julia ng's List: Cooking

• While you're shopping, pick up a wooden pestle as well -- those granite ones get really heavy when you're stirring in oil a drop at a time for aioli.
• Instant-read thermometer
• The two things to look for are a capacity of at least 10 pounds and a "tare" feature that helps those of us who are not mathematically inclined to allow for the weight of bowls
• Heavy-duty roasting pan
• Expensive red wine vinegar
• Bargain cast-iron Dutch ovens from the hardware store may not be as pretty, but at a fraction of the price, they'll work almost as well
• Microplane

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• For fruits and vegetables, a lot of times a little bit of cooking and a little bit of processing actually can be helpful.