Video: Winter Favorites and All Time 2015 Favorites
A new favorites video is up! I had been doing these every month...and then November and December happened and...well here's a 'winter favorites' video. I also threw in 4 things that were my ultimate 2015 favorites through out the whole year. I love doing these kinds of videos because it's really all about curating. People talk about and post a ton of just crap. I love finding the best version of whatever it is I am using. And because of the psychotic amount of research the husband and I put into purchasing things (go ahead, ask Chris what the best kind of bar jigger is...) we might as well share the knowledge!
November/December Favorites
Green Velvet Couch:
THIS COUCH! We have searched for years for just the right couch. Because we live in a historic home, rooms and doorways are smaller than typical homes today. That means, buying a normal couch straight from a store is destined to fail. It is HUGE. It overwhelms the room. Oh, and it's probably not going to be able to fit inside the door of my house. On top of all that, we wanted something really cool. Preferably velvet. But not frou frou or bulky looking. And that's when we saw her: the emerald green couch. For under $400. Antique, perfect and just like new. We think the previous owner recovered it or never, ever used it.
Framebridge:
Last month I did a project with Framebridge to help bring my old art new life by reframing it. Every day when I look at those pieces, I'm so thrilled with the results and feel like I need to share the experience. They have all styles of frames. You can frame basically anything. They even do shadow boxes!
Staedtler Pens:
Guys. I'm a pen snob. First I was hooked on Pilot Gel Pens, and now I'm in love with colored Staedtler Tri Tip pens. If you have a paper agenda, BUY THEM. It's magical.
Kiwi Knife:
A good knife is a really important part of a good kitchen. So knowing that, we thought: let's do some research. What is the best kind of chef's knife/chopping knife with a small blade? And then we realized that the answer is '$400 worth'. So. But then, Chris consulted the website of the almighty Kenji of Serious Eats and found The Kiwi Knife. See this beauty? You get two of them for $12. And they're amazing. They are SO SHARP. The reason they're so inexpensive is because the goal is that they're meant to last about 5 years. This is not a lifetime knife. It's not a knife you have to baby. And that makes it amazing.
American Terrior:
Need a good read if you're a food person? Pick up American Terrior by Rowan Jacobson. Here's why I love this book: there are short, non-related chapters where you don't have to remember character names. It's just right to read a chapter before bed. And it's really informative! It talks about why certain foods produced in certain areas are they way they are. Like carrots. Or apples. Or maple syrup. The terrior conversation is not limited to wine.
The Food Lab:
You may recall about 10 lines ago a reference to the almighty Kenji. Kenji has a book called The Food Lab and it is a book you need. It breaks down the best way to cool things and why. And it will really, really improve the way you cook. My favorite example is poached eggs. I love poached eggs SO MUCH but often they're kind of stringy (gross I know). Or they just taste too vinegary. That being said, we'd researched a ton of ways to try and improve it from stirring the water to salting it...and all of those are wrong. Quick note, the best way is to use a fine mesh strainer, crack the egg into it and let some of the watery white drain out.
All time 2015 Favorites
For life-changing purchases that I've already 'favorited' in earlier 2015 videos.
Dietitian Nutritionist and cookbook author sharing flavor-forward recipes and simplified science-driven wellness.