The One Inexpensive Item Anthony Bourdain Considered Essential In Any Kitchen

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Late chef Anthony Bourdain was known for adventurous travel and trying unique foods, but one of his must-have items to keep in the kitchen was shockingly basic and accessible. "Numero uno — the indispensable object in most chef's shtick — is the simple plastic squeeze bottle," Bourdain wrote in his 2008 book "Kitchen Confidential." Yes, the same type of bottle that you might see holding mustard or ketchup at a hot dog or burger stand. If you want to follow Bourdain's advice and add them to your kitchen, start by recycling the bottles from any sauces you bought at the store. 

However, if you want to start fresh, New Star Foodservice 26115 Squeeze Bottles are made of a plastic that's microwave and dishwasher safe, as well as BPA free, and they come in a pack of six. Plus, you'll likely find that you need more than one bottle. Think about all those different size bottles of oils, vinegars, and sauces that take up space on your counter or in your pantry. Use a funnel to transfer the various liquids to squeeze bottles and then label them — everything will look neat and organized.

As Anthony Bourdain explained, plastic bottles have endless uses. He mentioned using a squeeze bottle to squirt rings of demi-glace around a plate and then dragging a toothpick through it for an artful look. But you don't have to get that fancy. A squeeze bottle is a pancake hack you need for the easiest breakfast; just squeeze the batter onto the pan in any sort of fun shape or design. This useful tool also gives more control for pouring syrup over your pancakes. 

Squeeze bottles can even hold whisked eggs — a great trick for making scrambled eggs. And you can also stop over-pouring olive oil with this simple hack. These bottles are ideal for holding homemade marinades and dressings, and are also surprisingly useful for decorating cakes. Switch out pastry bags for a squeeze bottle and you may find that you have less mess and more control. You can even use squeeze bottles for basting meats; they are great at sucking up juices, and even injecting meat with marinade (which is totally worth it).