling racks that want to become entangled.
*these are not my baked goods; all photos originate from online shops
My parents gave me funds for a KitchenAid stand mixer, which occupies pride of place on the kitchen buffet. It is one of the Professional HD series, in workmanlike grey. Multi-tasking has never been easier. Thank you, Mum and Dad!
An Anthropologie oven mitt, sweet apple-print apron, fairytale tree serving platter and to-die-for Japanese wave-patterned bowls and plates (I’ll have to properly document them) round out the kitchen-oriented items I received. Hopefully everyone who got a Christmas gift from me was as thrilled with their gifts as I was with mine.
Hurrah for the useful and inspirational! It will be fun to experiment with my new tools.
