Gourmet gadgets

Make it your own

When it comes to preparing food, one of the latest trends is tools that can be adapted to suit the users' needs and preferences. Tupperware's Twistable Peeler ($13.50) features a blade that pivots around on the base -- meaning you can adjust it vertically and horizontally to the angle that feels most comfortable for each task. The removable blade has two sides: a straight for hard fruits and vegetables and a serrated for soft fruit and chocolate curls.

If a choice of blades with some ergonomic handling is what you're looking for, try the Prepara Trio-Tri Blade Peeler (City Chef, $16.45). This model features a rubberized hand grip and has three blades stored in the handle you can swap in and out with an adjustable knob.

For a little extra power, there is even a battery operated model on the market. The Leifheit Swingo Power Peeler (Chef Tools, $19.99 USD) has a swinging head allowing for better precision, and the vibrating blade "grabs" skin.

Adaptability is also carried over into the most recent versions of popular cooking staples: measuring spoons and cups. The latest tools address two common problems: not having the right sized implement (or the one you need is already dirty) and accurately measuring sticky or solid ingredients like butter or molasses (not to mention getting the full amount out of the cup).