The original point of this blog was to give recognition to all things food that deserved it. As I cleaned up the kitchen the other day I realized that many of the items I use on a daily basis have come from Amazon. I decided to make a list of my favorite kitchen utensils and tools and talk about them. During the creation of this story I looked into and became an Amazon Associate at ID dudefoodtalk1. As an Amazon Associate I can earn from recommending these products for qualifying purchases.
The following kitchen items are presented in alphabetical order. They are all my favorite kitchen tools and utensils. I will try to briefly describe why in each listing. Amazon links to these favorite items will be supplied in this post and will direct the reader to the Amazon product page.
Ninja Pro Ultima
Blender: My Ninja blender is an older model as you can see from the photo. It came to me as a gift from the Dr. Phil show. The Ninja team was at the show handing out cards to the audience and crew redeemable for a blender/ kitchen system. A couple of weeks after sending in the card a Ninja blender arrived to my creation center. This machine is amazing and can do way more than I ever ask it to. I have always loved this tool. Thank you Ninja.
Coffee: I have had only 1 other brand of coffee maker in my life and I went back to Mr. Coffee after that brief vacation. These Mr Coffee machines are work horses made for work horses. Besides being reliable they are easy to use and clean. Danke schon Mr. Coffee.
Coolers: My Igloo Playmate and bigColeman are great tools. Between work and weekends they get used often. The small one holds a 6 pack of pints and the larger Coleman cooler holds plenty of beer, ice, salsa, guacamole and ceviche for day trips no problem. Tack Igloo and Coleman.
Croc Pot: This is the Croc Pot SCV700-S-BR model and this slow cooker is another great asset to the kitchen countertop. It is large enough to hold a chicken or small roast and vegetables. Merci Croc Pot.
Cutting Board: I have been using a cheesy plastic cutting board and really need a good hardwood cutting board.
Knife: There are a number of knives in my kitchen but the one I reach for and use the most is my Oneida 5″ blade. Mine is an older model, is super solid and works well. The newer 5″ version is an excellent choice. I keep mine sharp. Obrigado Oneida.
Vevor Stainless Steel Meat Grinder
Meat Grinder: This Vevor stainless 304 is something I’ve recently added to my kitchen toolbox and glad I did. You can purchase the same thing only made byVbenlem instead of Vevor. This tool reminds me of growing up when everyone’s mom had a meat grinder in the kitchen drawer. I love mixing various ground meats for sausage patties and sauces. Eating homemade noodles with ground meat sauce is always cool.
Pans: I have an 2 set All Clad Big Pan Set which includes a 10″ and a 12″ non stick pan with glass covers for each. I also regularly use my Rachael Ray 2 Pan Cucina Set which includes a 9.25″ and an 11″ non stick pan. (mine’s yellow) Both pans work well but the All Clad pans distribute the heat better. Grazie Rachael Ray and All Clad.
The Cellar Dinnerware
Plates: I have been using a set of The Cellar Dinnerware for years. I feel attached to these plates now. This particular pattern is no longer available. These plates are great. Gracias The Cellar Dinnerware.
Spatula: Using a floppy bendable cheap plastic spatula that melts in your eggs is not the one to be using. I have a Guy Fieri spatula that I have had for a couple of years and it has help up great in the kitchen. I use a smaller spatula for flipping eggs.
Toaster: Growing up my mother had a toaster oven on the kitchen counter and it was a great way to warm leftover pizza slices and heating English muffin pizzas. I have tried putting my Faberware white plastic toaster on it’s side and sliding tortillas in it but that method didn’t work that great. I can use a better 2 slice toaster for bagels and English muffin mornings.
So there you have it. A list of the Dude of Food’s 10 favorite items. Click on the links to find them on Amazon. Bon Appetit.
My job in the past allowed me to cross paths with a German production team and I ended up working with the Germany’s Next Top Model crew with Heidi Klum for 9 years. We spent about 3 months a year together and it was always interesting and fun. Heidi is super cool and the crew was a production group of friends that had fun working and partying together.
Oida, my travels have taken me to Munich to visit my production party friends and it is always a joy to be with them.
On my first trip to Munich I found myself attracted to the markets. Lidl, Rewe, Aldi and Edeka were my favorites. The lighting, the prices, the choices, the stern checkers, it all caught my eye. I’ve been back 5 times and always look forward to walking around the markets.
