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By Elizabeth Whiting Kitchenware to collect around the world

Writer Elizabeth has rom learning to prepare soft pillows of ricotta-filled ravioli, to creating a fragrant paella
picked up cooking
inspiration in her brimming with fresh seafood, savoring the local flavors and discovering new cooking
travels to 30 countries. Ftechniques can be one of the most memorable parts of traveling. Just as every nation has
a unique culinary landscape, its people have different secrets for creating their favorite dishes.
Discover some our favorite kitchen utensils used by home chefs around the globe.

Mezzaluna Cataplana
Italy Portugal

Mezzaluna, or “half moon,” Like the Moroccan tagine,
refers to the curved blade the Portuguese cataplana
on this popular Italian knife refers to both an iconic
with two wooden handles on meat and seafood stew
either end. An essential and versatile tool in Italian and the vessel used to
kitchens, its curved blade makes easy work of chopping herbs, prepare it. During the eighth century, while Portugal was
mincing garlic, and slicing pizza using a rocking motion from under Moorish rule, fishermen used the clam-shaped pot
side to side. Cook like the Italians and experience a taste of the to transport ingredients and cook them over an open
dolce vita when you whip up some fresh basil pesto or slice up a fire. Today, the classic cataplana is made from hammered
homemade margherita pizza with a mezzaluna. copper, with latches on either side of the dome to seal in
moisture and help keep shellfish plump and tender.

Tagine Cazuelas
Morocco Spain

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Although tagine can be found To achieve the diverse and
throughout northern Africa, delicious cuisine of Spain
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it has become an iconic dish in in your home, you’ll need
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Moroccan cuisine, referring to one of their most commonly used kitchen items—a
both the meal and the vessel itself. These clay pots feature cazuela. This versatile terracotta ramekin can be
a cone-shaped lid with a handle for easy lifting. The tagine used directly in the oven, on a gas burner, or a grill to
is typically filled with meats and spices and cooked over prepare anything from seafood to sweets at a steady
high heat, trapping the steam inside the cone-shaped lid, heat. They come in a variety of sizes, but always
which results in tender meat that is slightly caramelized shallow in depth to ensure the ingredients cook
on the bottom. Believed to originate with the Berbers, evenly and thoroughly. Use yours to prepare crema
tagine evolved with the arrival of the Ottomans, Moors, and catalana, a Spanish-style crème brûlée, or Latin
colonialists, but the technique remains the same. American-inspired stews.
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