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7 Kitchen Accessories That Will Impress Your Friends

By Amanda Miller
October 10, 2012 / 12:58 PM

[caption id="attachment_74193" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Got what it takes to impress Curtis Stone with your kitchen tools? Photo courtesy Food Network Fan.[/caption]

Two strategies for dealing with the impending holiday party season:

A. Ignore the inevitable - close your eyes, click those ruby slippers and imagine yourself snuggly and quiet in the bone-chilling calm of January.

B. Get prepared. Thanks to NewNowNext, you have no need to fear family, friends, and acquaintances smirking at your less than adequately stocked kitchen. We gladly bring you a brief report on the good host's essential guide to the kitchen items you need to glide effortlessly through in-house events over the next several months.

[caption id="attachment_74152" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Simplicity + less waste tastes better. Photo courtesy SodaStream.[/caption]

1. The Revolution by SodaStream It's not just a bubbly water maker. It's political. Cases of seltzer take up so much room and create so much waste anyway - so 20th century. Be part of the new generation of water consumers! Be part of the revolution! This new model allows users to set the ideal level of fizzy with the touch of a button - the simplicity you need after a couple of vodka sodas. Starter kits begin at $199.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

[caption id="attachment_74161" align="aligncenter" width="596"] It's really worth it. Promise![/caption]

2. Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender Soups, smoothies, velvety purees, dips. This may become the most frequently used tool in your kitchen, go ahead and invest already. $649.95 at Williams-Sonoma.

[caption id="attachment_74182" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Surely you could get this man to switch...to Saeco. Photo courtesy Nespresso.[/caption]

3. Saeco Exprelia Automatic Espresso Machine After hosting a 12 person dinner party complete with heritage meats and heirloom vegetables, wow your guest with this handsome devil of a coffee maker. Nespresso be damned. $1,899 at Williams Sonoma.

4. Nuova Simonelli Grinder Experts agree that if you aren't ready to invest in a great espresso maker, you must invest in a top of the line grinder. Prevents heat transfer to the coffee, settings stored for future use, this machine lets people know you mean business when it comes to espresso. $610 at Sur la Table.

[caption id="attachment_74185" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Nobody deprives HOVA his favorite candle. Photo courtesy Jay-Z Music.[/caption]

5. Feu de Bois Dyptique large Indoor/Outdoor Candle Welcome guests into your home with this woody winner from Diptyque, a five-wick, 52-oz candle spreads a "wood fire" fragrance equivalent to two candles. Use it in your open kitchen after dinner to inspire talk of visiting the Berkshires. Or maybe even a conversation about the Brooklyn Nets? Rumor has it Jay-Z is a big fan of the French brand. $275, diptyque.com.

6. Oven and Roasting Digital Thermometer with Timer Whether you are cooking your own bird or roasting your own beef this season, you need a meat thermometer. This model from Sur La Table is great because it emits a gentle beep to let you know when your meat has reached the desired temperature, helpful if you are sipping kir royales with your pals. $34.95 at Sur La Table.

[caption id="attachment_74142" align="aligncenter" width="607"] Onion goggles. Yep. Onion. Goggles. Photo courtesy of ABC.[/caption]

7. Onion Goggles Because a serious cook needs to prove he also has a sense of humor. Prove that you are prepared for snowboarding or chopping the infamous kitchen tearjerkers - who knows where the night may take you? $15.99-$19.99 at Gracious Home.

Amanda Miller wrote Picnic Pro: Essential Goods for the Perfect Summer Picnic. She has written about food and travel for Jauntsetter, Chapelboro.com and more. Follow her @victuspopuli.com.

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