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Thank god for all of the bars, restaurants, and markets, because if it weren’t a seriously fun town with access to great food and killer ingredients, the drawbacks of living in New York City apartments might be too much for the aspiring home chef. Consider the dishwasher — or, if you’re like a lot of New Yorkers, the lack thereof. However, while not a dishwasher sucks (big time), there are lots of things you can get to lessen the pain. I’m talking about a killer sponge, sink caddy, and, of course, a good dish rack. Whether it’s after a party or an involved cooking project, you’re eventually going to be staring down the barrel of an intimidating pile of dirty dishes that for some reason (you have a date coming over, your parents are visiting, you finally decided to stop GrubHub-ing every one of your meals) need to get done ASAP. And, when this day inevitably comes, you’ll be glad you invested in a good dish rack. Oh, what’s that? You don’t already have a dish rack that’s perfect for small countertops, is easy to clean, and looks chic enough to be in a suburban kitchen with an island and a perpetually full fruit bowl? Well, it’s your lucky day, since I’ve found the perfect dish rack for small spaces: the KitchenAid Compact Stainless Steel Dish Rack.
The KitchenAid Compact Stainless Steel Dish Rack is great for a number of reasons, but my favorite part about it is that it’s actually compact — in other words, it’s not just in the name. It measures at 15 inches by 13.25 inches, which fits snugly next to my small apartment sink, while still leaving me room to access my toaster and microwave that are tucked into the corner. And, despite its relatively small footprint, the dish rack can accommodate a surprisingly large amount of plates, bowls, utensils, and glasses. It’s also made using heavy-duty, satin-coated, rust-resistant wires, and features soft, rubberized feet which keeps my countertop free of scratches. (Or, at least doesn’t add to the scratches that are already there.)
Another reason I love this dish rack is because it makes my kitchen look way nicer than it actually is. The clean lines, stainless steel, and grey accents look clean and match every kitchen aesthetic. Plus, unlike a lot of dish racks i’ve used in the past, this one actually drains, and doesn’t just pool up and get gross over time. However, if you want to clean it, it’s pretty easy to take apart, since the utensil rack is removable (and customizable) and the tray slides right out. I also find myself using the rubberized prongs that allow drinking glasses to drain over the sink (what I call the “coffee mug holders”) way more than I thought I would.
If you’re fed up with your dollar store dish rack — or if you’re just dreading having to clean the draining tray and want to save yourself the hassle — the KitchenAid Compact Stainless Steel Dish Rack is a huge upgrade. It’s great for small spaces and has enough room to tackle large piles of dishes at once. That means no more having to hand-dry dishes or leave them in the sink for days at a time to, ahem, “soak.”
Some cooks make and freeze their brisket in advance. Dale Cohodes, a former Detroiter who lives in Highland Park, Illinois, is very well-known for bringing a cooked brisket when checking out out-of-town relatives members for the holiday seasons. Soon after cooking and cooling the brisket, she slices it and places it with the sauce in a Pyrex dish lined with aluminum foil and saran wrap. After it’s frozen, she gets rid of it from the dish, retaining the foil and saran, adds another layer of wrapping and double luggage it in two freezer luggage. Then it goes in the freezer right up until she leaves, when she places it in her checked suitcase. To day, her brisket has traveled well and been comprehensively savored at her destinations. (She has not flown with brisket through this summer time of air vacation delays.)