Story & Photography | Renée S. Suen
When it comes to equipping the heart of the home, ambitious cooks aim to pad their culinary toolboxes with more than just the staples.
Anova Precision Oven ($799)
Having brought the sous vide immersion circulator to the general market, the latest addition to Anova’s precision cooking lineup features a pro-level combination oven for the home. The large countertop appliance uses app-enabled multistage steam and convection heat to churn out restaurant-quality foods that retain their moisture, flavour and—most importantly—nutrients.
Consistently churn out juicy roast chickens with crispy skin, crusty sourdough boules, perfect omelettes or snappy asparagus. The device even makes rice and congee.
Fellow Stagg EKG+ Electric Kettle ($210)
Sleek and stylish, this kettle smoothly, soundlessly and synchronously heats water to the desired temperature, and then holds it steady until it’s turned off. It’s also a perfect companion for pour-overs or brewing tea, since the functional and elegant setup has a built-in stopwatch to time your extraction.
Available in an array of colours and finishes to match any room or countertop, the brand also offers the kettle in a pour-over kit, Atmos vacuum canisters that keeps beans fresh 50% longer and Carter travel mugs.
Busatti Linens (Starts at $32.50)
When the Italian monarchy and A-listers such as Salvatore Ferragamo and Valentino Garavani source luxury Italian linens, they look to iconic Tuscan weaver Busatti. Handcrafted and made-to-measure by an eighthgeneration family of weavers, exclusive Canadian retailer Maison Busatti, on Toronto’s Avenue Road, carries the line, including the vibrant Prada Red option that was originally created for Miuccia Prada.
A painstaking process that includes the complete rethreading of Busatti’s loom and use of burgundy yarn in the warp, the bespoke textile is released in limited quantities each year. It’s available as cocktail-, luncheonand dinner-sized napkins, as well as custom-sized tablecloths that can be monogrammed in-house by expert seamstresses.
Fly by Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp ($19.80)
Satisfying every flavour and taste sensation sought after in a condiment, the umami-packed chili crisp is spicy, crunchy and a necessary pantry staple for anyone who loves flavour. Made with rare ingredients, including er jing tiao chilies (a signature spice in Sichuan cuisine) and tribute peppers, the small-batch, vegan chili oil was the first premium Chinese food developed
by Jing Gao, a Toronto-raised chefentrepreneur who runs a U.S.-based company that pays living wages. Best served on everything, including vanilla ice cream, picking up multiple jars of this versatile and addictive product is highly recommended.
FoodSaver Multi-Use Food Preservation System ($199)
Whether purchasing or cooking food in bulk, this heat and vacuum sealer helps keep foods fresh longer—up to five-times for frozen goods, while preventing freezer burn. The useful system comes with various-sized preservation bags to get you started. However, it does have a marinade setting that pairs with a supplemental 2.25-quart Quick Marinator container, which promises to infuse food with flavour within minutes.
The French Laundry, Per Se: The Art of Finesse by Thomas Keller ($100)
Exemplifying creativity, knowledge, innovation and excellence, revered chef-restaurateur Thomas Keller’s celebrated Michelin threestar restaurants—The French Laundry in Yountville, Calif., and Per Se in New York City—have played influential roles in the world of fine dining, but also on each other’s evolution for almost two decades. Keller’s widely celebrated finesse and ability to reinvent classics is captured in his latest anthology that can be likened to a master class in
the art of fine dining.
There are pro tips, such as using a dehydrator to intensify the flavour and texture of fruits and vegetables or the use of a cornstarchegg white paste to make the crunchiest potato flake skin. The collection features 70 elaborate, in-depth recipes, from Smoked Sturgeon Rillettes on an “everything” bagele, to Royal Ossetra Caviar with chocolate-hazelnut emulsion. There’s even a Madagascar Vanilla Ice Cream with sugar-cured egg yolk and cookie crumble.
Besides stunning photography, it also features contributions from Keller’s inspirational senior chefs—stories and essays that are sure to inspire professionals and food-lovers alike.
BrüMate Insulated Drink Coolers (Starts at $25.99)
Offering durable solutions for keeping adult on-the-go beverages cold, this innovative drinkware company has a diverse lineup that’s much more than wine tumblers (which they do carry). There are champagne flutes with a flip-top lid, tumblers designed for martinis, whisky cocktails, martinis, plus flasks and shakers that double as pint glasses.
Their signature Hopsulator Slim is designed to fit 12-ounce cans and uses push-lock technology for easy insertion and removal. For larger formats, there’s a 64-ounce growler, wine or liquor canteens and three-gallon backpack coolers that
cater to the needs of any outdoor gathering.
Best of all, the products keep drinks 20 times colder than the traditional glass or neoprene sleeve, thanks to its triple -insulated technology, and they come in more than 20 colours and finishes.
The Flavor Equation: The Science of Great Cooking Explained by Nik Sharma ($50)
Encapsulating the phrase “food for thought” in his latest book, The Flavor Equation, scientist, food blogger and author Nik Sharma uses a scientific approach to examine how aroma, texture, sight, sound, taste and emotions can influence our perceptions of flavour.
With more than 100 easy-to-follow international recipes, the book’s sumptuous photography, informative charts and diagrams equip both home cooks and seasoned chefs with the knowledge of how to coax the most out of their spices, herbs and basic pastry items, such as salts, oils and vinegars, to make delicious dishes every time.
Coravin (Starts at $135.95)
For oenophiles, having an Enomatic dispenser at home might be a bit of a commitment (in space and funds). However, Coravin’s single-bottle wine preservation system is an ideal solution that lets you enjoy wines over weeks, months, or perhaps years, without removing the cork. Prized for its ability to keep wines from oxidizing, the easy-to-use, trigger-operated wine opener uses a coated needle to gently pierce through the cork, replacing poured wine with argon gas. The process means that bottles can continue to age naturally.
It’s a handy tool that’s a staple of many dining rooms. Whether it’s the Pivot Wine Preservation System that preserves the remaining bottle for up to four weeks, or the luxurious SmartClamps™ System that can preserve wines for years (it also connects with the Coravin Moments App for custom pour speeds and status checks), all devices have an ergonomic handle and angled spout that make wine-pouring easy.
Vitamix Food Processor Attachment ($259.95)
Trusted for its high performance, Vitamix’s commercialgrade blenders are a must-have investment for any kitchen that desires the smoothest purees and most precise textures through controlled speeds. Built to last, the same expectations come with the brand’s recently launched food processor attachment that’s the equivalent of having your own sous chef capable of finechopping, mincing, mixing, kneading, shredding and slicing.
Simply pop the 12-cup food processor attachment on to the motor base of an Ascent or Venturist blender and watch your “mise en place” appear in no time, with the simple touch of a button.
