Outfitting the Recession Kitchen

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It would be easy for me to write a post professing love for my most expensive kitchen tools. I could wax poetic about Le Creuset and All Clad, expound upon my favorite Shun knives, and admit that I, too, have fallen victim to the lure of the Peugeot grinder. (And oops, I guess I just did.) But this is a different kind of year, and in this recession I know I’m not the only one feeling the tough times. Here, then, are my favorite kitchen gadgets that are both economical and multi-tasking. These inexpensive yet invaluable tools might be just what you need to round out your holiday wish list for yourself or a loved one, guilt-free.

Cuisinart Mini Prep Processor
(Doubles as: Food processor)

I’ve had my mini prep since college, and it’s still going strong. Some day I’ll upgrade to an adult food processor, but I’m really not in a rush. This little guy is the definition of a workhorse – it’s made me buckets of hummus and pesto over the years, takes care of nuts and herbs in a flash, and is a dream with dressings. Plus, it’s small enough that it never, ever takes up too much space.

Immersion Blender
(Doubles as: Stand-up Blender, Food mill)

I don’t own a stand-up blender, and I can’t tell you how many times I’ve rolled my eyes at recipes that call for lifting my enormous dutch oven full of yumminess and pouring its contents into a blender for pureeing. I can do basic pureeing in my mini-prep processor (I told you it was handy!), but it still involves scooping out batches of soup one at a time. Messy, messy, messy. Having an immersion blender is a dream because you can puree right in the pot, thus avoiding a more expensive blender purchase if you don’t need one. I have a friend who swears by her immersion blender to make baby food, too. There are expensive models out there, but this is Recession Kitchenware, remember?

Bonus: A delicious recipe for testing out your new immersion blender.

Japanese Mandolin
(Doubles as: Food processor)

When you’re deep into your second hour of chopping and slicing and your hands are about to fall off (but you’re still not about to shell out big bucks for an Adult Food Processor), consider this incredibly cheap wonder gadget from Japan. She’s sharp, she’s dangerous, she folds into a completely flat half-inch package, and wow is she effective. But wait, did I mention she’s only $20?! If you avoid specific recipes just because of the chopping time required, this is your baby.

Bonus: Two recipes tailor-made for the Japanese Mandolin!

Potato Masher
(Doubles as: Food mill)

The poor potato masher… dutifully doing its share of the work all these years and never getting any credit for it. I use mine when making guacamole, when smashing tomatoes for marinara, when crushing vegetables in soups to get that not-quite-pureed texture I sometimes crave, and when, yep, mashing potatoes (call me weird, but I don’t like the texture of electric-mixed potatoes). Think you need a food mill to get just the right texture for your sauce? I challenge you to get to know your potato masher a little better first, then decide.

Mesh Strainer
(Doubles as: Flour sifter)

Now I know that flour sifters aren’t expensive, but if you don’t bake very often (which I don’t), you probably don’t need one. And since my cabinet space is at just as much of a premium as my dollars these days, I don’t really want to store anything I don’t need. I’ve found that my handy mesh strainer, which I use all the time for a dozen different tasks in the kitchen, also works beautifully as a flour sifter. Just gently shake the strainer over your bowl for powdery results!

Microplane Grater/Zester
(Doubles as: Citrus Zester, Spice Grater, Cheese Grater)

No kitchen should be without one of these bad boys. I use mine nearly every day for grating lemon zest or parmigiana. In fact, I always smirk at the separate tools available in stores that are labeled for distinct purposes, because I know full and well that this is the only tool I need for my citrus and cheese duties. Oh, and fresh nutmeg? You think you need that special grater, don’t you? Puh-leeze. Get on the Microplane train!

What are your favorite recession gadgets?

(By the way, when Main Street and Wall Street are happy again, I’ll come back to write more about my favorite kitchen splurges. But when in Dire Straits and all…)