(In No Particular Order)

1. Samsung Induction Oven—I was induction before induction was cool. Now that the gas oven hoopla has surfaced, everyone is talking about induction. I first discovered the technology by accident at the farm in 2015. Our Samsung Chef Collection oven malfunctioned, and because we were so remote—they asked if they could send us the Chef Collection Induction oven to replace it.

The new range was worth over $2,000 more than the malfunctioning one—but it was easier for Best Buy to send us the induction oven than to find a repairman. Lucky us! We took it, and my culinary life has never been the same. There is no comparison between gas and electric. Induction is SO much better, safer, and more energy efficient. It uses magnets to heat the pans so that one can lay your hand on the “eye,” and it will not burn you. And it brings a pot of water to a boil 50% faster than a conventional oven. Caveat: You will need to purchase induction-friendly cookware. Traditional cookware will not work.

2. Lamson Chef’s Slotted Turner, 3″ x 6″, Right Handed, Stainless Steel, POM Handle. It is specially designed to flip delicate foods; lightweight and razor-thin, it can flip eggs, fish, and crepes and is still strong enough to lift heavier foods. It is my go-to spatula for everything.

3. ThermoPro TP-16 Large LCD Digital Cooking Food Meat Smoker Oven Kitchen BBQ Grill Thermometer Clock Timer with Stainless Steel Probe. The title says it all. It has a magnet that holds to the outer surface and a loud alarm that notifies you when the temperature is reached—settings for all types of fish, chicken, meat, etc.

4. Dick Pro-Dynamic 7″ Offset Bread Knife – 7″ High-Carbon Stainless Steel Sharp Serrated Blade – For Bread, Sandwiches, Meats, and Vegetables. Anthony Bourdain says in his book that if he only were required to have one knife for everything—this would be it. That was enough for me. Inexpensive yet amazing!

5. Microplane Classic Zester Grater, Black. The blade is designed with a specific tooth set that takes the flavorful rind directly off the citrus fruit while leaving behind the bitter white pith. Zest adds flavor to vinaigrettes, stir fries, salads, and baked goods. Grate parmesan into fluffy mounds that melt quickly and look beautiful when treating yourself to rustic pasta bowls. Grate nutmeg, cinnamon sticks, ginger, and so much more. And rust-free.

6. Jean Dubost Laguiole Ivory Flatware Set. The Dubost family has been creating fine cutlery for four generations in the heart of the French countryside. The design of this flatware collection was inspired by a shepherd’s tool first manufactured in the village of Laguiole in the 19th century. Crafted of thick, heavy-gauge stainless steel, each implement is hand polished and finished for a difference in quality you can see and feel. It makes every meal an elegant event. Expensive and so worth it.

7. OXO Good Grips Chef’s Mandoline Slicer 2.0. The only mandoline you will ever need. Heavy duty and efficient. It is precise enough to make paper-thin potato slices for chips and robust enough to cut sweet potatoes perfectly.

8. Mueller Vegetable Chopper – Heavy Duty Vegetable Slicer – Onion Chopper with Container – Food Chopper Slicer Dicer Cutter – 4 Blades. Nothing makes the job less painless when I have much dicing to do than this fantastic chopper. Saves so much time—and tears.

9. Cleanblend Ultra Blender, Low Profile Blender for Shakes and Smoothies – 40oz Compact Countertop Smoothie Blender/Maler – 8-Blade Stainless Steel, 1,000 Watt Motor, BPA-Free Tamper Wand Included. Yes, you can spend $100’s for a Vita-Mix or Ninja at Costco or go to Amazon and buy this fantastic blender for only $99. It is incredible. Relatively quiet and highly robust. I use it almost every morning for my smoothies, and it blends my sauces to a velvety texture that I could never attain with my cheapo Hamilton Beach.

10. Custom Chef Knife. If I only had two knives for cooking for the rest of my life—it would be #4 and the custom carbon steel chef’s knife I purchased from JR Palm (linktr.ee/jr_palm) If he is still making knives—he is busy now with university studies—run don’t walk and place an order. Mine even has my initials carved into the wood stock. Again, they are expensive, but they will last a lifetime.

11. 12″ Griddle & Crepe Maker, Non-Stick Electric Crepe Pan w Batter Spreader & Recipe Guide- Dual Use for Blintzes Eggs Pancakes, Portable, Adjustable Temperature Settings. Once you learn the art of crepe making—perfect crepes every time. I use #2 to turn the delicate crepe perfectly.

12. Expand-A-Drawer Spice Organizer from The Container Store. I bought three because I am obsessed with spices. It has changed my life forever. No more futilely trying to find a spice only for it to turn up later. All my spices are alphabetized and available in the top drawer of my cooking bar.

13. Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale, Original. I never dreamed how invaluable this little baby would be until I purchased it. I use it for everything!! The Unit Button instantly converts between 6 units of measurements (g, lbs, lbs: oz, oz, ml, kg) and displays results on an easy-to-read LCD screen – e.g., easily convert 539 grams to 1.188 pounds to 1 pound 3 ounces to 19.01 ounces to 539 ml to 0.539 kg. The Precision Tare Button calculates your ingredients’ net weight by subtracting the weight of any bowl or container.

14. Lodge Cast Iron Skillet. I use it for steaks, fish, chicken, literally almost everything. It is the go-to skillet for great food. And YES, it works with induction ovens!

15. All-Clad E785SC64 HA1 Hard Anodized Nonstick Cookware Set 8 & 10 inch fry pans. This model works with induction and is the only non-stick option I recommend. I turn to these when I brown panko, make omelets, perfectly sear mushrooms, and much more.

16. Imperia Pasta Machine from Williams Sonoma. Perhaps nothing has brought me more joy than asking guests if they have ever made pasta from scratch and inviting them to join me in a pasta-making party followed by a fresh and delicious Italian meal. This little machine has made hundreds of lbs. of fresh pasta, and when guests join me, it is always the highlight of the evening. Yes, it is much work, but grab a bottle of wine, and a few friends, resulting in a memory of a lifetime. And YES, there is a difference between fresh and store-bought pasta.

I hope this is a fun post for everyone. It took a bit of time, but it was a delight for me to write. I LOVE cooking. It is therapy for me!