Christina's Cucina

An impassioned Italian Scot sharing how to cook authentically, and travel with enthusiasm.

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Home » Non Sequitur » My Rants & Recommendations » A Few of Christina’s Favorite Things- (Items I Reach for Numerous Times a Day)

A Few of Christina’s Favorite Things- (Items I Reach for Numerous Times a Day)

November 9th, 2015 | 20 Comments

A few of Christina’s Favorite Things are probably some things you would love to have in your kitchen, too!

Christina's actual CucinaAs you know, most of my day is spent here in my kitchen (cucina).

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I love to cook and bake, but when I don’t have the right tools or am using something that doesn’t do the job quite as well as I’d like, I get frustrated. Conversely, when I have something that works like a charm, it makes me want to jump for joy!

When I first started this site, I shared a few of my favorite things, and readers seemed to really like it. I haven’t posted one since, so I decided it was probably a good time as most of these are great suggestions for gifts for the avid cook on your gift list. Here are some of the items which I constantly use in my kitchen.

A few of Christina’s Favorite Things

Butter Bell Butter Crock

Butter Bell Crock in Christina's Cucina christina's favorite things

For those butter lovers out there: you’ll never believe you made it without one all this time. In the UK, people leave their butter out, but we can’t safely do this in warmer climates. This is why I love my Butter Bell: there’s no more fighting with hard butter, and I fill it with my favorite, Kerrygold Butter! This is an old way of storing butter as it’s sealed by water in the crock. I have a white one, but I’m tempted to get a spare in case mine breaks and I love these colors!

Electric Fly Zapper

Fly zapper that works great! christina's favorite things

I despise window screens. When we added onto our kitchen, I wouldn’t let my husband install the screens onto our new windows, which is great for the view, but not so great for keeping the flies out. Granted, I couldn’t do this in many other places, but we truly don’t have that many bugs and flies here in LA (the smog probably kills them all, haha)! However, when I do have flies come in, I cannot stand them buzzing around, so I reach for this bug zapper!

There’s no yucky smushing them with a fly swatter; it simply zaps them dead, then I toss them in the trash.

Mini Spatulas

Mini Spatulas are great to have on hand in the kitchen christina's favorite things

I cannot tell you how many times a day I reach for one of these mini spatulas. They’re perfect for so many jobs, like getting to the bottom of the yogurt container, cleaning out pots, stirring scrambled eggs, finishing off the jam jar–the list goes on and on. I found these at Williams-Sonoma, but they’re also available on Amazon.com if you don’t have a WS near you. I love them so much, I brought about 6 pairs to Europe with me last year to give to my aunts and cousins since everyone in my family loves to cook!

Tea Cosy

Denisas pink tea cosy christina's favorite thingsI don’t know if I ever talked about my terrible sewing skills before, but let’s just say my mother is a seamstress and the skills skipped a generation. This summer, my daughter, Denisa, decided that she wanted to make tea cosies and open an Etsy shop online, so she looked up how to make them and did it! I couldn’t believe it as I can barely sew on a button.

We make tea at least twice a day, so my tea cosy definitely gets a workout. Using a tea cosy really makes a better cup of tea as it keeps the pot so much warmer. Check out Denisa’s Etsy shop for different patterned cosies. They’re great to give as gifts!

Tea cosy, tea cosies, cozy christina's favorite things

Bar Keeper’s Friend

Bar-Keepers-Friend christina's favorite things

I’ve been using this product for as long as I can remember. For light cleaning I use baking soda, but for things like my cooktop and pots and pans that are really in need of a good scrub, this is what I use. I remembered to take a few photos last time I cleaned my cooktop because a friend was over when I was cleaning it once, and she couldn’t believe the results. Just make sure to rub in the direction of the grain of the steel.

Here are my un-retouched before and after pictures, which will allow you to understand why I love Barkeepers Friend so much. (I have to ignore the fact that they forgot the apostrophe in their logo and label!)

Cooktop-before-cleaning.jpgBefore and After Results using Bar Keepers FriendSo there you have six of my favorite things! What can you not do without in your kitchen? Maybe I’ll want what you love, too! Leave me a comment below and let me know–thank you! I hope you enjoyed my list of  a few of Christina’s Favorite Things!

