German kitchen tools for American couple
October 30, 2010 12:26 PM Subscribe
I'm flying back to the US next week to attend a wedding celebration. What kind of cool kitchen things from Germany/Europe can I give the couple that are not so common in the US?
A lot of the things that used to be particular to Germany have made their way to the states in the last 10 years since I have been here.
The bride and groom are both designers in NYC, so keep that in mind. The present should be small enough that I can get it in my luggage and that it gets there in one piece.
Vielen Dank!
A lot of the things that used to be particular to Germany have made their way to the states in the last 10 years since I have been here.
The bride and groom are both designers in NYC, so keep that in mind. The present should be small enough that I can get it in my luggage and that it gets there in one piece.
Vielen Dank!
A really good place for beautifully made German homewares is Manufactum.
Sagaform, which is Danish, make nice stuff. Not expensive, either.
You can buy Alessi in the US but it's not exactly common.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:00 PM on October 30, 2010
Sagaform, which is Danish, make nice stuff. Not expensive, either.
You can buy Alessi in the US but it's not exactly common.
posted by MuffinMan at 1:00 PM on October 30, 2010
I just realized that Poggenpohl doesn't make tools but cabinets. So maybe that's not useful. Sorry.
posted by dfriedman at 1:03 PM on October 30, 2010
posted by dfriedman at 1:03 PM on October 30, 2010
This style of cheese slicer often proves popular if you see one. I would imagine a traditional german nutcracker could be a good one too.
posted by Iteki at 1:15 PM on October 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Iteki at 1:15 PM on October 30, 2010 [1 favorite]
What you need is a PRONTO Design-Milchschäumer in stainless steel from Zack. (Amazon.de link).
I have a history of various generations of Best-In-Test milk foamers ("Café Crema by Nordica) that worked fine but conked out after a year or so because of a worn-out motor that started to creak and fizz. Nordica replaced two of them without much trouble but I lost my patience anyway.
Finally I found the more expensive Zack foamer in some store, thought what the heck, and bought it. By the sound (gentle whine) of it, they're using one of these high-end coreless motors, that just keep running. Our foamer has been in almost constant use for at least two years now without even sounding louder or anything. So there's a durable present, maybe worth stocking up with other stuff from their collection.
posted by Namlit at 1:37 PM on October 30, 2010
I have a history of various generations of Best-In-Test milk foamers ("Café Crema by Nordica) that worked fine but conked out after a year or so because of a worn-out motor that started to creak and fizz. Nordica replaced two of them without much trouble but I lost my patience anyway.
Finally I found the more expensive Zack foamer in some store, thought what the heck, and bought it. By the sound (gentle whine) of it, they're using one of these high-end coreless motors, that just keep running. Our foamer has been in almost constant use for at least two years now without even sounding louder or anything. So there's a durable present, maybe worth stocking up with other stuff from their collection.
posted by Namlit at 1:37 PM on October 30, 2010
If they are coffee people, maybe a really nice moka pot with stainless steel rather than aluminum internal bits? I used to have French roommates who were pissed when their brought-from-Europe moka pot died and they couldn't find a decent replacement without spending an arm and a leg.
Alessi stuff is very expensive here. Ditto a lot of Scandinavian design. But those aren't German at all.
Isn't German crystal supposed to be some of the best?
For inspiration you might check out the MoMA Design website and see where you can improve on what they offer (or find something similar for a much better price). Virtually all NYC design types love basically everything in that store.
posted by Sara C. at 1:56 PM on October 30, 2010
Alessi stuff is very expensive here. Ditto a lot of Scandinavian design. But those aren't German at all.
Isn't German crystal supposed to be some of the best?
For inspiration you might check out the MoMA Design website and see where you can improve on what they offer (or find something similar for a much better price). Virtually all NYC design types love basically everything in that store.
posted by Sara C. at 1:56 PM on October 30, 2010
A spaetzle press. My ex husband and I lugged back 2 from Germany while on our honeymoon. They are very hard to find here in the US.
Spaetzle is a great side dish that can be made anytime, because the ingredients are mostly staple pantry items. If you have gruyere cheese, even better!
