Product Recommendation Station
My fleet of minis.
Hi there,
How the heck are ya? I’m back in my kitchen after a restorative weekend spent with friends a few hours north of the city in New Hampshire. We lounged, we boated, and of course, we cooked. I’m rested and rearing and ready to dive back into some exciting work happening around Fresh Erica HQ. (Reminder! Preorder our ebook, Meal Prep Made Simple before its release date for some discounts and other goodies—read more about that what’s inside here.)
Speaking of diving in, let’s get into the meat (no pun etc. etc.) of today’s Fresh Letter. If you’re new around these parts, on the last Monday of the month, I share an unsolicited product recommendation, straight from my kitchen countertop and into your inbox, baby!
This month, instead of a single item, I want to tell you about an entire category of kitchen products. Mini ones!
Yes, I have a fleet of mini kitchen tools, and I think you should too. Don’t get me wrong, for each of these mini items, I have a full-sized counterpart, but I think there’s a time and a place for a miniaturized version of each of these tools. And you know I’m incredibly discerning when it comes to the very precious little space I have in my New York City apartment kitchen. These tools are useful and they’re—by nature—so small! So much bang for your space saving buck. Okay…
Let’s break them down one by one:
My mini tongs. I’m obsessed with these. I use them for quick little flipping jobs in the kitchen (think a single strip of bacon), but they’re most often found used as a serving utensil on my casual weekday dinner table, especially for a side salad. I grabbed mine at my local Japanese market, but you can find them online so many places as well. A final, very meaningful sell on my mini tongs: because I’ve found myself reaching for these so often and because they’re so small, I’m actually considering adding a second pair to my fleet!
My mini rubber spatula—speaking of seconds, this one should be pluralized, because I have two mini spatulas in my fleet (linked similar). They’re perfect for pesky little scooping and scraping jobs. Want the last of your yogurt in your bowl instead of smeared in the crevice of the yogurt container? Same question for jam, mustard, or really any other condiment. Great, you won’t find a tool better for that job than a mini spatula.
My mini whisk was a birthday gift from my very thoughtful kitchen collaborator, Abigail. I’ve only had it for a couple weeks, but I’ve already used it to whip a small amount of cream (strawberry shortcakes for two!), make a quick little vinaigrette, and whisk together a marinade for chicken wings. I’m thrilled to have welcomed this minuscule tool aboard my fleet.
My mini cutting board is the newest member of my mini gadget collection, but it’s quickly risen in the ranks and is now my very favorite in the fleet (shhh, don’t tell the others). I love my large cutting boards, but this summer, I’ve been enjoying quite a bit of cut fruit and pulling the big boy out for a single peach feels a bit much. So I set out to find a cutting board that was tiny, light, and above all else, had a grippy bottom. You know I’m a stickler for a stabilized cutting board, but I didn’t want to have to deal with a separate step for a small, quick cutting task. I found the perfect fit in my local kitchen store, Whisk, but you can get the same one here. You can even go smaller here. I use this mini board at least once a day and am delighted every single time I do.
Okay, we’ve covered it! I know this is a non-exhaustive list when it comes to kitchen miniatures, so if you have a shrunken version of your favorite cooking tool, I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to shoot me a note here or respond to this email with a comment for everyone to see.
Okay, as always, wishing you a lovely, well-fed week ahead.
With love and a tip of my chef’s hat,
Erica
Want more? I’m so flattered! You can also follow me on Instagram, pop over to my YouTube channel, or check out my blog where you can find my tips-laden e-book collection.
This post may include affiliate links. Your shopping experience will not be affected, but Erica might earn a small commission on the goods purchased through those links. Thanks for supporting Erica's work!