My Grandmother’s Sharp Solution To Stress
Different people have different ways of relaxing. Some people get all the need from sitting down with a good book. Some people find a class of good wine does the trick. Other though, require more active relaxation. Like some kind of physical activity or sport. Jogging is affirmed favorite especially with many business executives. Another favorite is tennis, or squash, or the ever popular game of golf.
In some cultures relaxing techniques involve the use of gadgets, such as beads. Some years ago many people used a very popular gadget, or was it a game? It was called The Rubik’s Cube. It may seem a little bizarre, but my grandmother had her own gadget. In fact she had two. What took the stress of her life, she said, where her two knife sets.
How could two sets of knives relieve stress? Well, it’s quite simple really. You see, my grandmother, Grandma Ellen, spend most of each day in the kitchen. When I was young, I assumed that was where all grandmothers spent their days.
I have no idea if all the other grandmothers of that era were similarly attached to their kitchen knives. But she was adamant about their calming effect for her. She had another de-stressing solution also. Almost an entire wall of her large kitchen was completely covered with books – cookbooks, to be precise . Not only did they deal with every conceivable kind of cookery, but they also covered trends in cooking that stretched back at least a century.
As a child, of course, I had no idea whether this was normal for all grandmothers or whether mine was unique. One thing was sure, I didn’t realize how lucky I was to have produced for me each day what amounted to haute cuisine food. She emphasized the knives so much and their importance to her stress-free life in the kitchen, that it makes me wonder now if she would have been able to be such a prolific chef without at least one knife set on hand.
It was only when I became sort of obsessed myself with the kitchen and experimenting with new recipes, that I really understood where my grandma was coming from. Having said that, I have never been quite a passionate as she was about knives. So I concede that I have three or four favorite ones myself.
But I have a confession to make. I am not without my own little kitchen obsessions. One in particular. That obsession is my countertop microwave. I honestly don’t believe I would function properly in my kitchen without this device. Of course, I don’t use it for my haute cuisine cooking. For that, I use my fabulous Induction hob. No, my microwave is not really for serious cooking but for de-stressing. In other words I use it to prepare instant food for myself when I’m on my own. Crucially I’ve got into the habit now of making my coffee and tea with it too.
JoAnn Cianciuill Culinary Producer, Cookbook Author Farmers Market—Eye on LA
|
|
Vitamix 1363 CIA Professional Series, Platinum $469.95 This incredible multi-tasking counter top blender is the ultimate in chopping, dicing, pureeing, blending, mixing, whipping, and grinding everything from whole fruits and vegetables, spices, cheese, meats, coffee beans, ice, and even frozen foods. It features a powerful 2+ peak horsepower commercial-grade motor with blade speeds of up to 240 miles per hour and is perfect for your business or home … |
|
|
iSi 9012 The Trick with the Whip- Creations Cookbook $7.95 Product FeaturesFeatures recipes for desserts and savory treatsEasy to followGourmet resultsRecipe ideas will inspire you to create your own ISI is the industry leader in cream whippers. This cookbook offers you a variety of recipes to maximize the potential of your iSi dessert whipper…. |
|
|
HealthMaster LWHM Living Well/Montel 1100-Watt 2-Quart Fruit-and-Vegetable Emulsifier $229.99 HEALTHMASTER LWHM… |
|
|
One Dozen (12) Chef Rubber Ducks $8.95 This set of 12 rubber duckys are just adorable. You’ll receive a combination of the four designs shown for a total of 12 ducks. Each ducky measures approx. 2″ x 2″ x 2-1/2″H. They do not squeak but do have a hole in their beak for squirting water. They do not float upright. These make great little party favors or gifts for your favorite cook. *Please note that sometimes these bulk packaged ducks w… |
|
|
Easy Entertaining $64.95 Easy Entertaining Entertain with pizzazz, and bring more of the blossoming orchard into your kitchen. “Pears” inspired cookbook takes the foodie to fresh levels of culinary creativity, with over 60 internationally inspired recipes. The adorable pear-shaped, swivel-style cutting board with stainless steel tools & bottle stopper will fast become your favored gadget, and transportable too! Bosc, C… |
|
|
A Meal to Die For: A Culinary Novel of Crime $1.37 Benny Lacoco is a “food fence”. A load of frozen shrimp falls off of a truck, or perhaps a few cases of olive oil or some nice expensive wine with an unpronounceable name comes into your possession, Benny is the guy who can move it for you. No questions asked. He’s well connected and a man of respect.But there is another side to Benny. He’s a gourmet cook who once aspired to be a renowned restaura… |
|
|
The Complete Book of Food: A Nutritional, Medial, and Culinary Guide by Carol Ann Rinzler – Paperback – Copyright 1987 $19.99 The Complete Book of Food: A Nutritional, Medial, and Culinary Guide by Carol Ann Rinzler – Paperback – Copyright 1987… |
|
|
The Playful Chef Cookbook – A Culinary Education for Kids $14.99 The Playful Chef Cookbook teaches 3 to 10 year olds how to make delicious and nutritious meals with recipes written in the same style as those included with the Playful Chef cooking sets. The cookbook contains 33 creative and fun recipes, each incorporating tips on planning, shopping, tools, safety, and nutrition. Each recipe has 10 easy steps to follow. Recipe sections include: breakfast dishes, … |
|
|
Chef Rubber Ducky Know someone with a passion for cooking that would be thrilled to have this little rubber duck as a companion in the kitchen? With a whisk in one hand and cup of milk in the other, chef hat and apron, this duck is ready to whip up something special…. |
|
|
The Flavor Bible: The Essential Guide to Culinary Creativity, Based on the Wisdom of America’s Most Imaginative Chefs $18.57 A detailed reference on how to season ingredients to draw out the best possible flavors contains thousands of entries on how to combine flavors and make informed choices about herbs, spices, and other seasonings.Title: The Flavor BibleAuthor: Page, Karen/ Dornenburg, Andrew/ Salzman, Barry (PHT)Publisher: Little Brown & CoPublication Date: 2008/09/16Number of Pages: 380Binding Type: HARDCOVERLibra… |