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You can always use: Good cooking tools
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Peter Stark / Getty Images / fStop
In times of the pandemic, the festival of love will be different than usual. Fortunately, however, we can rely on a few eternal constants.
For example, we want our family or friends to give us “something practical” again.
Anyone who now falls into gasp in the face of the impending eggshell breakage on the gift table, which is now even available with funny ceramic faces on the handle for a 20-year-old, should perhaps first touch his own nose: When it comes to stupid dust collector gifts, none of us are free of guilt.
And if he does, he should just throw the first stone - preferably the "heart-shaped mahogany obsidian healing stone that flatters the hand" for only 7.99 euros.
Or would you prefer to give something that the hobby cook who received the present can really use?
Here are five really handy gift ideas.
Solis Grill 5 in 1
In addition to sausages with potato salad, fondue and poultry, the Swiss national dish raclette has long sneaked into the top five of the nation's most popular Christmas dinners. But that should not be the only reason - especially in these unfortunate times of the new nationalisms - to recommend a device from the Confederation for this.
But it's usually not that bad what our alpine neighbors are soldering together in terms of kitchen fuss. No, the "Solis 5 in 1" grill - at 250 euros more of a high-priced gift - shows its strengths above all when not only eight hungry people from several households are sitting around the festive dining table. But everyone insists on their nutritional paradigm: like meat, but only poultry, and nothing with gluten. Or ovo-lacto-vegetarian, but without nuts, you know, the allergy. Or fish with no crustacean traces. Or veal tripe, as long as the cream sauce is lactose-free.
All of this actually speaks in favor of celebrating Christmas in an infection-free domestic self-isolation, but thanks to the Solis table grill it is not completely unorganizable. When you have put its full five kilos on the table, the item can not only bake well-behaved raclette pans with washing, while the lowest common denominators such as mushrooms sizzle on the grill plate.
The plate can be turned around for more diverse groups and then shows eight separate frying pans.
You can use it to make crepes individually, for example.
Optionally, there are also matching round pans for various mini wok funs, while the (separately switchable) bottom heat allows small pizzas to be gratinated in the raclette holder.
All in sufficient and, thanks to Swiss engineering, neatly evenly distributed heat, which, however, builds up quite slowly - it is essential to preheat for at least half an hour.
And when the relaxed hosts (everything can be prepared during the day) then clear away, they are happy that, with the exception of the technology base, every part can be put in the dishwasher.
What is it?
A practical raclette wok pizza crepe table grill.
Who needs it
Multiflexitarian large families and shared apartments who want to prepare something delicious together at the dining table.
What does this cost?
250 euro.
Rösle pendulum peeler
Winter time is beet time.
The colder the wind whistles outside, the more vegetables, fruits or pumpkins need to be peeled.
There is a huge selection of spicy helpers to ensure that this goes smoothly, that it is neither paralyzed nor injured and that only as much comes off in the end as is necessary in our sustainability kitchen.
It starts with the small kitchen knife, often with a curved blade, and goes through plastic handle scrapers with straight knives or V-shaped blade holders to (often more in the eyes of the designer) "ergonomic" designs.
For decades, I've got along best with pendulum peelers myself - here the knife is flexibly attached in the direction of the handle and adapts perfectly to the respective item to be peeled.
And because these knives sometimes get dull with frequent use (and cleaning in the dishwasher), I prefer to use pendulum peelers from Rösle or WMF in my kitchen.
You can buy replacement knives for them at reasonably priced (around eight euros), which can be easily changed with a small screwdriver.
In terms of price, the two brands don't give each other a lot.
They can be used with both hands, but the Rösle also has a special model for left-handers.
What is it?
A very precise peeler that produces little edible waste.
Who needs it
Anyone who can handle this form of peeler.
What does this cost?
20 Euros.
ESGE magic wand P 200 Profi
After the advantages of the ESGE hand blender for all pot mixers from the do-it-yourselfer to the super professional have already been adequately explained here, such a magic wand is now actually on my very private current wish list.