Don't have a pic handy, but basically looks like a giant steel or cast iron garlic press.
Also we brought home a few Hofbrauhaus HB ceramic beer mugs. The big ones. Everyone loved them.
posted by sundrop at 2:13 PM on October 30, 2010
Spaetzle is a great side dish that can be made anytime, because the ingredients are mostly staple pantry items. If you have gruyere cheese, even better!
Don't have a pic handy, but basically looks like a giant steel or cast iron garlic press.
Also we brought home a few Hofbrauhaus HB ceramic beer mugs. The big ones. Everyone loved them.
posted by sundrop at 2:13 PM on October 30, 2010
I'd say Henckels 4 star knives. You'd have to check them through, but the real made-in-Germany stuff is amazing.
posted by Ideefixe at 3:00 PM on October 30, 2010
posted by Ideefixe at 3:00 PM on October 30, 2010
Response by poster: Wow, these are great ideas. Keep 'em coming.
posted by chillmost at 3:39 PM on October 30, 2010
posted by chillmost at 3:39 PM on October 30, 2010
The Muffin Man said it: manufactum. Not your overdesigned stuff that will be so last year next year. This is the stuff that lasts and lasts. Order the paper catalog and you're hooked, that's a promise.
posted by ouke at 4:01 PM on October 30, 2010
posted by ouke at 4:01 PM on October 30, 2010
Anyone who brought me a stainless steel Moka pot would be kissed to death. Regardless of age, sex, or species.
posted by unSane at 5:14 PM on October 30, 2010
posted by unSane at 5:14 PM on October 30, 2010
Boerner slicer/dicer etc. Nothing compares to this awesome kitchen tool. I sometimes drive my wife crazy looking for things to cut up with it.
posted by walleeguy at 5:28 PM on October 30, 2010
posted by walleeguy at 5:28 PM on October 30, 2010
Yes, stainless steel Moka pots ARE great. Look closely, though, the innards need to be steel as well (I once bought one with aluminum strainer-thingies). Buy some replacement seals too.
The cheese plane mentioned by Iteki is, as far as I know, of Swedish design. I use it all the time, but we have some US-introduction-frustration-experience with that; people needed guidance in using it properly...seems like it works best for middle-aged Gouda but not so fantastically well for sticky Cheddar. Here are some alternatives for sticky and soft cheeses.
posted by Namlit at 5:47 PM on October 30, 2010
The cheese plane mentioned by Iteki is, as far as I know, of Swedish design. I use it all the time, but we have some US-introduction-frustration-experience with that; people needed guidance in using it properly...seems like it works best for middle-aged Gouda but not so fantastically well for sticky Cheddar. Here are some alternatives for sticky and soft cheeses.
posted by Namlit at 5:47 PM on October 30, 2010
The cheese plane mentioned by Iteki is, as far as I know, of Swedish design.
My girlfriend would split up with me if I didn't inform you that it was patented by Thor Bjørklund of Lillehammer, Norway in 1925.
That pedantry aside, they're fantastic.
posted by knapah at 6:34 PM on October 30, 2010
My girlfriend would split up with me if I didn't inform you that it was patented by Thor Bjørklund of Lillehammer, Norway in 1925.
That pedantry aside, they're fantastic.
posted by knapah at 6:34 PM on October 30, 2010
These are all great suggestions. My suggestion is on the small side but apropo, I think. My swedish grandmother used to give us oranges with a little steel "spout." You would take your orange and squeeze and play with it like a squeeze ball for a while and then push the spout into and presto! Instant orange juice without a cup.
I finally got a new one after many years while traveling in Europe and use it nearly everyday at breakfast. It's a simple, cheap thing, but unique and not found often in the states.
posted by damiano99 at 7:22 AM on October 31, 2010
I finally got a new one after many years while traveling in Europe and use it nearly everyday at breakfast. It's a simple, cheap thing, but unique and not found often in the states.
posted by damiano99 at 7:22 AM on October 31, 2010
« Older For the umpteenth time, how to get over heartache. | Joomla Blog plugin, or something else? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
Can't go wrong there.
Or Porsche Design?
posted by dfriedman at 12:54 PM on October 30, 2010