Holiday Cooking | Essential Tools For Any Menu

The Escali extra-large display timer shows its countdown in 1.5-inch digits that can be read from across the kitchen. It counts up or down to 99 minutes and 59 seconds, recalls the last setting automatically and doubles as a 12- or 24-hour clock.When time runs out, an audible alarm sounds and a red light flashes. A magnetic back holds it on the refrigerator, and a built-in kickstand stands it on the counter. Learn More

A Microplane Premium Classic Zester/Grater in Pomegranate Red does the same work as the black original and adds a color that is easy to find in a crowded utensil drawer. It is part of Microplane’s Urban color range, with a soft-touch handle and non-scratch end caps.The blade carries about 400 photo-etched teeth, according to Microplane, each sharpened to slice. Use it to zest a lime over tacos, grate Pecorino over cacio e pepe, or turn a clove of garlic into paste for a vinaigrette. The end caps let you rest it across a bowl and grate without scratching the rim.A red zester also makes a sensible gift for a cook who has everything but a good zester. It pairs well with a Microplane Gourmet Series Fine Grater for cooks who want a wider blade for cheese.For the same zester in other colors, or the hard-handled Classic Zester/Grater, see the comparison in the Details. Learn More

The Atlantis 3-piece set is the smallest way into Demeyere’s heaviest stainless collection, and it pairs the two pieces that cover the widest range of cooking. One is a fry pan for searing and sautéing, and the other is a Dutch oven for soups and braises.
Two Constructions, Matched to the JobDemeyere builds each Atlantis piece for its shape. The fry pan is clad in seven layers all the way up its flared sides, so it sears evenly to the edge and handles a pan sauce. The Dutch oven sits on a sealed base with a copper disk, which spreads heat across its wide floor for browning meat before the liquid goes in. That base also allows controlled cooking at low settings, which suits long braises and gentle simmering and saves energy.
Who It SuitsThis set fits a cook replacing a worn-out pan and pot, or one testing Atlantis before buying more pieces. Customers ask us whether Atlantis is worth the extra weight. For hard searing and steady heat, yes; for a lighter set that costs less, look at the Industry 5 10-piece set. For a full Atlantis kitchen, the 9-piece set is the next step up; see our Demeyere cookware guide. Learn More

The Matfer Bourgeat tan Exoglass spoon is a mixing spoon for all types of foods, wet and dry. It is heat resistant up to 430°F, so it can rest against a hot pan, and Exoglass is non-porous, so it does not absorb sauce or harbor bacteria the way a wooden spoon can.The 12-inch length suits sauce pans and sauté pans; color-coding helps keep spoons for sweet and savory work apart. Also available: the 12-inch red, 15-inch tan. Learn More

At 14 inches, this Hell’s Tools spatula reaches the bottom of a stockpot or a large mixer bowl without putting your hand over the heat. The silicone head stays firm to 500°F and flexes against the sides of the pot to scrape up every bit of sauce or custard.It rests on the pan rim by its notch, and the hooked handle keeps it from sliding into the pot.
Other SizesSee the 10-inch and 16-inch spatulas, or the 14-inch spoon spatula. Learn More

Tasting as you cook is a basic habit of the line, and this two-ended utensil makes it quick: a spoon at one end for sauces and soups, a fork at the other for pasta, vegetables and braised meat. A textured section between the ends gives a secure grip.At 6 3/8 inches, it slips into a chef coat pocket so it stays close at hand. Learn More

Baking needs accurate cup measures, and a stainless steel set will not crack or stain the way plastic cups can over time. Norpro’s 4-piece set includes 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup measures, each marked with its metric equivalent.Flat rims let you level flour or sugar with a straight edge for an exact measure, and the cups nest inside one another to take up little room in a drawer. Spoon flour into the cup and sweep the excess off the top. Scooping straight from the bag packs the flour down and adds more than the recipe intends.For deeper scoops with long handles that reach into a canister, see the Norpro 4-piece measuring scoop set, which adds a 1/8 cup. Without a 2/3 or 3/4 cup in the set, measure the 1/3 cup twice or the 1/4 cup three times. The matching Norpro stainless measuring spoons share the same flat rims, and the 2-cup silicone cup handles liquids. Learn More

Measuring spoons get used every day, and a stainless set holds up to salt and acidic ingredients without warping or staining. Norpro’s 4-piece set runs from a quarter teaspoon to a tablespoon, with metric equivalents marked on each handle.Flat, level rims let you sweep a knife across the top for an accurate measure of baking powder or spices. The spoons hang together on a ring, so the whole set stays in one place in the drawer, and the ring opens if you want to use one spoon on its own.If you prefer to keep spoons apart and need a half tablespoon, the Norpro magnetic measuring spoons add that size and snap together with magnets. For cup measures, the Norpro 4-piece stainless measuring cups match this set. The two sets share the same steel and flat rims, and together they cover nearly any recipe’s dry measures. Keep the spoons dry after washing so salt and baking soda do not cake on them. Learn More

Tomatoes, peaches and other soft-skinned produce defeat an ordinary peeler, and this F. Dick swivel peeler has a micro-serrated blade that grips the skin and takes it off thinly. It handles carrots and apples just as well.The swivel head follows the curve of the fruit or vegetable, so it removes an even layer with little waste. Serrations also hold their bite for a long time, which makes the peeler a heavy-duty tool for a prep station that peels by the case. It can also shave thin ribbons of zucchini or hard cheese.Pull the peeler toward you in long, even strokes for the thinnest peel. The swivel head adapts to round and long produce alike, from apples to cucumbers.For coring apples after peeling, the F. Dick apple corer is the companion. Citrus zest and decorative strips come from the F. Dick zester and channel knife. The table below lists F. Dick produce tools. Learn More