Necessary tools: Sandwich Press

I recently bought a grill/sandwich press, and I don't know how I survived four decades without one. Ordinarily, I would say simplify, simplify your kitchen. Give away your gadgets and sweep out specialized equipment. But "necessary" tools save time. To become "necessary," an object must be used almost daily.

The beauty of the sandwich press is that it converts what would have been limp leftovers into gourmet food.

Jamie Oliver, the Naked Chef, is also a fan of the sandwich press, and uses it to make signature sarnis.

A few days ago, I used the grill to quickly cook boneless spare ribs. The following day, I thinly sliced the pork and layered it with ham and cheese to make a freshly pressed Cuban. For another day, I used the Cuisinart to make pancakes, bacon, and eggs for a "breakfast for dinner" meal.

Fresh & Fridge Salad

The Job: Make the freshest salad possible without leaving the apartment.

The Mark: Yummy, sweet yellow peppers from Whole Foods - The vegetable was just sitting there in the crisper, almost begging to be used.

The Seductive Scent: dark basil plant on windowsill, also from Whole Foods - I took a few leaves. No one saw me.

The Scavenger Hunt Booty: pre-washed red radishes, and pre-cut white-with-green-splash cucumber - Yeah, somebody else did the work. But, if I didn't take it, it'd end up in the trash. Probably. Waste not, want not, and what not.

The Staples: Team 1, The Fridge: grated parmesan, mixed-pitted olives, feta, pickled peperoncini

The Staples: Team 2, The Pantry: sea salt, olive oil, sherry vinegar

The Rejects: limp mesculun lettuce and dry, chicken breast leftover from yesterday's Taco Night - I'm a artist, not a junk man.

The Sensual Break-down:

Color: bright yellow (pepper), yellow-green (pepperoncini), dark green (basil); red, highly contrasted with white (radish)

Texture & Sound (Crunch): peppers; radish; long wet slivers of cucumber

Texture, Slippery or Smooth: emulsifying effect of grated parmesan & feta crumbles when combined with vinegar & oil; feel of rotating oil-soaked olives on tongue as they resist the teeth

Scent: Basil (proof there are forces for good in the universe)

Taste buds: salty (cheeses, olives, anything pickled), mildly sweet (pepper); mildly bitter (radish); sour (peperoncini, vinegar) tempered by oil.

The Salad: So good, I ate it before I remembered to take a picture for The Whatever Cook.

Image: Oracle ThinkQuest Education Foundation