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Whenever I explore, I not only aim to sample new foods, I wish to see the cooking process. I adore peeking into kitchens and noticing the everyday customs and techniques of local cooks, which consistently incorporate unfamiliar tools or implements not as widespread in the America. Following my first trip to the French countryside, for instance, I decided I had to have a coffee brewer and a breadboard for morning tartines and java. The habit stuck.

These days, if I am shopping for keepsakes, I'm likely browsing the shelves at a neighborhood kitchen shop to see what I can tuck into my bags, or I am memorizing details for what to look up when I arrive home. But you don't need to leave the country to discover motivation or get your hands on some genius kitchen gadgets that many US citizens have not yet adopted. Below are a few of my top picks and why culinary professionals worldwide find them indispensable.

Terracotta Pot (Spanish)

Starting at pintxo and tapas bars to upscale diners, the fairly inexpensive and very versatile earthenware vessel is among the top commonly used vessels I noticed in Spanish dining spots. "I mostly use it for recipes that require low, steady warmth–such as albóndigas en salsa, beans with clams, or including garlic shrimp," says Guillermo Varela de Limia Muñoz.

It is suitable from burner and oven straight to the dining table, and is available in a range of sizes. Pick up a selection of mini versions for serving olive varieties, kernels or condiments, mid-sized options for appetizers, or larger ones for making slow-cooked dishes and casseroles, or merely acting as a tray for crisps during a gathering.

French Pancake Griddle (France)

We adore French-style pancakes in our household, so I carried a sizable aluminum nonstick crepe skillet acquired from a French supermarket to the US in my luggage. "The flatness of the cookware will provide consistent results, and also permits the utilization of a tiny wooden rake to spread your thin pancakes and buckwheat pancakes expertly," notes a culinary specialist. "Although it's a specific tool, it's also extremely flat, so it doesn't require excessive storage space in the cooking area."

It isn't a limited tool also; the spacious cooking surface can be employed as a hot plate for pancakes and bacon or as a tortilla griddle for cooking tortillas. The suitable for induction skillet I purchased cannot be found in the American market, but I have used this model many times at my mother-in-law's house on a gas stove with consistently excellent results. And since it's non-stick, a fast washing by hand with hot, sudsy water is enough to get clean.

Vegetable Blade (Japan)

Exists a Japan-made cutter for all uses, and for chopping greens it's a Nakiri. "The way we cut ingredients immediately influences how they seem when tasted," notes Shota Nakajima. "Cleaving the tissues instead of ripping or crushing them preserves produce fresh, helps them to take in flavors uniformly, and enhances a more delicate sensation."

Constructed similar to a compact cutter, its flat edge guarantees total engagement with the prep surface, allowing it to be excellent for straight-down neat chops without requiring a rocking motion (unlike western chef's knives). A high-quality Nakiri is fabricated with several levels of forged alloy covering, resulting in highly resilient and anti-rust. A full-tang blade and completed ergonomic hold guarantee perfect handling, when slicing tomatoes, cutting carrots into strips, or creating fine slices of daikon or salad ingredient employing a Japanese peeling technique.

Metal Chopsticks (Korea)

I grew up using the lengthy, synthetic dining sticks often used at Chinese restaurants, or varnished timber utensils, which need careful manual cleaning and air-drying. In the Korean peninsula, metal chopsticks are more common, as they were first utilized by royals and were in time adopted by the everyday users. "Metal chopsticks are less porous than timber utensils and resist microbes," explains a Korean cooking expert. "People view it as safer since group dining is a key part of South Korean traditions."

As they are durable and more straightforward to sanitize, I looked for a set immediately. Although it is challenging to obtain level alloy chopsticks in the America like those typically used in the capital, the angular design of a good set is simpler to use for the majority. High-quality metal alloy allows them to be dishwasher safe, ensuring that they will endure the dishwasher undamaged and pristine.

Automatic Heating Pot (United Kingdom)

Per my UK acquaintances, microwaving water for tea is a cardinal error – they emphasized I had to have an automatic boiler. "The sole method to make good tea is by pouring water at the right heat onto the {loose leaves|tea leaves|