September always feels like a month where everyone is getting organized, back to school and into their normal routines. Thinking about getting organized reminded me that the kitchen is no exception. In addition to having those meticulously labeled tupperware containers and a stocked pantry, there are also certain kitchen accessories that will help to set you up for cooking success in the year ahead. These items are the often overlooked pieces that have made cooking infinitely easier and more enjoyable for me, so today I wanted to share my favorite practical kitchen essentials with you all.
Spoon Rest
A spoon rest is one of those practical kitchen tools that no one ever thinks about needing until they are in the midst of cooking and can't find a place to safely place their cooking utensil. There are so many spoon rest options on the market (like this one and this one- both are fab!), but I have to say that my favorite spoon rest would have to be the basic Stainless Steel Spoon Rest from Williams-Sonoma. It holds a variety of cooking utensils, has a clean/sleek appearance, it's dishwasher safe and cost $10! Love this spoon rest and highly recommend outfitting your kitchen with one to keep your kitchen surfaces protected and looking great.
Cookbook Stand
Whether I am working from a recipe out of one of Ina Garten's cookbooks, a magazine, printout recipe or even my iPad/iphone, I have found my Glass & Stainless Steel Cookbook Holder to be an invaluable kitchen accessory. The tempered glass cover is heavy enough to hold down even a thicker cookbook, it's scratch resistant and comes with a measurement conversion chart (which I find myself referencing often). This cookbook holder has a sleek neutral design that will blend in with almost any kitchen and is very easy to clean. My cookbook stand is another great example of something I wouldn't have necessarily thought I needed, but oh how it has made my time in the kitchen so much easier/more enjoyable.
Salt Cellar
I would have to say that the two most common ingredients I find myself using when cooking are oil and salt. Since my kitchen has a cabinet next to the stove that I use to house my oils, vinegars and other condiments, I haven't had a need for an oil dispenser (but if you are in the market for one, I do love this French Porcelain Oil Cruet). On the other hand, salt storage was initially an issue for me because my spice cabinet is not near my stove. The solution was purchasing a salt crock (aka salt holder, salt cellar or salt pig). Salt crocks are great because they provide you with a way to keep your salt easily accessible when cooking without the unsightly store packaging. I have this salt crock because it matches my pasta bowl set and I absolutely love its rustic design. Here are a few other salt crock options I happen to love as well: Option 1, Option 2 and Option 3.