Rachael Ray's Must-Have Products
Rachael Ray's Must Haves: From Decadent Caviar to an Oval Sauté Pan
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Rachael Ray's always got something cooking. From the kitchen table to the TV studio, the multihyphenate star never fails to have her finger on the pulse of what's hot (and delicious) in seemingly every entrepreneurial space. Case in point: she's designed her own stylish cookware line, launched a production company (aptly named Free Food Studios), authored countless cookbooks, and just wrapped up a 17-year run on her hit daytime TV talk show, "Rachael Ray."
In the midst of her many (many!) ventures, Ray also managed to debut a limited-time collaboration with Genova Premium Tuna last month, which gave participants the chance to win a $20,000 prize, along with a personalized al fresco design experience from the TV personality herself — with a Mediterranean-inspired twist, no less.
According to Ray, the partnership felt especially meaningful given her Italian heritage. "My grandpa is a Sicilian; he was my caretaker when I was a little girl, and I lived on Italian tuna in good olive oil and sardines and anchovies. These were staples of our diet," she tells POPSUGAR. Not only was tuna a defining food of her childhood, but it was also one that empowered her family to find new ways to cook with "pantry staples," as she describes them. When Genova approached her with an opportunity to partner on a sweepstakes that would provide a family or home chef with the gift of their own "al fresco lifestyle," she jumped at the chance.
"It's premium tuna, it's hand filet, it's wild caught. It's got good olive oil, great flavour, no additives, [no] preservatives — it hits all of the buttons," Ray raves. "I also really liked that they [Genova Premium Tuna] were thinking about the consumer, and they wanted to give a gift to a home cook. That really meant something to me."
We had the opportunity to connect with Ray about her latest partnership and favourite must-have products — including a unique sauté pan that's perfect for any summer celebration you're hosting.
Rachael Ray's Affordable Must Have
Ray has developed quite an assortment of quality cookware essentials over the years. Even still, she always comes back to this Rachael Ray 5-Quart Covered Oval Sauté With Helper Handle ($80). She sketched out the idea for the pan years ago while trying to cook in her tiny New York City apartment.
"My now husband — but then boyfriend — and I had a very tiny apartment here in New York City, and our stove was very narrow, only three of the four burners worked, and I thought, 'Oh my God.' I invited our family members over to share a meal with us, and I tried to put two round pots on the stove at the same time, and they simply wouldn't fit, and the water would never boil," Ray explains. "I broke into tears, so I drew oval pots."
Pro Tip: While square and circular shapes are more typical for sauté pans, the oval shape is actually a great option when cooking denser dishes like pasta. The product's extended design helps the noodles to cook more evenly.
Rachael Ray's Investment Must Have
Ray's made an entire career out of her love for food, but her favourite indulgence these days is the Siberian Baerii Caviar by Russ & Daughters ($175). "You can never have too much caviar," Ray jokes. The chef says this caviar is a staple at her wedding anniversary celebrations every year. "You gotta get some extravagance in a couple times a year."
Pro Tip: Caviar is a garnish that can be enjoyed on its own but is best when paired with other foods — like toast or unsalted crackers. Ray loves adding it as a complementing side with other dishes like vodka cream pasta.
Rachael Ray's Morning-Routine Must Have
While a lot of things can change in Ray's day-to-day routine depending on when or where she's working, she can always rely on a Pressed Juice Protein Probiotic Smoothie ($7) to help her wake up and get going. As for the rest of her morning routine, Ray likes to keep things simple, saying: "When I'm in Italy, I get up at like 4:30 a.m., and I like to go to the kitchen and get organised for the day. Then I go about my day stretching; I go to my gym and I go into the shower, and just get on with life."
Rachael Ray's Cooking Must Have
While Ray loves using Genova Premium Yellowfin Tuna in Olive Oil ($57 for 24 cans) year-round, she claims it's especially delicious during the summer months.
Pro Tip: While you can eat cooked canned tuna cold, you can also heat it first. Ray recommends using a more balanced, medium heat to help give the seafood that extra level of flavour, saying: "When I use a great-quality seafood product, like Genova Premium Tuna, I make sure to cook it over moderate heat. The tender, wild-caught tuna is already cooked and easy to add to any recipe, so I want to make sure I can warm it up and not overcook it, so it retains its delicious flavour."
Rachael Ray's Sleeping Must Have
Ray's career keeps her constantly on the go, often flight-hopping and bouncing between countries. And like any frequent traveller will tell you, staying hydrated is a must. That's true morning, noon, and night — Ray always keeps a Smartwater Vapor Distilled Premium Water ($8 for six bottles) bedside and says it's one of many things she relies on for a good night's rest in the evening.
Her other nighttime rituals include reciting a prayer that her mother wrote for her when she was a child. "I say it all the time, and it doesn't matter the time of day, but I say it often and it puts my head straight," Ray says.
Pro Tip: While many people like to keep water at their bedside in case they get thirsty, drinking too much right before bed can cause you to wake up more often throughout the night to use the bathroom — so aim to hydrate all day long, and stick to a small glass prior to turning in.