As I wandered around the market on that first trip looking at stuff on the shelves I ended up purchasing something I thought was like German breakfast grits called griesbrei. It was a product made by Dr. Oetker. I bought a few and made it for breakfast at home in Los Angeles, after decoding the instructions. I loved it.
When I told my Bavarian friends about how I loved griesbrei I always got the same odd reaction. They would get a weird look on their face and say to me, ‘so you like baby food?’
Well, I guess I do. Griesbrei is good. It’s sort of like grits but also reminds me of when I was a kid and my grandmother used to make me tapioca pudding for dessert and I always loved that too. She also would make homemade ice cream in a bucket with salt rocks and ice, but I digress.
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Ingredients
3 ⅓ cups milk
½ cup soft wheat semolina
2 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pinch of salt
1 large egg
1 tbsp. butter
Add milk and sugar to a sauce pan, mix well and bring to a light simmer. Gradually add the semolina while stirring. Bring to a light simmer, cover with a lid and remove from heat. Allow to sit for about 5 min. In the meantime, separate the egg. Beat the egg white with a pinch of salt until stiff peaks form. Add the egg yolk to the semolina pudding and mix well until fully incorporated. Stir in butter and vanilla extract. Fold in the egg white.
You can get your package of Dr. Oetker’s Griesbrei by clicking here.
Historically and traditionally the discovery of the bean that makes coffee has loosely been credited to a herder named Kaldi in Ethiopia. It turns out that Kaldi noticed the animals in his heard get all perky after eating these beans. He then chewed some beans himself and felt a spark too so he took some to the local monks who threw the beans into a fire thinking Kaldi was possessed, but when the flames baked the beans and a pleasant odor came from the fire the monks changed their minds. The monks liked the aroma, pulled the beans from the fire and put them in hot water and voila, the first cup of coffee was discovered. The monks would use the liquid to stimulate themselves before prayers and studies.
With thousands of pilgrims visiting Mecca each year from all over the world the knowledge of this ‘Wine of Araby’ or cup of coffee quickly began to spread.
This discovery migrated from Ethiopia to Yemen and finally coffee was shipped to Venice, Italy and into Europe.
The world’s first coffee house was opened in Constantinople in 1475, now known as Istanbul.
Captain John Smith, the founder of the Virginia Colony, introduced coffee to other settlers of Jamestown in 1607. Coffee wasn’t well received as tea was still preferred at this time.
The first ever European coffee house was opened in 1645 in Venice, Italy. The coffee shop named Caffe Florian from 1720 still exists here. Drinking coffee became a cool thing to do and a great commodity for traders.
In 1670, Dorothy Jones became the first person to receive a license to sell coffee in Boston.
By the mid-1700’s many taverns were also dubbed as coffeehouses.
The Boston Tea Party revolt caused all the tea to be thrown into Boston Harbor and after that event it was considered unpatriotic to drink tea in America any longer. Coffee then became increasingly popular.
Coffee was drunk at home as part of the daily routine, as well as to show hospitality to guests. Outside of the home, people visited coffee houses to drink coffee and engage in conversation, listen to music, mingle and catch up on news. Without the modern technologies we have today, coffee houses and pubs became spots for sharing information. They were often referred to as “Schools of the Wise.”
One of the oldest coffee shops in the world is located in New York. There is a coffee shop named Caffè Reggio that has been operating since 1927 and is home to the very first espresso machine in the United States.
The Dude of Food’s introduction to coffee was during the summer of 1981 when I traveled around the United States on a youth tour. I remember going to Brennan’s in New Orleans and trying their famous coffee as everyone was talking about it. A few friends and I were all wound up from drinking way too many cups during our breakfast. Being that we were 14-15 years old the effect was gnarly. We started sweating and ran around the city for a couple of hours after breakfast, trying to keep up with ourselves.
The next story that helped shape my mind about coffee was during the road to qualify for the world cup games. I was in Antigua, Guatemala and a big point match was to begin at 5:30am between Mexico and USA. Being that it was still a little early for beers, I began drinking coffee while watching the match. I really liked the taste of the fresh Guatemalan coffee and it quickly became my favorite for years. I always buy the Starbucks Antigua version when I see the bags in the market.
