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microplane zester, instant read thermometer, short-blade extremely sharp paring knife, a whetstone that was my dad's, an assortment of bamboo spatulas/spoons/stirring devices and...AND...a tiny silicone spatula that's perfect for easy-overing a fried egg for one.

- Tongs
- Microplane
- Small silicone rubber spatulas
- Crate and barrel Cheese plane ( I bought it about 15 years ago -- I use it all the time. I prefer the thin slices from the plane.)
- Wooden spoon(s)

My Desert Island Kitchen Tools:

- good chef's knife
- cast iron skillet and Dutch oven
- spring-loaded tongs
- microplane (best kitchen purchase ever)

Immersion blender - now soup making is a cinch. And I'm surprised how much I rely on my two little bamboo cutting boards - they just feel easier to clean up by rinsing under the faucet.

Another vote for the flat wooden spatula. Mine is shaped more or less like a short-handled canoe paddle. Almost flat but tapered nicely on the edges. I use it every day for stirring. Its straight sides and curved corners make it just right for getting food out of pots and pans.

Number two: really good thick oven mitts.

These two are used virtually every day.

If I didn't have tongs my fingers would be gone at least until the first knuckle.

Fish turners. I have one in stainless that I paid $20 for, and a nylon one that I paid $2 for. Guess which gets used most? But I love them both, use them for everything from scrambling eggs, draining veggies, flipping crepes, stirring risottos, sauteing, everything.

I love my mandolin. I find excuses to use it. Waffle Fries anyone?

Awesome, I have almost everything on their list! I LOVE my microplane - I zest a lot and it leaves limes and lemons perfectly stripped and smooth as a baby butt! A warning for those who use a mandoline or ceramic slicer: no matter how tedious it seems, ALWAYS use the hand guard *still regrowing the end of my finger*

STOP IT! STOP IT! STOP IT! You're making me homesick.

All I can think of is the beautiful little (well, big actually) fig tree that I left behind a year ago (that seems like a century).... One ripe fig fresh picked and still warm from the sun could sustain me for hours.

OH! A few years ago Gourmet did a survey and figs were voted the least favorite fruit!!!!

So are most Gourmet subscribers IDIOTS????

I want to thank all of you for your suggestions. I was at the store today and decided to pick up some goat cheese. Even though I wanted a more "complicated" fig recipe, I plopped down and decided to try a fig with goat cheese.

I ate the whole pint of figs and the whole 4 oz. log of goat cheese in one sitting. I am still completely full and recovering a good five hours later, but god was it worth it! I immedietly called my boyfriend and said, "Guess what my new favorite food is ..."

I made this with some leftover figs last week. I had a black mission fig vinegar and an olive-fig tapenade on hand. But you could use red-wine vinegar. And make your tapenade too.

Pork Tenderloin with Figs - a variation on Jacques Pepin's Pork Tenderloin with Prunes and Port.

Cut 2 small pork tenderloins into evenly sized chunks each and season with s&p. Brown well on all sides, then remove from saute pan and finish cooking in 200 degree oven while you make the sauce.

Pour out extra fat from the pan and then add a bit of fresh olive oil. Saute 2 tbl minced shallots; deglaze with 3 tbl fig vinegar. Add 2/3 c veal stock, 1/2 c port; reduce until slightly thickened. Stir in 1 tbl ketchup, 1 tbl olive-fig tapenade and 6-8 quartered figs. Stir a few minutes to heat the figs. Remove meat from oven and add to pan with any accumulated juices to sauce; simmer to thicken.

I like to make a pizza with pesto, onions, zucchini, figs and a fresh goat cheese. Sometimes I'll add chicken or tuna just for some kind of protein, but the mix of the sweet figs and onions with the tart cheese and the pesto is perfect. I also like to make a little fig jam to keep for winter months.