After more than a decade of loyal service, my old staff is slowly failing.
Maybe just a few hundred times too often with the axis on some mixing bowl in order to push the mixed material off the rod head?
Even my dismantling and reassembly and, admittedly, rather ugly tape fixing of the handle, the part survived - do-it-yourselfers more skilled than me could probably have repaired the device properly.
Anyway, for me this is - if my wishes are heard - a good opportunity to upgrade to the »P 200 Profi«.
It doesn't have the very long stick like the "G 350 Gastro Max" (39 centimeters immersion depth; 22,000 revolutions per minute (rpm)), but with 29 centimeters and 17,500 rpm it is more than potent enough and also has that safe and efficient spiral power cords.
In addition, the device, which is almost 100 euros more expensive, can be quite unwieldy for large restaurateurs in the home kitchen.
If you want to give away the no less robust P 200, you should keep in mind that it only comes with the three mixing attachments, the rest of the accessories from the cup to the "magic" (rasp / slicer) are not included.
Doesn't matter, because the part conjures a Christmas smile on the face of every intensive cooker.
What is it?
Probably the best and most robust hand blender in the world, which is still reasonably affordable.
Who needs it
Everyone who likes to re-enact »Mixen Possible« in their kitchen and often from time to time.
What does this cost?
From around 180 euros, the shorter models from around 80 euros.
Microplane zester grater
With the tower grater, we have already recommended a member of this kitchen appliance family. But sometimes you need a more manageable specialist instead of such a multifunctional tower. And because the very fine, super-sharp rubbing of zest, chocolate, cinnamon, ginger, chilli peppers, nutmegs and Parmesan has always been available in the kitchen "just in time" and at lightning speed, the Microplane Zester was the first of these US gadgets that you saw in German professional kitchens.
The patented photo-etching process creates razor-sharp razors that stay sharp for a surprisingly long time as long as they are not cleaned in the dishwasher.
The 20 euros are really well invested - and if you add a small winter truffle, with a little luck the recipient will rub a few extremely fine zest of it over the Christmas Eve parsnip cream soup with a starter at the Christmas dinner table.
What is it?
A narrow, very handy and incredibly sharp grater.
Who needs it
Anyone who wants to rub some lemon peel or nutmeg into their food quickly.
What does this cost?
20 Euros.
Philips juicer HR1856 / 70
Sure, after the party is always before the party.
But after Christmas, with its toxic temptations from mulled wine to vanilla croissants to fatty holiday goose, there is often a phase for many people in which they want to flush all the unhealthy molecules out of their bodies as quickly as possible.
All sorts of detox products from the dietary supplement industry helped.
At least that's what their manufacturers claim.
On the other hand, I claim: 1.5 to 2 kilos of fresh vegetables every day help much better and more naturally.
Nobody can get that down, of course, which is why a device is really good on the Christmas gift table that transforms all the roots, celery stalks, stinging nettle bundles, beets, pieces of ginger and turmeric, fennel bulbs and apple wedges into a delightful drinkable juice.
Hardcore raw foodists claim that the plants are heated too much when juicing in a simple centrifugal juicer like the Philips HR1856 / 70.
I can only say: My vegetables come straight from the refrigerator into the juicer, and the juice that flows out of the spout is anything but too warm.
This device is definitely too small for a large family or a shared flat, with these quantities you definitely need a wider feed chute in which a smaller apple can slide into the high-speed juice grater without faltering.
But for two to three people who want to treat themselves to something really healthy every now and then, the device is perfect, not too expensive - and with its ultra-compact design it also leaves enough space in the kitchen unit.
For cookie jars, for example.
What is it?
A compact and not too loud juicer for harder vegetables and fruits.
Who needs it
If you eat two kilos of raw vegetables and fruit every day to detoxify, you can save yourself the money.
What does this cost?
From around 90 euros, large families and shared apartments tend to need bolides like the Sage Appliances SJE530 (around 230 euros)