Kristia Dechter, Editor in Chief of Foam Magazine

the 10

kitchen items I turn to all the time

When not running Foam, a beach-centric fashion magazine based in Los Angeles, KRISTINA DECHTER can usually be found planting tomatoes, baking bread, or whipping up some fennel soup at her Silverlake bungalow. Dechter, who has held every conceivable job in fashion—from stylist to market editor—might argue that she wishes she'd gone to culinary school instead.

Here, the 15 kitchen items Kristina Dechter finds essential.

1

Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving

I think canning is so cool and something more people should do. This book is a primer on how-to. Once you have canning mastered, you'll be able to have lots of gifts on the ready.
2

Bear Claws

I picked a pair of these up at Elise's wedding in Montana and now I'm hooked. I have a beautifully worn walnut salad bowl and I love to use these to serve big gem lettuces.
3

Bodum Bistro Electric Kettle

If you don't already use an electric kettle, I almost envy that a-ha feeling you'll have when you boil water in one for the first time. Super fast and weirdly satisfying. I'll never use a regular kettle again.
4

OXO Good Grips Container Set

I remember going to a friend's house in the suburbs when I was a kid, and her mom kept all the pasta and cereal in big plastic containers in the pantry. I thought it was literally the coolest thing in the world, and I still do. These are airtight and I like to keep everything from pretzels to flour to sugar in them—and of course, cereals and pastas.
5

Le Creuset Dutch Oven

This is the most used item in my kitchen to the point that I even bring it camping to cook on an open fire. My favorite use for it though, is baking Jim Lahey's no knead bread. You must try this—not only is it the most delicious and rewarding bread you'll ever eat, but the recipe is surprisingly simple.
6

OXO Herb Scissors

These are kind of unnecessary, but these scissors are just so tiny and cute (and sharp!!!) and make garnishing fun. I also use them to snip herbs from my garden.
7

Tivoli Radio

I don't feel at home without my Tivoli radio—it's permanently set to a low hum on NPR and it's always on when I'm in the kitchen.
8

Baker Creek Seeds

Baker Creek is home to the best seeds in the world. I urge all gardeners—whether you have window boxes or raised bed plots—to use seeds from here.
9

Silk Pure Almond Milk

I'm an almond milk convert. Have you tried it over granola with blueberries? Just wanted to share.
10

Bell Butter Dish

I love keeping some butter out in a dish to keep it soft. My boyfriend thinks I'm crazy to do this, but my mother also does it, and I like being able to spread it so easily on fresh toast. P.S.: I also like keeping grape tomatoes out on the counter to nibble on.
11

Nylon Pan Scraper

It may look like a useless piece of plastic but I live by this scraper: The ergonomic handle and rounded edges allows you to scrape tough-to-clean dishes. I'm such a dork about how much I love this, I could be a spokesperson for it.
12

iSi North America Silicone Scraper

This spatula is crucial for scooping bread dough out from the bowl onto a smooth surface. I love iSi's line of silicone products—plus this is the shape of a surfboard fin!
13

Cuisinart SmartStick Hand Blender

I'm obsessed with this multi-purpose gadget. Use the Cuisinart to dice your veggies during prep, and then the immersion blender to smooth the soup as the final step. It's totally genius, and it's the perfect size when I'm cooking for one or two.
14

Aroma Digital Rice Cooker

I use rice as the base of a lot of my meals, so I like having a foolproof cooker. You can make a pot, and save the rest for the next day's lunch.
15

Crate & Barrel 10-Piece Glass Bowl Set

Nesting bowls always make me feel like a pro in the kitchen. I prefer glass to plastic whenever possible.

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