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When I journey, I not only want to sample new foods, I want to observe their preparation methods. I love peeking into kitchens and noticing the daily habits and techniques of local cooks, which consistently include novel tools or implements rarer in the United States. Following my debut journey to the French countryside, for example, I persuaded myself I had to have a Nespresso machine and a breadboard for breakfast tartines and coffee. The routine persisted.

Currently, if I am seeking souvenirs, I'm often browsing the shelves at a local culinary store to find what I can tuck into my luggage, or I am remembering ideas for what to find when I get back home. But you don't have to leave the country to get ideas or acquire brilliant kitchen gadgets that many Americans have not yet adopted. Listed are some of my favorites and why culinary professionals worldwide consider them essential.

Clay Pot (Spain)

Starting at appetizer venues to more elaborate eateries, the affordable and highly adaptable clay cooking pot is a highly commonly used containers I noticed in Spanish dining spots. "I primarily employ it for meals that require even, moderate temperature–such as meatballs in sauce, bean and clam stew, or even gambas al ajillo," explains a Spanish chef.

It can go from burner and roasting compartment immediately to the dining table, and is available in a variety of sizes. Pick up a few of petite ones for serving olive varieties, seeds or sauces, mid-sized options for small plates, or full-size versions for preparing slow-cooked dishes and casseroles, or merely functioning as a platter for chips during a gathering.

Thin Pancake Skillet (France)

We enjoy thin pancakes in our home, so I carried a sizable aluminum French pancake griddle purchased from a French supermarket to the US in my suitcase. "The level base of the skillet will guarantee uniform heating, and furthermore permits the application of a spreading tool to spread your delicate wraps and savory crepes expertly," says Omid Tavallai. "It might be a specific tool, additionally quite even, so it doesn't require too much room in the cooking area."

It isn't a single-use item either; the big area can be utilized as a hot plate for pancakes and pork strips or as a comal for warming flatbreads. The compatible with induction cookware I purchased isn't available in the American market, but I have used this model often at my family member's kitchen on a gas stove with consistently superb performance. And because it's nonstick, a quick washing by hand with hot, sudsy water is all it takes to be cleaned.

Vegetable Blade (Japanese)

You'll find a Japan-made blade for all uses, and for slicing vegetables it is a vegetable knife. "How we cut foods significantly impacts how they taste when eaten," notes a Top Chef finalist. "Cleaving the tissues as opposed to pulling or crushing them maintains produce firm, helps them to absorb seasoning uniformly, and reveals a softer sensation."

Built as a miniature cleaver, its level cutting surface ensures total engagement with the prep surface, rendering it perfect for vertical clean cuts without needing a oscillating action (different from standard cook's knives). A high-quality vegetable knife is made of several levels of stainless Damascus steel coating, making it extra durable and resistant to corrosion. A solid construction and polished Pakkawood handle ensure perfect handling, whether you're cutting tomatoes, shredding vegetables, or creating delicate pieces of radish or green vegetable applying a thin-slicing method.

Alloy Utensils (Korean)

I was raised with the lengthy, synthetic chopsticks often used at Asian eateries, or Japanese lacquered wood chopsticks, which demand careful manual cleaning and air-drying. In South Korea, steel utensils are more common, as they were first utilized by the elite and were in time accepted by the common people. "Alloy sticks are less porous than wood chopsticks and avoid taking in germs," notes SuYeon Lee. "It's considered cleaner as communal eating is a key part of South Korean traditions."

Since they are robust and simpler to maintain, I sought out a collection promptly. Although it is difficult to find flat stainless utensils in the US resembling often observed in South Korea, the angular design of reliable utensils is easier to handle for many users. Top-grade metal alloy allows them to be dishwasher safe, guaranteeing that they will make it through the dishwasher undamaged and pristine.

Electric Heating Pot (United Kingdom)

Per my UK acquaintances, using a microwave for water for tea is a mortal sin – they stated I had to have an plug-in heater. "The sole method to make quality tea is by introducing liquid at the right heat onto the {loose leaves|tea leaves|