Photo Friday: Gadgets

Glamour shots of our favorite kitchen gadgets is the assignment for this week’s photographic follies.

My first selection here is my KitchenAid mixer. It’s not that I use this thing every day, or even every week, but when I do, it makes me happy. It’s no secret that I love to cook, and I love to bake. For years, I had a little plastic handheld mixer that was fine, but I would always admire the gleaming steel of the KitchenAids when I spied them in department stores or friends’ kitchens. Then one year for my birthday, my mom gave me one of my own, and here she is (the mixer, not my mom):

Ahh, kitchen gadgetry perfection!

The next is J’s pick: her espresso machine. It’s a cheap little thing that I got her for her birthday one year, but it is also one of our most-used appliances. We both do a lot of work online, so when we sit down for lengthy shifts at the computer, we always fire up the espresso machine to get ourselves through. Luckily, I find decaf espresso to be just as good, so that will be my drink of choice rather soon. Here is our trusty espresso machine:

  

Finally, because I love cooking so much, it was difficult for me to leave a few things out, so I have an honorable mention category. First is my knife. This is a wonderful knife with lovely balance, a great weight, and a high-quality steel blade. I use this thing daily to cut up nearly everything. Second is our corkscrew. We break these from time to time because, well, they get a lot of use. We love good wine, and being in California and within a half-day’s drive to some of the best wine appalachians in the world, how could we not?! Last is the garlic press. We searched for years for a garlic press that would press more than one clove at a time without the need for a pair of pliers to squeeze the handles together. One day, we found this one–I don’t know where–but if it ever breaks, I’ll be mortified.

 

So there you have it–our favorite gadgets (in the kitchen, that is).

T