Kitchen Treats!

Thank you, everyone! Fun presents floated my way recently, and my favorites were of course kitchen related.

The purchaser of the Riedels obviously outdid himself. They are gorgeous. I would say they're the most gorgeous thing in my kitchen, but let's not be silly. That distinction belongs to the stand mixer. Still, the Riedels offer our kitchen a touch of class disporportionate to any of our other meager belongings.

Wine tags! If the Riedels are classic highbrow, the wine tags are rollicking good lowbrow fun. Each of the tags has a description that can be used for wine or for a person. For example "mellow but not bland," or "fruity and packs a punch." Guests, of course, are tasked with finding tags that describe them best. We used them at the party on Friday and everyone was very amused.

The dual garlic press/slicer and all-in-one measuring spoon are amazing. I love kitchen tools that serve more than one purpose! The garlic press, especially, is an incredible feat of engineering. It's one of the few tools that really does shorten the amount of time it takes to perform a task (chopping garlic finely), even taking in the added time of cleaning the press. My garlic consumption has already practically doubled. because it's just so easy to add another clove or two.

Anyhow, thanks to everyone for thoughtful and practical presents (and for realizing that anyone can basically walk into a kitchen supply store, close his eyes, spin around, and buy the first thing he sees without too much fear that I won't want it). I plan to get plenty of use out of everything; just wait and see!