not to be dramatic but…
the cottage is about a 3h drive from the closest natural wine bar, so I’ve been spending a fuckload of time in my kitchen.
it’s taken on the role of my favourite Thai spot, the cute coffee shop I spent every friday morning, and the street tacos at the corner that tasted extra delicious after three martinis. I will be making zero martinis here, though. that’s where I draw the line.
it’s also fast become the place where I do my best thinking, one of the only opportunities within my temporary rural existence where my hands and mind are just occupied enough for new ideas to peek through.
(I wrote half of this article at the kitchen table between sizzling egg whites and toasting sourdough).
as much as I’ve attempted the flavours I’m missing from LA, my kitchen in Canada also comes along with it’s own profile. for every country I’ve lived, there’s an associated menu — a list of go-to dishes that stay frozen in place, items from the local grocery store that I’ll meet on my next visit, but seldom sooner.
this usually has nothing to do with the cuisine in a cultural sense, and it’s not connected to whether or not the products are readily available at the next location, either. egg whites, for example, are a “Canada food.” but so is vegetarian curry with homemade naan.
despite spending hours at the stove, it’s taken an embarrassingly long time to acclimate to new setup. like, we’re literally four fucking weeks into the trip and I JUST stopped looking for the cutlery in the miscellaneous appliances drawer and getting ready to “load” the trash can with dirty dishes.
with all this, I’ve become hyper-aware of the the things that I never thought to add to our California kitchen but am now deeply attached to, and all the random shit I thought I needed but actually don’t even miss. cough cough air-fryer.
there are also a few items who’s absence is GLARING to me personally, albeit not necessary for a property that’s going to be a rental for most of the year, so the list below is part recommendation and part future-shopping for the moment we touch down on the opposite side of the atlantic.
I bring youuuu…
seven kitchen items that have improved my quality of life ↓
001 / proper serrated bread knife
if you fuck with fresh sourdough as hard as I do, this is a non-negotiable — and the SIZE of the knife is CRITICAL. we’re working with an 8” blade over here and it’s perfect, but I wouldn’t be mad if I had a bigger one, even.
002 / kettle you can set the temperature on
I’m a coffee snob in the sense that I only go to Starbucks if I’m at the airport and I am disturbed at the idea of purchasing ground beans in a tin from the grocery store, but I’ve been drinking a Starbucks pod in my Nespresso machine every morning for the past 4 weeks so I know there’s some contradictions happening here. with that said, I love an Americano and pouring SCALDING hot water into a shot of espresso does in fact make it taste like ass. even assier than it already tastes by being a Starbucks-brand Nespresso pod. in LA we had a Fellow kettle (Frank IS the kind of coffee snob who makes pour over) but right now we went for fashion over function with an ADORBS Smeg kettle. I wouldn’t trade her for the world, but I’ve been adding a bit of cold water in after it boils to reduce the assiness.
003 / butcher block cutting board
you know the one from IKEA that has the little lip so it becomes a part of your countertop, basically? that is the SHIT. we don’t have it here (yet) and we’re working with a set of little plastic ones that slip and slide and make all kinds of a mess and I am SICK OF ‘EM.
004 / milk frother with a “cold foam” setting
I have a bone to pick with society for not telling us that cold foam is basically just whipping cream you can put on your coffee, your strawberries, WHATEVER! the fact that these little devices can whip that up so fast is astonishing and a beautiful technological feat that I wish to experience daily, if possible. I don’t even drink that much iced coffee but IT’S ABOUT HAVING THE OPTION.
005 / tiny bowl for flaky salt
is this purely about the pretentiously satisfying nature of sprinkling sea salt over your food with a teeny tiny spoon? yes! but also it looks very cute on the counter and provides an instant styling element to any simple tablescape, so also a 10/10 from a content perspective. plus, it ensures you will actually purchase flaky salt (Maldon all day!) which is just a good habit, I feel.
006 / fresh basil plant
now listen, earthy bitch I am NOT. zero houseplants. will not catch me gardening. but I also don’t like spending $4 on a little plastic carton of basil that turns brown in 2.5 hours. basil plant is the gift that keeps on giving and I WILL admit, having that little bit of life in the kitchen is super lovely. they don’t live forever, but it definitely reduces the basil spend dramatically, and I am putting fresh basil on pretty much anything I can, so this is important. notices basil is currently dry as fuck, gets up to water before finishing the article.
007 / olive oil with a spout
this can either mean just buying a brand that doesn’t fucking DUMP all over your dish, or investing in a pouring device that you can refill, but either way: WE SEEK THAT DRIZZLE. so much less waste and also just a very chic experience overall. and obviously I have to mention: WAY better for filming cooking videos.
okay, now’s the part where you tell me what I missed so we can create a beautiful collection of frivolous kitchen items, as a team!
x
