Gifts to Inspire South American Cooking

People swear by the flavor of food cooked in unglazed clay pots. The ideal method is to dedicate one pot to beans, another to rice, and another to stews or whatever you prepare most often, and allow those pots to acquire their flavors over time. Clay pots are valued for their cooking and baking abilities as well, keep food warm, and look beautiful.

A good feep fryer makes fried food easier and safer to prepare, with a lot less mess to clean up afterwards. Many of my favorite South American foods are fried (coxihnas, empanadas fritas, papa rellena, fried plantain), and when food is fried at the correct temperature, it does not absorb as much of the grease. A deep fryer maintains the proper temperature and reduces splattering, so that deep frying is not such a big production.

Blenders are indispensable for making sauces like salsa a la huancaína, pureeing fresh corn kernels for humitas or pastel de choclo, and of course for making tropical fruit smoothies (licuados). If you do not have a good quality blender, it's worth the investment.

More About Blenders and Blender Reviews from Colleen Graham, About.com's Guide to Cocktails.

Arepa makers, sometimes called tostiarepas, or areperas, are easy to find online and are sometimes available at large Latin food markets. An arepa maker is similar to a waffle maker, but makes quick and perfect arepas instead of waffles. Arepas are a delicious type of corncake that are very popular in Colombia and Venezuela.

Gauchos, the South American cowboys of Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil, carry these traditional knives on their belt. Gaucho knives are used for cowboy work (cutting rope, killing and skinning cattle), as well as for cooking meat on the grill.

Gaucho knives (cuchillas criollas) have a special leather sheath with a clip (like a cell phone case), so that they can be worn under the belt, behind the back. There are many different kinds of gaucho knifes, including beautiful antique ones made of gold and silver.They make an interesting and unusual gift for hard-to-shop-for types, like dads and grandfathers.

A corn stripper is a small tool with a blade that is designed to help you strip the kernels and all of the pulp off the cob. Corn is a primary ingredient in South American cooking, and this tool makes it easier to start with fresh corn kernels.

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