 

 

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My Rants & Recommendations, Non Sequitur, Uncategorized · Bar Keeper's Friend, Butter Bell, Butterbell, Electric Fly Zapper, Favorite Things, Mini Spatulas, Spatulas, Swiss Diamond, Tea Cosies, Tea Cosy, Tea Cozy, Things I Love

Reader Interactions

20 Responses

  1. allie @ Through Her Looking Glass says:
    November 20, 2015 at 4:37 am

    I have these mini-spatulas from Williams Sonoma. Love them and use them all day long. All these boys and a bug zapper as opposed to fly swatter would be pretty exciting around here. (!) Love your gorgeous kitchen and fun to imagine you cooking and baking there. Have a beautiful day!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 20, 2015 at 9:20 am

      OMG, your boys would need one each of those bug zappers! That would be a funny stocking stuffer! Thank you Allie, you are so kind!

      Reply
  2. Jill Colonna says:
    November 10, 2015 at 8:33 am

    I’ve never even heard of a butter bell and love it! And great going for Denisa on her tea cosies – that pink one is so pretty! And yes, spatulas are pretty important in my kitchen, good sturdy flexible ones and a good sturdy balloon whisk. And stainless steel bowls with covers. Great list Christina!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 10, 2015 at 10:13 pm

      Oooh, LOVE my Butter Bell! It was a life changer we I got it! I want to keep every one of Denisa’s cosies! Yes, whisks are good too and I have glass bowls with lids, but stainless bowls without lids ;) We’ll have to check out each other’s kitchens one day! :)

      Reply
  3. David says:
    November 10, 2015 at 5:55 am

    Well, I agree about never having enough little rubber spatulas. I t one every time I go to Williams-Sonoma! (And luckily, it is a 5 minute walk from my house!) I think Mark is getting the fly zapper for Christmas. I don’t think there is a critter on earth that makes him crazier! Now, I never have had a butter bell… Maybe it is time to try one, as we like leaving the butter out as well…

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 10, 2015 at 10:15 pm

      Seriously? Williams Sonoma is a 5 minute WALK from your house? Okay, that’s trouble! haha! I think I’d be taking a “walk” everyday! Oh, I cannot stand the buzzing of the flies, especially the ones that don’t ever land! Those are the absolute worst! I feel so vindictive when I zap them! haha!

      Reply
  4. Cathy says:
    November 9, 2015 at 9:51 pm

    Everybody needs a butter bell.
    Great list! I can’t live without my mini spatulas.

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 9, 2015 at 10:35 pm

      I think so! Thanks, Cathy! ;)

      Reply
  5. Dottie Sauchelli-Balin says:
    November 9, 2015 at 9:03 pm

    Dear Christina,
    Sorry i have not been on your site lately..have read your posts but have been so busy to write..Your kitchen is so perfect…so much room and lots of space to do baking and chopping… I love your go to things..they are all things that I would at some point reach for, I am sure. I being a tea lover, enjoyed seeing the tea cosies. I have made my own by sewing them and I also have crocheted them. I love to give them as gifts with a box of tea or a pretty silver spoon, etc. Great post..thanks for sharing…
    Dottie :)

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 9, 2015 at 10:40 pm

      You are too sweet, Dottie! I’m the same way–not enough time to visit other blogs (as you know) :( That’s such a heartfelt gift to give a homemade cosy with tea or a spoon! Lovely! Thank you for stopping by!

      Reply
  6. Cynthia | What A Girl Eats says:
    November 9, 2015 at 8:44 pm

    Densia’s cosies turned out so cute! I think I need a butter bell!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 9, 2015 at 10:38 pm

      As Cathy said, EVERYONE needs a Butter Bell! :) Thanks, Cynthia!

      Reply
  7. cristina says:
    November 9, 2015 at 3:10 pm

    I absolutely love your kitchen, Christina…so beautiful! I could sleep in there – just lovely!! :)

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 9, 2015 at 3:24 pm

      Oh thank you, Cristina! My husband built all the cabinets from scratch and we designed it together. It is a joy to cook in! :)

      Reply
  8. Brianna H. says:
    November 9, 2015 at 1:42 pm

    Thanks for the suggestions, love the tea cosies!!

    Reply
    • Christina says:
      November 9, 2015 at 2:28 pm

      Oh my daughter will be so happy to hear that! Thank you, Brianna! :)

      Reply
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Meet Christina

A Scottish Italian cook living in Los Angeles, Christina is usually cooking, baking or (cr)eating something scrumptious. When she isn't in the kitchen, she loves to travel, near and far, as long as good food is involved. Christina is on a mission to save authentic Italian dishes from extinction, and is constantly promoting Scottish (and British) food as some of the best cuisine the world has to offer—one steak pie and sticky toffee pudding at a time.



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