Get that wish list ready for Santa. He may need a little help for the upcoming Black Friday and Cyber Monday. My list is full of kitchen items. And, herbal objects dominate. Here are a few
Vertical Herb Garden
Perhaps my most coveted item is an indoor herb garden to bring summer’s bounty to my frigid Northeast Ohio climate. My favorite is the vertical herb garden from Williams-Sonoma. It’s space efficient and aesthetically amazing. Certainly, at nearly $500, this is a fantasy for me. But what a fantasy!
Herbal Wreath
Next up, an herbal wreath for my kitchen décor. It will look lovely and though I’m not likely to cannibalize its beauty for actual cooking.
In my stocking I’d like to find many of the following. Most can be found at Williams-Sonoma, Sur la Table, Pampered Chef, Amazon.com and at other online and retail sources.
Herb Infuser
Forget that little packet of cheesecloth-wrapped herbs in your soups and sauces. This reusable infuser holds your bouquet garni. It can also be used to infuse mulling spices into hot cider or wine.
Herb Ice Cube Maker
Freezing herbs, especially the tender ones like basil, is becoming so mainstream that herb-dedicated ice cube trays are found at Target and online. Chop your favorites and freeze them in water or broth to make them handy for soups, stews and sauces…
Herb Zipper
The herb stripper is quite easy. You don’t have to pick individual leaves from a stem or strip them with your fingernails. You simply pull them through a hole in the handle and the leaves fall into the cup. I uses this for herbs with smaller leaves such as thyme, oregano, marjoram, rosemary, lavendar and tarragon. Differently sized holes give the gadget versatility.
Herb Scissors
Sure regular kitchen scissors snip herbs, but five-blade herb scissors are a wonder for basil, chives, cilantro, parsley and more. Retailers suggest them for lettuce and mushrooms as well. I was skeptical of mushrooms, but they do a great job with shiitakes and other gourment ‘shrooms. Make sure yours come with a cleaning tool. And, that you don’t lose it in that kitchen gadget drawer.
Herb Keepers
Several styles exist the marketplace. While I haven’t compared products, I’m considering a glass herbkeeper from Gourmet2day. I prefer glass over plastic.
Stay tuned for a gift list from The Herb Society. Or, review those items now.
Is there something we should put on our wish list? Put your suggestions in the comments.
