New Toys

Todd and I went out of town for Christmas this year, so instead of schlepping all our gifts for each other, we had our own little pre-Christmas Christmas this morning. And I got some new toys.

But first I want to mention that I made vegetable soup for dinner last night, and while peeling carrots and potatoes with my 8-inch chef's knife I yelled to Todd, who was playing games in the living room, "I don't suppose you got me a peeler for Christmas this year, because if you did you should give it to me now."

Well, not only did he give me a peeler, which he did not break out last night, but he also gave me a Microplane, which is awesome. We have a Christmas morning tradition of hard meats, cheeses, rolls and clementines for breakfast, kind of a mini smorgasbord. But this year Todd really wanted proscuitto and parmesan reggiano (an Italian smorgasbord?). So when I opened up the Microplane, I was grating everything: the clementine peel (who even knew you could grate such a thin peel), the cheese. It really is the best grater ever. Todd bought it, along with the peeler, a funnel and a madeline pan, at this restaurant supply store on 17th street near Union Square (Broadway Restaurant Supply). He said it was not even expensive.