This is just for starters. I’ll be adding to this list as I think of things. 

Oh, and I also want to make it clear that I’m not getting paid to endorse any of the products on this list. I’ll be sure to tell you if that ever changes. Like if I decide to sell my soul to Martha Stewart, for instance, I’ll make sure that you people are the first to know.

Emile Henry Flametop Cookware: I love the soft, buttery, organic sound my red Emile Henry ceramic stock pot makes when I put the lid on.  Food always tastes better cooked in the Red Emile. Always. Especially in winter. 

Kuhn-Rikon pressure cookers: Let’s face it, I don’t have time and I know you don’t have time to simmer beef stew for three or four hours. We’ve both got better things to do.  But we can make great stew in just over an hour with one of these pressure cookers. Plus, it makes a great stock pot.

Bourgeat saucepans: For some reason, food never seems to boil over or burn when I use one of these saucepans. And let me tell you, with my cheap electric stove and three feline distractions, I need all the help I can get with this.

Those little mesh bags that fancy-schmancy baby potatoes come in: I save the bags with fine mesh to use for straining seeds out of lemon juice. You can either put the lemon inside and squeeze, or slip the bag over the top of a measuring cup to use as a strainer.

La Brea baguettes: My favorite bread ever. I love the way this bread tastes and smells.  I love its chewy texture and crispy crust.  And I love how the cross-sectioned slices look just like little rabbits. That’s just me, though – I’m easily amused.

Light olive oil: Great for baked goods when you don’t need or don’t want to use butter.

Samsung bottom-freezer fridge: Between its highly effective speed-rot feature, break-away shelving, and inane layout, the old Frigidaire wasted a lot of good food. The new Samsung keeps lettuce perfectly fresh for more than a week, and I never lose food on shelves that are too high or low for my line of sight. By the way, I named the Samsung “Pablo,” after Pablo Picasso. Once I post his picture, I think you’ll see why.  He’s a cubist’s dream.

Bamboo toast tongs: These things will keep you from burning or electrocuting yourself unless you’re particularly determined or just plain pathetic.

Silicone cooking implements: Great for use with Teflon pans and other non-metallic cookware like the Red Emile (see above).

Microplane zester: A culinary essential. Be careful not to “zest” yourself, though. That’s especially easy to do when you’re washing up, as I happen to know from experience.

Immersion blenders: Essential for making puréed soups. Much safer, faster, and less messy than decanting near-boiling soup into a blender or food processor. Mine has attachments that convert it into a blender, food processor, or hand mixer – nice, but not entirely necessary.

La Pavoni espresso maker: Makes great espresso, as long as you have the right temperament to handle her. La Pavoni isn’t for everybody. She’s not easy to get to know. You have to be willing to listen to her whispers so she can teach you how to dance. She’s not just any old machine, she’s una macchina italiana — capisce?? So, if you like your espresso with a heaping spoonful of romance and a dash of mystery, La Pavoni might just be your type. 

HOT Hatch green chiles from New Mexico: You can’t find these in the stores here, and they’re hellishly expensive to order. If you travel to New Mexico, donate your clothes to Goodwill before you come home and fill your luggage with these babies. It’ll be worth it, I promise.

Canning jars as drinking glasses: They’re cheap and durable, and you can screw a top on so you don’t spill your drink. Besides, they make a statement when juxtaposed alongside your Royal Worcester 5-piece bone china place settings. I’m not sure exactly what that statement is, but I figure it’s either, “Yeah, I’m cheap. Wanna make something of it?” or, “I spent all my money on fine china and couldn’t afford the Waterford crystal to go with it. So sue me. Or better yet, cut me a check.” Either way, you’ll be a hero to iconoclasts like me every time you sit down to eat, and I know that’s important to you.

Bamboo cutting boards: Bamboo is lighter than wood, has the same anti-microbial properties as wood, and it’s a VERY fast-growing resource. Seriously, we all know that bamboo will take over the world if kudzu doesn’t get there first. So, yeah, it’s “renewable.” Just try and stop it.

Fresh ground pepper: Another culinary essential. Give every newlywed couple you meet a pepper grinder as a wedding gift. Better yet, make that TWO pepper grinders so they don’t have as much to fight over later on.

Tazo teas and fruit juices: First of all, I like to drink their stuff – it’s good. Second, the bottles make great salad dressing cruets because the tops seal tight and can take multiple washings in the dishwasher. And third, reusing these things gives me a chance to do some real recycling as opposed to that sissy curbside business that mainly functions to make us all feel good about ourselves.