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For the last couple of years I’ve had a Brazilian girlfriend. Brazil is the number 1 producer of coffee beans in the world. Upon returning from a visit to Brazil she brought back some coffee. The brand was Pilao and I love it too. It’s really strong so it doesn’t take huge heaps to get a good cup of coffee.
Over the years I have had a few thoughts about coffee and wrote the following about the subject.
335 words the Dude of Food wrote about coffee circa 2015
The scent of the brew wafts through the house and wraps itself into the cool dark morning air. My senses tingle when the aroma arrives at my nostrils and the pulse of excitement runs through my body reminding me of another beautiful day that is about to begin. I hear the pumps of water as the machine gasps and sighs and steam seeps out of the seam at the top like some sort of cartoon robot hothead. As I turn the corner towards the kitchen the green power light on the machine’s front penetrates the darkness as vibrantly as the scent of the the brew itself. I see it’s green glow in the form of a dot at the base of the source of the scent, resonating small and bright in the distance. The chosen mug stands by attentively waiting to fulfill its duty as holder of the vital morning fluid. The organic whole milk with an expiration date way into the future stands nearby to assist in the heat control and toning of the aromatic, dark, hot liquid. The machine gives up its final gasp as the last of the water runs through its pulsing veins. The glass container below also dutifully waits to receive this precious fluid that it will hold until a consumer arrives. The hand that rocks the cradle pours this brown joy into the attentive mug and then proceeds to top off with some milky goodness. No sugar is allowed. It’s at this point that I know things are going well. The anticipation always causes excitement. When the warm brew hits my taste buds and the heat from the fluid rises into my face I begin to feel more alive. A joyful feeling warms me. Then the warm fluid runs through my body letting it know that it’s time to get in motion to enjoy this beautiful new day. It’s another day to learn and try to teach the masses. The opportunity to live and make the world a better place begins daily. Today is going to be another great day.
On December 1, 2021 the Dude of Food wrote another 281 words about Coffee.
Ahhh coffee, yes I’d like a coffee please. If I could choose I’d have medium roasted Guatemalan or Hawaiian bean coffee. French coffee is good as is Italian and Turkish. Coffee is that magical fluid that is loved by people worldwide. At dawn it is that warming magic that helps get things going, in more than one way. At my desk with a cup I feel like I have the tools to get things done. A pot of your favorite coffee with a joint and one can be content to write, design, edit, build or creatively ponder for hours. Coffee allows individuals a chance to show their diverse traits. There are many ways to enjoy this magic brown fluid. Hot or cold, creamed or not, sweetened or not, caffeinated or decaf and how much of each ingredient is up to each person. Some add caramel. Some add vanilla or chocolate and interestingly, some even choose not to drink coffee at all. Some choose to enjoy coffee in the morning. Some will have a cup after meals and some will drink coffee all day or night long.
The beans are growing, don’t wait or hesitate or you’ll be late.
On November 6, 2023, again coffee was on the mind and the Dude of Food penned a ditty called ‘Coffee Today’.
Many thoughts have been donated to the fact that life gives provenance to coffee, but i have been thinking about it myself and wonder if that statement might not be constructed wrong and presented backwards. Perhaps it is coffee that gives provenance to life. The thrill of waking up to a beautiful new sunrise and beginning another glorious day are exacerbated by the addition of a deliciously scented mug of steaming coffee that warms the hands and face while gifting your mouth with a sense of invigoration and joy that helps one get through the day. It is the kind of support not seen yet relied on to help rally into the rest of what’s coming. The cultivation and preparation of coffee has been in human culture for centuries and has helped produce the spring to one’s morning and put the pep back in many peoples step. This tiny, delicious magical bean is one of the most powerful items in nature. Folks should recognize its place and not abuse it but love it for what it is and does. One does not need a degree to prepare coffee drinks as it is a simple task and not like surgery. Coffee does its thing. It grows. It ripens. It dries. It’s roasted. It’s ground up and water seeps through it providing life, one drip at a time. Share this story of coffee and life with a fellow coffee drinker as you enjoy a cup of historical culture today.
Below is a list of the top 10 coffee producing countries.
Brazil Vietnam Colombia Indonesia Jamaica Africa Central America: Guatemala, Honduras Hawaii India Turkey
The above image was how I spent my mornings in Ometepe, Nicaragua. Alles Claro.
