Trust Ina Garten to season her food the proper way. The Barefoot Contessa is one of the most recognized faces in American cuisine – meaning her East Hampton kitchen is filled with professional appliances.
Here at Homes & Gardens, we take pleasure in scouting through her Instagram posts (not least because her monochromatic space is beautiful in its own right), where Garten is generous with not gatekeeping her go-to products. Most recently, we came across her favorite pepper mill, almost by accident, as her endorsement is easy to pass by.
When Garten posted a video on Instagram making the homemade croutons (as seen in her Cook Like a Pro cookbook), it encouraged a viewer to ask which pepper mill she uses. My pepper mill is called PepperMate, and it's the best,' Garten says. When the Barefoot Contessa reveals the best pepper mill on the market, there's nothing else to do but introduce it into your routine.
This elegant ceramic pepper grinder, looks great on your table, or countertop, just as it does in Garten's iconic home. It features a clear acrylic panel that makes it easy to see when you need to fill. Described as 'consistently reliable,' it features variable settings, all of which can be changed by a simple twist of the Key Grind mechanism.
While it's always interesting to discover which products Garten uses, we're less surprised by her use of freshly ground black pepper instead of a pre-ground alternative. Naturally, pre-ground is convenient, but fresh pepper has a distinctly stronger, more vibrant aroma (thanks to the newly released essential oils). It's a more aromatic and flavorful way of seasoning food, and as a chef, this isn't lost on Garten.
The Peugeot company in France first manufactured a pepper mill in 1874, and since then, designers have experimented with varying models – some with knob twist, crank, ratchet, or motor. However, no matter the shape or brand, they all use gravity to feed peppercorns into a grinding mechanism. PepperMate began making pepper grinders in 1982 and, since then, has been used in gourmet kitchens and on TV cooking shows. Although, Garten's is our favorite to date.
If you're an aspiring home cook and looking for kitchen essentials, Garten's pepper mill is a must-have – but it's not the only appliance we've spotted in her kitchen. Below, you can find three more essentials, including her special, European-designed sponges (available from Williams Sonoma).
These fluffy, compressible sponges are some of the most absorbent on the market, easy to store, and all-natural. With Ina Garten's endorsement, it really can't get any better.
Alongside its 50-watt motor (designed to give this juicer incredible power), we love its built-in stainless steel strainer that catches pits and pulp, ensuring smooth and pulp-free juice every time.
This 10-piece set features knives with triple-riveted synthetic polypropylene handles that resist fading, discoloration, heat, and impact. The blades are precisely laser-cut and stamped for superior quality and value.
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