After collaborating on the upcoming The New York Times cookbook, fellow chefs, food writers, Brooklynites, and friends Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs (above, left and right, respectively, photo by Sarah Shatz) joined forces again last year to launch Food52, a site that operates on the belief that the best meals are those prepared by home cooks. Hesser, a columnist for The New York Times for over a decade, and Stubbs, a Le Cordon Bleu grad who’s contributed to publications ranging from Cook’s Illustrated to the Times’ T Living, have created an online community for foodies all over, hosting bi-weekly recipe contests, the winners of which will eventually be published in a Food52 cookbook. Between updating their daily blog, vetting recipes, and scouring the market for epicurean products to add to their web shop, the pair took time out to comb eBay and share the kitchen tools they can’t live without.
AMANDA’S PICKS
1. Meat Pounder (buy it now price, $52) "I use a small-but-hefty meat pounder, similar to this one, for so many things: crushing garlic cloves, nuts, chocolate, olives and spices. And meat, too, of course. This thumbtack shape gives you much more control than the long-handled meat pounders."
2. Nespresso Le Cube C185T Automatic Espresso Machine (buy it now price, $244.49) "I bought my Le Cube on eBay, in fact! Mine was factory reconditioned but arrived looking new. It's a great, compact little machine and as long as you like Nespresso's coffee flavors, you'll have a friend for life."
3. Le Creuset Braiser in White (buy it now price, $199.95) "I love this braiser because you can use it for sauteeing, braising, roasting chicken or lamb shoulder, making paella and even as a make-shift pan for tarte Tatin. Everything cooks beautifully in the enameled cast iron and the pan is so handsome, it easily doubles as a serving dish."
4. Bone Handled Fork (buy it now price, $14.95) "I always have a few of these old forks in my knife drawer—their tines are thin and sharp so they're great for testing meat and vegetables for doneness, and for turning roasts. I find their small size makes them much easier to work with than a large kitchen fork. Just don't put them in the dishwasher!"
5. Lemon Juicer in Yellow (buy it now price, $11.74) "This juicer sandwiches the lemon half so it presses out every last drop of juice, and does so without a lot of mess."
MERRILL’S PICKS
1. Straight Wooden Rolling Pin (buy it now price, $10.49) "Not just for pastry, this pin is great for everything from rolling out dough to pounding chicken cutlets to crushing nuts or peppercorns. I prefer the long cylindrical shape to rolling pins of yore, as there's no risk of a handle unexpectedly unscrewing and interfering with my pie crust (I need all the help I can get)."
2. Deruta Spoon Rest (buy it now price, $25.99) "There's a lot of Deruta pottery in my house, but my spoon rests are perhaps my favorite pieces. The perfect size for a wooden spoon, they keep sauce off my counter and look pretty to boot."
3. Set of Four Chinese Fish Bowls (buy it now price, $9.99) "Amanda and I both have these bowls, although hers are shallower and wider than mine, which are essentially large soup bowls with a slightly flared edge. It's always a nice surprise to see a little fish smiling up at you once you've finished eating."
4. Norpro Deluxe 18/10 Stainless Steel Food Mill (buy it now price, $31.99) "This food mill is all you need to make the most velvety of vegetable purées and the most elegant of tomato sauces. It comes with three different inserts for varying degrees of pulverization."
5. Le Creuset Iron Handle Skillet (buy it now price, $113.90) "I use this skillet for pretty much any sort of frying. It gives meat an impeccably seared crust, turns out fluffy, golden pancakes and produces perfectly crisp bacon. Even better, it's ovenproof. I have this in red, which I love."
Emily Hsieh is a freelance writer and editor in New York City who has contributed to publications including Lucky, Allure, InStyle, and People.