Salt is natural and is found on earth. Salt tastes salty. Salt is used to preserve meats and stuff.
Beyond these basic statements most folks are at a loss to expand on the paths that salt and life have shared together over time. Science class was something many kids never took that seriously and a subject many educators simply skim over.
Chemically sodium chloride or salt is composed of 40% sodium and 60% chloride.
Salt is mentioned in the Bible multiple times. Lot’s wife was turned into a pillar of salt. The word salt is also used metaphorically in the Bible to signify permanence, loyalty, durability, fidelity, usefulness, value, purification and more.
Historically, salt mining can be dated back to 6000 BC in the Romania/Bulgaria section of ancient Europe where people in Solnitsata (modern day Provadia) used to boil water to extract salts. Interestingly, Solnitsata is thought to be the earliest known settlement in Europe. Roughly the same timeline dates back to China’s use of salt as well.
We also know that Philip II of Macedon had a son named Alexander who studied with Aristotle and who toured the entire Greek, African and Middle Eastern empires quite extensively. In May 326 BC Alexander the Great and King Porus of Paurava met on opposite banks of the Jhelum River in Pakistan where they clashed. Alexander’s men crossed the river and subdued the army of King Porus and their 200 war elephants. It was recorded that Alexander’s Macedonian army losses numbered 1,000 of 41,000 men as the Indian army of King Porus lost 12,000 and had another 9,000 men captured out of an army of 50,000. A truce was agreed upon and Alexander let Porus remain king after Porus paid tributes. After the arduous battle, fatigue set into the combatants. Alexander’s men and horses found themselves tired and hungry. The horses began to lick the rocks on the side of the river. The riders noticed this behavior and examined the rocks to discover that there was a build up of pink Himalayan salt coating the rocks. The horses that did the licking and ingested this salt recovered faster and were in better shape the next day then the horses who didn’t lick the salt. This healing intrigued the riders of Alexander’s army who came to discover that near this area reside the salt mines of Khewra, which happens to be the second largest salt deposit in the world.
There is an ancient 242 km (150 miles) long road in Italy called Via Salaria which is named after the Latin word for salt. Via Salaria runs from Rome, headed east across the country to the Adriatic Sea, ending at a place formerly called Castrum Truentinum, modernly known as Martinsicuro. 51 km (32 miles) of this old salt road are now Italy’s state highway SS4. Medieval records document salt trading opportunities in Venice, Italy which ultimately helped contribute to the cities economic rise.
Salt mines in Salzburg, Austria can date mining of this mineral back to 800 BC. By 400 BC the locals were doing open pan salt making.
The 10 largest salt mines in the world are:
Sifto Mine in Ontario, Canada
Khewra Mine in Pakistan – pink salt
Prahova Mine in Romania
Atacama in Chile where they get lithium and boron from the salt
Wieliczka in Poland
Palibelo Village in Indonesia
Danakil in Ethiopia
Maras in Peru
Asse in Germany
Salt Catherdal in Colombia
The salt flat in Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia is the world’s largest (12 000 km²) and highest (3 700 m) salt flat. It is 25 times larger than the Bonneville Salt Flats in the US. This flat in Bolivia is what’s left of a prehistoric lake surrounded by mountains without any drainage outlets. The locals continue to harvest the salt in their traditional method, gathering the substance into small mounds to evaporate, additional drying over fire and enrichment with iodine.
It is said that the word salary is derived from the Latin word Sal or salt. People often think of gold as something very valuable and interchangeable with money. In the past, salt was extremely valuable as well. Salt was such a valued commodity that it said to have been used to pay Roman soldiers in lieu of coins, hence the word salary.
The impact of salt on society is incredible. Salt has helped create and destroy empires. Salt has also played a prominent role in determining the rise of some of the world’s great cities. Various sites eventually sprung up along the salt roads exacting heavy duties and taxes for the salt passing through their territories. This practice eventually caused the formation of cities, like Munich in 1158, when the then Duke of Bavaria, Henry the Lion, decided that the bishops of Freising no longer needed their salt revenue and set up shop in the Munich area. A ‘gabelle’, the word for a hated French salt tax, was enacted in 1286 and maintained until 1790. Because of these salt taxes, common salt was of such a valuable commodity that it caused population shifts and attracted invaders. Gabelle tax was cited on the list of issues prompting the French Revolution. The salt mines of Poland led to a vast kingdom in the 16th century. Liverpool rose from just a small English port to become the prime exporting site for salt dug from the mines of Cheshire and became the source for much of the world’s salt supply in the 1800’s.
