Kurt R.A. Giambastiani

And for the Foodies…a couple of gear recommendations.

First, a great stocking stuffer idea.

I’ve made a bit of a study of corkscrews. I’ve tried a ton of them, of nearly every type. There’s the old-school helix-with-a-handle jobs; turn the handle and pull with all your might. There are the standard wing version (or, as I always thought, the little man who raises his arms when you twist his head). For a decade or so, the two-prong slip-n-grip models ruled the world; they were good, too, but they’re not as popular now. Most recently, it’s the “rabbit” type that’s in vogue; a gripper and a handle that plunges the screw down into the cork in one clean shoop, and pulls it out on the pull-back.

All of them are limited, either in ease-of-use, performance, or longevity. And you know me: I hate buying something that doesn’t last.

For my money—and it seems also, for the money of most restaurant staff I’ve talked to about this—the best corkscrew is the Double-Hinged Lever style. It is simple, inexpensive (you can get one for less than $5), long-lasting (even those with plastic handles), and easy-to-use. The double-hinge is critical to this style’s utility, as it gives you two-stage fulcrum that can get out even the most stubborn cork. It also has a retractable, serrated foil-cutter blade and a lip for popping the caps off bottles. An overall excellent tool.

My second recommendation is for more substantial gear: Cookware.

Over the years, I’ve also tried a lot of cookware sets. In the beginning, it was cheap stuff, always non-stick cookware, but as I learned more about cooking (and had more disposable income) I tried better sets. T-Fal, Calphalon, Silverstone all came and went. Then I started in on the non-coated sets. I tried KitchenAid and Wolfgang Puck. I tried antique tin-clad copper from France.

Then I tried Emeril Stainless. Full disclosure: I do not like Emeril Lagasse. Therefore, it is with some mixed emotion that I have to say that this cookware is by far—by far—the best cookware I’ve ever used.

The double-riveted handles are solid, don’t get loose, and fit well in the hand; they’re also all metal, so they can go into a super-hot oven. The bottom is heavy, with layers of 18/10 stainless steel, aluminum disk, copper disk, and stainless steel again that provides super-even heating (and I have an electric range). The tempered glass tops allow you to watch progress, and the deep lips are perforated on either side for straining pasta, etc. Cleanup is easy, too, which surprises most people who’ve only used non-stick cookware. After cooking, put warm water into the still-hot pan and let it sit while you finish your meal. When you come back, give it a quick scrub with a nylon scrunge, and it’s clean.

The Emeril Stainless also has several open-stock items, so you can add elements to a set, or just pick up a small saucier to give the product a try before you shell out the money for a whole set.

One important caveat on this: there are two products that are both at times called “Emeril’s Stainless.” One is made by Pro-Clad; it’s more expensive and, ironically, it is not as good by a long shot. The set with the copper disk on the bottom is the one you want.

k