Acid in coffee sure sounds like a bad thing. Actually, its not all bad, because acid is what gives some kinds of coffee their distinctive taste and mouthfeel. But there are certainly times when it would be nice to be able to have a cup without so much of it, like when drinking iced coffee, which can intensify the bitter notes from the acid. And there are millions of heartburn sufferers who have to forgo that 2nd or 3rd cup because it causes them too much agita.

Enter the latest craze in coffee that's actually been around for a century or more (depending on who you believe): Cold brewed coffee. Sounds like alchemy, but in truth it's quite simple. While espresso relies on pressure, and drip relies on heat, this method relies on time. And time, without heat, does a great job of pulling the flavors, but not the acid, out of the bean.

Hipster coffee houses around the world (including our very own local espressoNEAT) have started serving cold brew coffee over the last few years, but you needn't drive into Darien to enjoy the benefits. The equipment is cheap. The technique is simple. And the versatility and taste of the final product makes the wait worthwhile.

There are lots of inexpensive cold brew devices for sale now like the Toddy, but my current favorite is this Hourglass system. It's quite simple to use, comes with thorough but largely unnecessary instructions, and is BPA free. You start with a coarse grind (like what you'd use for french press), put it in the metal filter, pour in the cold water, and wait. After 12 hours you simply flip it over, wait for it to drain into the bottom of the hourglass, and pour it into the storage bottle. Stored in the fridge, it supposedly will keep for a week or more, although we've never tested this, as we always seem to finish ours within 48 hours :)

It can be diluted with milk, poured straight over ice, mixed with hot water, whatever you prefer. And it generally doesn't need sugar, as with 70% less acid, it's naturally sweeter than drip coffee. The best way I can describe it is that cold brewed iced coffee with milk tastes like melted coffee ice cream. And that's a good thing indeed.

This blender won the title of "Best Buy" from Cook's Illustrated equipment review. Priced to move, we're buying one of these babies ourselves. It crushes ice and purees like the pricier models. Give it a try. 

I know what you're thinking. I don't need another single tasking kitchen gadget. They look ridiculous, and there's no way they actually work. Well, think again. These silly looking insulated glasses are the reason I've started making French onion soup again. 10 onions...no tears. I have seen them used by cooking instructors and home cooks alike, and they all swear by them. Don't be proud. Buy the glasses and save your eyes a lot of hardship. 

When I first started teaching myself to cook, I focused on books and TV shows that would help me learn the basic techniques. Of course they all included tutorials on the proper way to dice an onion. At first I was puzzled as to why dicing an onion was considered such a core skill. What I quickly discovered, which I'm sure you already know, is that onions form the backbone or "flavor base" for an unbelievable variety of cuisines.

Onions combined with carrots and celery become mirepoix, the foundation for traditional French recipes. Spanish cooking mixes onions with garlic and tomatoes to make sofrito, which plays much the same role. In Italy, the similar sofritto can be made using same 3 aromatics as the mirepoix, or with other substitutions. Portugese and Cajun cooking use the "trinity", which simply replaces the carrots with green peppers.

So no matter what style of cooking you're into, it's very likely that chopping onions is something you'll be doing a lot of. So why not make it easy? I'm glad I know how to dice them "properly", but that doesn't mean I don't appreciate a short cut.

The chop wizard does the trick neatly. And not only does it do it faster, it dices more consistently than I can and drops the onions into a container that makes it easy to measure and pour them into your dish.

Of course you can also use it to dice the other parts of mirepoix, the celery and carrots. And when you're done, all three parts are pre-mixed right in the container. At $19, this is one of those rare items that is useful, cheap and actually fun to use.

I know what you're thinking. 48 blades? Each as sharp as a scalpel? Is this really necessary?

Yes, it is, if you really want to put a serious hurt on tough but flavorful cuts of meat. We all know that the tougher cuts of meat tend to taste better than super tender options. But usually, time, through braising, is the only tool we have to coax a better texture out of those tougher cuts.

Alton Brown (on Good Eats), turned me on to this 48 blade wonder during his "cubing a round" episode where he deconstructed the classic Chicken/Country Fried Steak. I really enjoyed following his recipe, and my kids really enjoyed the result. But this tenderizer, it turns out, is really useful for a whole lot more than that.

2 minutes worth of abuse from this tool will speed up the marinade on a flank steak enough to make fajitas a weeknight option. Don't have time to brine your pork or chicken? 48 blades and a quick soak in a marinade will keep things moist. Pot roast? Brisket? They've met their match as well.

Think of this as a $22 investment that enables you to buy less expensive cuts of meat and have them turn out tender as tenderloin.

I know, I know, its expensive. But just think of how much money you'll save not shelling out big bucks at the local Starbucks. And when you have a dinner party, how do you want them to remember the end of their meal?

Capped off with a hot, robust, companion for the dessert you spent all afternoon making? Or with a watery, bitter, burnt nightcap that they complain about while driving home?

I thought so.

So why is this coffee maker worth it? 2 simple reasons: temperature and time.

To properly brew a great cup of coffee, you need to get the water up to a high, consistent temp (just under boiling). And then you need the water to flow over the grounds at a very specific rate, to ensure a full flavor extraction without bitterness.

This unique machine does both superbly, and leaves all the other machines you've seen in Bed, Bath and Beyond in the dust. If you don't take my word for it, check out this video on cooksillustrated.com

I've had mine for a 6 months now, and couldn't be happier. If Amazon is backordered, you can order from a couple of other sources.

No fooling, this is the lexus of knife sharpeners, but it's a great investment. If you've ever wondered how the pros on the cooking shows can slice things so easily, neatly and cleanly, this is how. They keep their knives ridiculously sharp so they can slice and dice without tearing and mangling the veggies or protein. Plus, this makes your knives last longer, and that saves money in the long run. Even works on serrated knives. We fire it up before a bagel brunch and amaze our guests.

$179 on a slow cooker? Sure, you could go for a cheaper, smaller one. But I only like buying things once. And this one is built to last. Its also large enough to fit 2 pork shoulders side by side when making BBQ pulled pork. Because if you're going to wait 8 hours to eat a sandwich, there better be enough for leftovers.

These lightweight Lunchbots stainless steel lunch box containers are perfect for cut fruit, veggies, or a sandwich. They are dishwasher safe, they minimize waste, and they come in festive colors. I stocked up for the upcoming school year. I recommend you do the same. 

Why is this super-accurate Thermapen much better than the $15 item you've got sitting in your drawer right now?

Three simple reasons:

1. Its actually accurate. Its the difference between chicken that safe but still juicy vs. shoe leather on one side and salmonella on the other.
2. Its very fast. The reason lots of other thermometers don't work well is that they take far too long to give an accurate reading and most people don't keep them in long enough. This results in lots of overcooked stuff, as the temperature is higher than you think with a short poke.
3. It has a very small/sharp tip. Why does this matter? Do you want all the juice running out the side? I don't.

This is a brilliant solution for those hot summer months when you can't bear the thought of turning on the oven. These baking sheets fit into your toaster oven and make summer baking a breeze.