something i’ve not shared much of here is my love of cooking. but if i didn’t write primarily about interior design, i might like to be a chef or at least write about cooking, too. my mum was a great cook and i spent many hours watching her from the kitchen counter, learning her family recipes and gastronomic tricks of the trade. i’m not one to follow recipes too closely — once i’ve made a recipe from a favorite cookbook a couple of times, i’m usually good to improvise and add my own unique ingredients. a friend of mine suggested i start including recipe posts here, but i think i’ll leave that to the professionals! perhaps this is the next best thing — i love a good kitchen hack and today i’m providing you with a few of my favorite cooking tools that also might surprise you. some unexpected multi-taskers, like my favorite way of mincing herbs, and emulsifying salad dressings for instance. and a few cookbooks i swear by to get my cooking inspiration flowing. ready? okay — bon appetit!
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handmade colored glass straws — these reusable straws are both much lovelier and longer-lasting than their plastic counterparts. the ultimate recycling straw and perfect for ice coffee as the weather warms up.
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copper colander — not just for draining noodles, oh no. perfect for washing berries, lettuce, and cooling hardboiled eggs.
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handheld milk frother — a favorite kitchen ‘hack’, instead of frothing milk i use mine to emulsify my homemade salad dressings and it’s a little miracle worker.
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utility funnel — fill your bottles in style and as neat as can be with these good-looking handcrafted funnels. fill olive oil bottles, soap dispensers, glass jars, or any other vessel with liquid.
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solid glaze ceramics egg tray — i make my salads with hardboiled eggs daily, so i like a convenient tray like this one where i can reach in a grab the eggs that i *know* are hardboiled. nothing worse than cracking a raw egg in error!
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ginkgo japanese coffee kettle from — it’s still a little teapot, short and stout, but i love its japanese minimalist design slant. so lovely on your stovetop.
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saltbox — i have this one in white for my on the countertop at all times. i also make herb mixtures, like my own , and store them in labeled saltboxes. chic, and handy.
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mason jar with glass citrus juicer with stainless steel seal and lids — i love their retro look and make juicing lemon and other citrus easy and instantly storable for future use.
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green jade milk glass measuring cup set — these are just so pretty and also double as pinch bowls for all your dry recipe ingredients.
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fox egg cup designed by — my parents always made us and they’re fondly nostalgic for me. i think as a kid, i would have loved an animal-themed egg cup.
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wooden spreaders, set of 6 from — i quite like the mismatched look of these cheese and dip spreaders. perfect and pretty for jams and jellies, too.
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endurance cocktail collection retro ice cube tray — this one makes those nice big cubes for cocktails. love making ‘professional grade’ ice!
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6-piece bundt measuring cups in sea glass — again, i love cooking tools with a retro look, and these measuring cups are utterly charming.
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vintage-inspired large enamel mixing bowl with strawberry motif — i love serving summer salads al fresco, and enamel bowls are very outdoor-friendly and durable.
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frieling double-walled french press from — i love a french press for coffee, but did you know you can use them for making tea with loose leaves, too?
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, 4-pack — i always keep these french favorites in my car. one never knows when you’re going to find a farmer’s market or run into a highway fruit stand on a road trip.
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stovetop espresso maker — adorable three-cup coffee maker in sunny yellow, green, or red. coffee just tastes better made in these stovetop cuties.
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rotary stainless steel herb mill — my all-time favorite kitchen tool. makes grinding herbs pure joy! grind and sprinkle herbs over pizzas, pasta, and even grilled meats and fish. it’s number one in my kitchen.
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costa nova recycled clay organic pie dish from — i can just picture a blueberry pie baked in this pretty blue pie dish. great for quiche, too.
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clear picardie tumblers, set of 6 — so french, so perfect for red wine, or even aperitifs before dinner, like a nice limoncello.
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stoneware berry bowl with handles — love this one for rinsing strawberries and pretty enough to serve in, too.
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pulcina stovetop espresso maker — my very favorite espresso maker. i saw one in paris and when i came home i sadly regretted not having bought it, so i tracked it down online. voilà.
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stainless steel manual citrus squeezer — a mainstay in my kitchen because i’m always squeezing citrus for marinades and salad dressings.
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stoneware berry baskets, set of 4 — i keep these full of blueberries, grapes, raspberries, and blackberries in the fridge at all times. it keeps me from reaching for sweets, instead of this healthier option.
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4-piece jar with spout lid — i make a fresh salad dressing at least twice a week in these and they’re perfect for storing & pouring. use the emulsifier i mentioned above for a really well-mixed dressing.
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premium garlic press in red — for when you need your garlic really minced, and i love the sassy italian red. i use mine at least a few times a week.
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compost bin — i have this one and like it because it’s small enough to move to the countertop while i’m slicing & dicing.
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vintage french green canning jar from — so many other good ways to use these vintage jars: floral vase, utensil crock, and kitchen collectibles.
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white enameled metal soap dish — this vintage-inspired soap dish either sits on the countertop or hangs. so charming, with a european vibe.
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by aran goyoaga — if you follow aran you’ll know her recipes look mouth-watering. her cookbook is just as delicious, and gluten-free.
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by chad robertson — bread is just scary for me, but this cookbook inspires me to do much better. if you’ve ever eaten at many restaurants and bakeries you’ll know just how good their baked goods are.
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by yotam ottolenghi — this cookbook of mine is so dog-eared and stained from use it’s almost embarrassing but has to be in my top ten cookbooks for sure.
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by margarita carrillo arronte — not only is this cookbook a work of art worthy of your coffee table, but its recipes are also easy and authentic. my favorite carnitas recipe, ever.
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by nancy silverton — easy recipes to follow from one of my favorite chefs and — and now in newport, too, so i’m stoked.
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by julia child, louisette bertholle & simone beck — this is just an amazing cookbook everyone should own. julia’s coq au vin, anyone?
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by julia turshen — easy and delicious recipes from another favorite chef of mine. you can follow , too.
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by yotam ottolenghi — another of ottolenghi’s cookbooks, also amazing and this one’s all about veggies.
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by gwyneth paltrow & julia turshen — i know gwyneth gets a bad rap from many, but this cookbook she did with julia turshen’s help is amazing. the braised chicken is an easy and often-made go-to of mine.
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by mark Bittman — i love mark bittman (he’s here on , too) and this is another classic cookbook that should be on every cook’s shelf.
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by pauline chardin — i’ve gushed about cooking before, but this truly is one of the most beautiful cookbooks and with some inspired ingredients.
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by samin nosrat — i couldn’t love this chef more, and her is an excellent companion piece to this wonderful cookbook of hers.
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