In 1777, the British Lord Howe was jubilant when he succeeded in capturing General George Washington’s salt supply.
Founding Fathers of America used the phrase ‘worth your salt’ meaning ‘worth your work value for the salary earned’. Expressions like ‘worth one’s while’ and ‘worth one’s weight in gold’ are much older than ‘worth one’s salt’, yet the idea and history for these phrases are similar.
“Any man worth his salt will stick up for what he believes right, but it takes a slightly better man to acknowledge instantly and without reservation that he is in error.” Andrew Jackson
“No man is worth his salt who is not ready at all times to risk his well-being, to risk his body, to risk his life, in a great cause.” Theodore Roosevelt
Modern Dietary Guidelines recommend adults limit sodium intake to less than 2,300 mg per day—that’s equal to about 1 teaspoon of table salt. Scientifically there are a bunch of types of salt: Table, Kosher, Himalayan pink, Sea salt, Celtic Grey, Fleur De Sal, Flake salt, Red Hawaiian, Black Hawaiian, Smoked, Himalayan Black and Pickling Salt. These salts are defined by colors, textures and the regions they are discovered in. The earliest recorded study published in China around 2700 BC mentions more than 40 types of salt and provides descriptions of two methods of salt extraction that are similar to the processes used today.
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Some examples of salt types follow:
Table salt: Qualities: Classic standard. May contain anti-caking additives to avoid clumping in humidity Pros: Inexpensive. Contains iodine. Cons: Typically contains the highest sodium content of all salts.
Sea salt: Qualities: Coarser texture extracted from ocean water around the world Pros: Naturally contains iodine although some claim low levels. Cons: May contain impurities. (metals or plastics)
Kosher salt: Qualities: Coarse, flaky texture. Pros: Need Kosher? Cons: May not contain iodine.
Himalayan salt: Qualities: It’s pink color comes from iron oxide which is a compound found in rust. Pros: It’s pretty and Barbie would twerk for it. Cons: Not usually iodized.
Here are some fun and interesting facts about salt:
Only 6% of the salt that we use in the US is used as food. Salt is used for many other reasons. 17% of American salt is used for keeping ice off of the roads in winter for safer driving.
If you soak older, wrinkled apples in a mixture of salt and water, the wrinkles will go away.
Salt (sodium chloride) It is the only family of rocks regularly eaten by people.
Mixing salt in with the water of cut flowers in a vase will help the flowers live longer.
If you rub salt on your griddle, your pancakes will not stick.
Every cell of your body contains salt.
Adding a little salt to your boiling water when boiling eggs will help prevent the egg from cracking. Salt also stops the egg from coming out of the shell if it does crack.
You can test the freshness of eggs in a cup of salt water. Fresh eggs will sink and bad eggs will float.
Sprinkling salt in your pantry helps to keep ants away.
Your body needs 200 mg of salt per day to be healthy.
You can sprinkle salt between bricks or rocks where you don’t want grass to grow.
Ice water gets colder when salt is added.
Salt is usually the first thing to take the blame for a dish that doesn’t taste so great.
The dictionary describes a salty person as “an angry and ill tempered individual.” Salty describes a personality that is bitter, angry, irritated and/or hard to take.
Salt deposits have been reportedly discovered on Mars.
At the end of the day, salt is salt. There is no scientific evidence to suggest that any type of natural salt is healthier than any other type of natural salt. Salt substitutes are another story and should probably be avoided but that’s not what we’re currently talking about here. Keep in mind that, unless you eat fish regularly, iodine is somewhat elusive in most people’s diets. Choosing an iodized salt can be a healthy choice if used wisely.
If you ever have encountered the ‘stuff down the drain’ issue in your kitchen then maybe you can get a tip from this little kitchen quick fix tip video. The Dude of Food is here to help.
A good rule of thumb is to always have a catch screen in place. Also never toss coffee grinds or eggshells down the garbage disposal. Those items are for the trash or composting.
It is worth it to be aware of what you put down your drains and a simple catch screen helps a lot.
