Kitchen Equipment Basics part 4 “Utensils”

Utensils make up some of the most intense tools I have in the kitchen. They are an extension of my arms and perform tasks that make all the tasks of food prep easier. I have a huge array of tools that I own but very few are daily go to hardware that you find on in my tool container and at my side on cooking tasks.  I will offer a list and some conversation on the items I find most fundamental in your ease of food preparation. The slotted spoon, serving spoon, grater, tongs, whip, can opener, peeler, measuring cups, measuring spoons, colander, spatula, silicone spatula/scraper, ladle and ice cream scoop are in my opinion the real essentials. I will introduce them and explain.

You can go nuts finding that one item in each of the categories that I have offered that works the best in your life. I have tried hundreds of items and have picked out those utensils I like the best. These are up in my face, ready every day for the several meals I prepare. I will share with you what items that I find high value and why. If you have Teflon coated cookware or are not sure which type of pans that you enjoy…. by all means, buy and use a silicone coated utensil. I import a decent series of goodies that are all coated. A coated tool will cover your needs for either coated or metal pots and pans.

The Slotted Spoon

You will find a slotted spoon your go to tool for removing any item from grease or hot liquid, like hard boiled eggs from your new 3 quart sauce pan (see part 3 of this series).  Serving vegetables, removing a roast or chicken from the pan or even draining liquids as you try to retain the noodles is better accomplished with a slotted spoon. I use a very inexpensive stainless set of spoons that you find in many restaurant kitchens. Unfortunately, I have no Teflon pans left in my collection.  My gal, who is a non cooking person, destroyed my expensive Teflon skillets. If I owned Teflon coated, I would indeed use a silicone coated set of tools. The slotted spoon is an essential accessory, find one or two that you are comfortable using and place them in your growing collection.

The Serving Spoon

The serving spoon  is another essential tool for you to have in the collection. I find that spoon in my hand as I make salads, stir my sauces, and toss my stir fry. It is an everyday go to spoon. Again I have similar tools to those pictured above, but in my collection I also have silicone coated spoons that are coveted for any coated pans that I may come upon.

The Grater

The grater is a tool that I have in several flavors and I am always misplacing the one I love among my cluttered storage drawer. My gal offered me a Micro Plane Cheese Grater; I have really enjoyed that tool since it came into the collection. It is my favorite go to grater for small work, like zesting and making salads. I also use a standard 4 x 3″ box grater for bigger tasks too. I can whip up a sizable menu like an Asiago cheese sauce for ravioli with the box grater, where I am grating a 1/2 pound of cheese and need to get that task out of the way and move along. I have other graters but these two are the strong candidates for my favorites.

Tongs

Having a few sets of cooking tongs is paramount to keeping your cooking sanity. I use my several sets of tongs almost at every meal prep. Tasks like flipping the bacon on the griddle or reaching into a hot oven to move a piece of chicken is more easily performed as a result of a good set of tongs. I have silicone coated tongs too and use them with similar frequency as my heavy duty stainless. Again, if you use Teflon coated cookware, use a coated tong.

The Whip

The whip is also called a whisk. I have several sizes of whips in my collection. You can buy these coated or uncoated. If you use Teflon pots and pans please consider using a coated utensil. It will save you hassles and help maintain the coating on the pot.

The whip is a go to tool for many batter , sauce and egg tasks. I find that my use of a whip expands if I am around the gravy and thick dessert seasons. I am not a huge fan of making a breakfast in the home. A fresh toasted baguette with my coffee in the morning is my personal favorite but my gal likes her eggs, pancakes and such and thus I use my several whips frequently. I seem to like the smaller one over all the rest.

The Can Opener

Again as with tools there are so many can openers on the market that it seems almost impossible to find a favorite. I have always wanted an edge cutting can opener. These are often called “safety can openers”. The cutter never really touches the food inside the can and the lid pliers section allows you to pick the lid off using the can opener after the cut is made. I have never bought and tried one. I still use an el cheapo opener as it never failed. I have my opener for almost 25 years and it has gotten dull but it still cuts to the point that I am not angry enough to toss it. The can opener is an essential tool and you cannot enter into a food arrangement with your stomach and make it smoothly through a kitchen career without one or three.

The Peeler

Yet another tool that seemingly has no equal is a good vegetable peeler. I have some really cut up hands and I spend hours with a knife. Yet place a paring knife in my have to peel a potato or 10 and I will most likely own a new cut. If I use my pal the vegetable peeler, my hands will be unscathed.

Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons

At some point in your cooking adventure you will be introduced to the need to measure a quantity of dry or wet ingredient. Having a set of tools to bridge that series of tasks is important. I have both plastic and stainless measuring cups and spoons. They all do the job but I like the thick macho nature of a stainless spoon. If I dip into some thick cold cream cheese my plastic tools are going to break. Not saying that I would do this but am saying that I prefer sturdy. Get yourself a reasonably priced set of measuring tools and find a place for then in your storage area you will be using them.

The Colander

A nice sized colander will be a great friend when you least expect it. From pasta and salads to straining tomatoes and washing beets, I use my colander for just about everything that I need to rinse and not lose in the drain. You will eventually need one yourself. If you have been resisting adding a new tool to your storage, move things around and gather a colander, you will need one.

Spatulas and Scrapers

My drawers are packed with spatulas and bowl scrapers. I use them for most fry pan adventures and for baking. These are relatively inexpensive items and you will use them often. Find something with a sturdy handle as it may come a moment that you have a thick mashed potato and a thin light weight plastic scraper, they go SNAPPPP! Then you gather another. I have a decent set of coated scrapers and spatulas I like the stainless and coated equally.

The Ladle

A tool that seem to get shoved around until that moment when you are working with stocks, stews and liquids. I have perhaps 10 ladles in the drawer with my current go to favorite being a really cool plastic transfer spoon/ladle. I like it so much and it functions as a ladle that I give it the title ladle. The  silicone coated version of it is pictured above. The ladle is a go to tool for serving and preparing meals where soups, gravies and stock is transferred. I think that you will find it a necessary and essential tool as I find it on my list.

Ice Cream Scoop

I like ice cream …The End