How an $18 Kitchen Item Changed Nancy Silverton’s Life
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Nancy Silverton is a culinary legend. She has had a significant impact, from her beginnings as the opening pastry chef at Wolfgang Puck‘s Spago, to establishing the beloved La Brea Bakery known for its artisan bread, to her renowned restaurants Campanile, Pizzeria Mozza, Osteria Mozza, and chi SPACCA. Silverton is also the author of nine essential cookbooks, solidifying her status as a culinary icon!
In a recent interview with E!, the pioneering chef shared insights on kitchen gadgets worth investing in, tips for giving great kitchen gifts, and her preferred way to enjoy mozzarella—her favorite being “bufala mozzarella with Spanish anchovies.”
Silverton even revealed how a simple $18 kitchen item transformed her life.
Known for her transformative advice, Silverton’s 2023 cookbook, The Cookie That Changed My Life, showcases her expertise. She now identifies two kitchen items as “life-changing.” The first being the microplane.
“What I love about it is the fact that it doesn’t require electricity. I’m not a fan of kitchen gadgets that need to be plugged in, so the microplane fits perfectly into my preferences,” she explains.
“I appreciate the variety of hole configurations available now. There are small, medium, and large sizes, each serving their own purpose. There are also ribbons and slashes. I probably own six of each type of microplane and am constantly on the lookout for improved handles and weights, but they all work wonderfully. I use them for everything from zesting to grating cheese to garlic. I love every aspect of it!” she exclaims.
The chef also reminisced about her enduring affection for the mortar and pestle, dating back to her days at Le Cordon Bleu in London.
“I prefer a porcelain mortar and pestle. I enjoy using them for making various pounded sauces, such as pestos and nut-based sauces, as well as green sauces. I sometimes utilize the heavy bowl of the mortar with a whisk to prepare emulsified dressings or mayonnaise-based dressings,” she details.
Additionally, Silverton praised HexClad mixing bowls with rubber bases as an excellent option due to their stability. She also commended the brand’s pizza steel and cooking pans.
“I was never a fan of Teflon; I only used them for cooking scrambled eggs,” she confesses. “HexClad combines Teflon with stainless steel, which significantly aids in heat conduction. Their products are well-made, have a lifetime guarantee, and that level of quality is invaluable for pans.”
Despite her reluctance towards electric kitchen gadgets, Silverton humorously mentions the electric can opener as overrated. On the other hand, she admits that the KitchenAid mixer is worth the plug-in, making it a fantastic housewarming or wedding gift.
Regarding gift-giving, Silverton advises, “I find things I love and share them generously.” She recommends wooden spoons as a thoughtful gift, particularly flat, heavy-duty ones, and praises a brand of peelers she recently discovered. She also expresses her fondness for rolling pins with the right amount of weight.