Tool time

Kitchen gadgets for the gourmet

by Krystian von Speidel

Shopping for kitchen tools has never been easier. Stores have outdone each other in featuring a bevy of seemingly useless gadgets that would have Julia Child shaking her head and asking, "Why?" Gone are the days of deciding what color apron to buy -- today, the power gourmet contends with designer colanders and chichi nutcrackers. To the uninitiated, some of the items listed below may seem useless, but trust us, they're not.

Reward those who steadfastly refuse to climb on board the latest diet craze (high protein, low carbohydrate) with a Trattorina pasta maker ($100 at Fresh Eggs, 58 Clarendon Street, 617-247-8150). The sleek chrome Trattorina resembles an antique typewriter. Its advantage is that there's no fumbling with attachments while trying to keep dough from getting all over the place: you can move from making fettuccine to cappellini merely by feeding the dough through a different cutter. But surely the best part about the Trattorina is its sturdy crank handle -- the workout alone is worth it (and will burn off some of those carbs).

Straining that pasta will be a snap if you use the mother of all over-the-top kitchen aides -- the Philippe Starck colander ($275 at Fresh Eggs and Chiasso, Shops at the Prudential Center, 617-859-1808). This work of art combines stainless steel and brass in a unique "bunny" design. In fact, Starck's design works as stand-alone kitchen art (though it does actually strain water from pasta, too). For those with less money to burn, a standard set of three stainless steel mesh colanders is a more viable option ($36 at Williams-Sonoma, Copley Place, 617-262-3080).

Options abound as to what to serve pasta on. The Elsa Peretti sterling silver pasta server ($195 at Tiffany & Co., Copley Place, 617-353-0222) incorporates the sleek look for which Peretti is known. Counter that indulgence with a Kozial kitchen utensil ($8 to $12 at Chiasso). The Dutch-designed pieces are molded out of colorful polypropylene plastic. Finally, top off the pasta with freshly grated cheese. The Mouli grinder ($30 at Fresh Eggs) is hand-held, allowing grinding with a simple twist of the wrist.

Then there are those doodads that serve no apparent purpose, but once owned, domestic chefs will wonder how they ever got by without them. A good pair of kitchen shears is key to any cook's kitchen. Things always need cutting (chicken bones) and opening (anything wrapped, tied, or bundled). Wusthof has been forging high-quality cutting implements for centuries. Their kitchen shears ($41.50 at Stoddard's; locations include 50 Temple Place, 617-426-4187, the Mall at Chestnut Hill, 617-244-4187, and Copley Place, 617-536-8688) are the last word in quality and durability.

A potato ricer ($28 stainless steel at Fresh Eggs, $12 plastic at Williams-Sonoma) is another one of those how-did-I-ever-get-by-without-it items. Just toss boiled potatoes into the ricer and squeeze. Out comes what appears to be rice, but are in fact grains of potatoes sans peels, just waiting for cream and butter. Voilà! "Instant" mashed potatoes. Williams-Sonoma's version even has a convenient extra-long handle that allows the ricer to rest on a pot's rim.

Citrus juicers may have joined the ranks of the mundane, but they remain one of the most popular items to give during the holidays. Motorized options can be overwhelming (and hard to figure out), while the old-fashioned citrus squeezer loses much of the desired juice. To fill the void is the commercial juicer, a powerful pulp presser that leaves the seeds behind ($99 at Williams-Sonoma; a slightly larger version is available for $180 at Fresh Eggs). You can counter the butch qualities of a commercial juicer with another delicate offering from Philippe Starck. His space-age version ($60 at Chiasso) appears to be a three-legged alien creature but in fact features an ingenious design that calls for a glass to be placed directly below it while the fruit is squeezed against the top ridges. The juice runs down the sides and drips into the glass. It might be messier than the commercial offerings, but there's something special about drinking juice born of a work of art.

