<p>My parent’s 25th wedding anniversary is coming up and have “asked for” some new cooking appliances. My siblings and I were going to set up a weekend getaway for them but they said they’d rather play with some new cooking tools. It’s a hobby they share and enjoy together so it works out. </p>
<p>Can you please recommend some specific cooking toys, tools and appliances that these “chefs” would enjoy? We’d prefer to stay under a $200 budget and I know my mum’s been complaining about some buttons on the toaster oven (~10 years old now).</p>
<p>We just got a Dutch oven ( since everyone else has one!) and have tried all sorts of great recipes.
A wok (electric ones are most fun IMO).
My son wants to do fondue (but better for parties I think)
I have a breadmaker (bought it at a garage sale) but really fun with lots of variations and SO good! and easy!
The real trick is to find the perfect recipe book to go with the appliance so you get the most use out of it.
Is there anyplace around to give them cooking classes? It’s a great experience and lots of fun.</p>
<p>Most people think of cedar planks as inexpensive, disposable boards for the grill. These are reusable ones designed to be used for baking. Pair one of these with the rub set called Three Chefs in a Tub (also sold on Chef Howie’s site), and your parents guests will be licking their fingers after sampling cedar planked delicacies, such as baked stuffed mushroom caps. there are recipes on the site as well.</p>
<p>I have this convection toaster oven and like it very much. I considered the Breville, which gets good reviews as well, but this one takes up less real estate on the counter side to side. </p>
<p>But honestly…if I had an extra $200 to spend today on any kitchen toy…I would ask Kitchen Claus for a Wusthof Ikon Blackwood 9 inch knife. (I think that they run around $200)
Also good in the price range are the Moritaka Gyuto hand made knives.</p>
<p>Pasta machines can add a lot of hilarity into your life also. As can hand tossing your own pizza dough. Do they have a grill? A pizza stone for the grill (absolutely the best!)
A Kyocera ceramic knife can’t be beat. My H likes larger steel knives but the one small Kyocera knife I own is the ONLY knife I use. for everything. If steel knives are the preference a great sharpener is needed.
A microplane grater (high end) is great. Super for parmesan and zest. We keep finding new stuff to grate and it always tastes better.
Tongs with a built-in spoon rest.
All-clad frying pan. (BB&B on sale with 20% off coupon) (NOT non-stick)
A subscription to Illustrated Cook’s.
America’s Test Kitchen Cookbook.
Kitchen Sense by Davis.
And obviously a new toaster oven.</p>
<p>Costco sells delicious uncooked tortillas. Twenty seconds in the press, and you’ve got fresh, steaming tortillas ready for burritos and quesadillas.</p>
<p>Your gift could include the press, costco tortillas, cooked carnitas from Costco (see below), cheese, salsas, fresh cilantro etc: everything you need to make fast, fabulous Mexican food. </p>
<p>Great knives REALLY make cooking a joy from a total drudge. It’s tough to pick THE perfect knife–it’s a personal choice. I have knife envy similar to musica only mine is for ceramic knives.</p>
<p>Kitchenaid mixer, and/or attachments for it. We have the slicer/shredder and the grinder. I think the pasta one is going to be next (although we have a small pasta machine). </p>
<p>And I love my food processor. But I use my Kitchenaid more often.</p>
<p>I love my Cuisinart griddler. Use it all the time. But if I had the money I would buy a really good cappuccino machine. One of those automatic ones that grinds the beans and froths the milk. Oh such a dream!</p>
<p>For $200? Perhaps a Belgian Waffle maker. Cuisinart makes one. Or if you are willing to go up to $500, a Chocovision tempering machine. That’s a fun toy. (It’s not a model I own, mine are bigger, but people seem to like it .)</p>
<p>If they have a KitchenAid mixer, some attachments such as sausage and pasta makers would be fun. </p>
<p>Actually, a friend gave me a slow cooker last year, and although I am a hard core cook, I have enjoyed using it quite a bit.</p>
<p>I love my combination pressure-cooker/slow-cooker. Think it came from QVC. We also enjoy our pasta-maker. How about a food dehydrator? It’s fun to experiment with the different fruits and vegetables; I’ve also used it to dry herbs.</p>
<p>If they want to experiment or play with some new tools, any one thing is only going to be good for that one set of cooking ideas. So, consider what they’d get the broadest use from.</p>
<p>I’ve become addicted to Cook’s Illustrated, lately- so, agree with gouf about a subscription. They also recently rated toaster ovens, you can google (if I find the recs today, I’ll post it.) Good knife, All-Clad non-stick frying pan, pizza stone (can be used for much more than pizza- anything you want crusty- and you can find them in other shapes than circles.) I love my mandoline and use it all the time. The waffle maker and ice cream maker, not so much. </p>
<p>There’s a panini press that has removeable plates, so it can be a grill or griddle- is that Cuisinart?</p>
<p>I love my Cook’s subscription and always read their equipment and food reviews, but find their findings are not always consistent with others. For example, they recommend the Breville and the Hamilton Beach Set and Forget and give poor marks to my toaster for uneven browning and cooking. </p>
<p>Meanwhile editors at Food and Wine, Consumer Reports and the majority of users at Amazon highly recommend the Cuisinart. I find that the Cuisinart toasts and broils extremely evenly, but if I had been planning to do a lot of cooking in there I probably would have gone with the Breville.</p>
there are recipes on the site as well.</p>