Coffee connoisseurs need not despair this season -- the tea craze appears to have abated for a while, bringing on a resurgence of java-related kitchen gear. The FrancisFrancis! espresso maker is a masterpiece of craftsmanship -- its designer is an Italian architect -- and it's said to create a flawless cup of espresso every time ($500 in the Williams-Sonoma catalogue, 1-800-541-2233). It utilizes Illy arabica coffee capsules to ensure the ideal amount of robustness is delivered.

For decades Europeans have been using simple coffee presses to start their mornings off right. Coffee lovers will delight in receiving one -- after all, addiction breeds ritual, and the motions of creating a cup of coffee from a press are far more appealing than those required to charge up a commercial coffeemaker. The gift-boxed version from Starbucks ($32.95, locations everywhere) comes with a 32-ounce basic black press, a half-pound of the house blend, and a stainless steel scoop. Coffee itself always makes a good gift. You can't go wrong with a pound of one of the many varieties available from Starbucks (about $10). And if you think caffeine always tastes better with cream, then you need to know the Italians have perfected the art of frothing without the added calories. Fresh Egg's stainless steel milk frother ($30) takes skim or 1 percent milk and gives it a thick consistency with just a few pumps of the palm.

For those with an aversion to coffee, teapots abound, with one of the more original being Crate & Barrel's two-in-one pot and cup. The tiny teapot rests on the cup, allowing ease of serving ($15.95, Copley Place, 617-536-9400 and Faneuil Hall, 617-742-6025). The Mercurio teakettle is a sight to behold -- its '40s streamlined kitsch design hearkens back to the postwar days of Joan Crawford's shoulder pads ($185 at Chiasso). Simplex copper teakettles with their chipper whistles are English-made and guaranteed to last a lifetime ($125 at Fresh Eggs). If serving cake with afternoon tea, try using the no-nonsense, nonstick Fackellman slicer/server ($5.95 at Crate & Barrel). The edge is sharp enough to cut through baked goods, while the blade is wide enough to use as a serving tool.

Presentation is important to any self-respecting chef -- what good is a feast if it's eaten off plastic plates and cut with shoddy knives? Once again Stoddard's comes to the rescue with a collectible meat-carving set. Randall Made's stag antler-handled set is not only lovely to behold -- the company produces only a select few of these sets every year -- but its quality is unsurpassed ($350). Stoddard's collection of Kikuichi Japanese knives comes from a family that for centuries produced samurai swords. The knives employ the use of two different steels: one for strength and another to ensure a deep, fine, edge ($50 to $200). Elsa Peretti's home collection, at Tiffany's, features an array of sterling silver serving utensils. The prices may appear high, but remember that the designs are timeless and the quality is high (fish fork, $260; ladle, $135; fork, $180; salmon knife, $150).

American artisans have been crafting enchanting designs in glass that often go ignored due in part to the snob appeal of European crystal. The Artful Hand Gallery (Copley Place, 617-262-9601) is a showplace of tasteful goblets and glasses for the gourmet looking to make a splash this season ($50 to $90 a glass). Martha Stewart wannabes will squeal with delight upon receiving a gift from this cornucopia of original American crafts, including any number of pieces from the Saenger collection of integrated porcelain. Teapot, cups, and tray all meld into one organic sculpture ($215 service for four; $185 for two), as do vinegar and oil cruets ($65) and a sugar bowl and creamer ($54); the collection is available in either black or white. Should you desire to move out of America and into the exotic, inexpensive gifts are available from Crate & Barrel's Japanese collection ($2.75 to $12.95). Simply tasteful, the collection includes everything from maple-leaf sushi dishes and rosewood chopsticks to knotted bamboo pick sets. For extra authenticity, Zoe Home (554a Tremont Street, 617-556-9966) offers an assortment of traditional Japanese steel teapots ($40 to $128).

Youngsters are quick to forget that for many elderly, the kitchen poses a constant struggle to open jars and handle utensils. So don't forget Grandma this season -- the Oxo Good Grips utensil collection has large rubber handles that are ergonomically shaped; it includes a bread knife, a pizza wheel, an ice-cream scoop, and a bottle opener ($5.95 to $9.95 at Crate & Barrel).

Krystian von Speidel will spend a lot of time in the kitchen this holiday season.