Meat Thermometer - This
easy-to-read, usually large-faced-dial Meat Thermometer takes the guesswork out of
roasting meat and poultry. Usually has an approximately 4.5" stem.
- Metal Tongs – Provide
you with great control while turning over food items during cooking, or anything else.
Makes for safer and easier handling of foods.
- Pinch Bowls – These are
small bowls that hold a pinch or more of your herbs and seasonings. They're extremely
handy as you prepare your dishes for cooking or baking. Fill them with salt, pepper
flakes, oregano, parsley, and any other ingredient you might need, and place them on your
countertop for easy access. Helps aid you in your 'mise en place'.
- Skimmer – Great for
sweeping away the fat from stocks and soups. Also good for straining vegetables from
water, etc.
- Scraper – Ideal
tool for those who make their own pasta, or pastry, bread and pizza dough.
Use it for cutting, cleaning and scraping the dough.
Wooden & Plastic Utensils vs.
Metal Utensils:
Wood and plastic are known to be
the most common material for a cooking utensil. They come in all shapes and sizes, and are
usually more comfortable to use. They are less abusive to the foods during the cooking
time but they are poor heat conductors. Make sure you buy sturdy wooden utensils. If the
wood is too soft, it will splinter and soak up anything and everything.
Metal Utensils can be somewhat
abusive to the foods you are cooking with as they usually have a sharper edge. They can
also be somewhat destructive to a non-stick pot or pan over time. But they are great heat
conductors and are fine to use with metal pots and pans.
My suggestion is to have a variety
of the above-mentioned utensils. Try them out and decide what you're more comfortable with
when cooking. For a while, I used only wooden spoons because I didn't know anything else.
I've since tried, and purchased, metal utensils and I love them! But I do use both
equally. I've stayed away from plastic because I don't see the need for it.
Cutting Boards:
Once again we are faced with
options for our kitchen tools. Cutting boards come in a few different materials; Wood or
Plastic.
For wooden boards, make sure you
look for a hard wood such as Maple (the best), Cherry, or Birch (all slow-growing trees
which means their wood has a tighter grain). Hard woods like these also won't absorb much
odor and aren't as prone to warping or cracking.
Plastic boards are also great to
use. You'll want to find one that is non-porous, stain-resistant, and dishwasher-safe.
This type of board won't chip, crack or warp; and it doesn't dull knives. Be sure to get
one that is made of a high-density, anti-bacterial polyethylene.
Washing Instructions:
Wooden Board: Wash under hot
water with anti-bacterial soap. Dry with a towel. Do not put a wooden board into the
dishwasher as this can cause the board to crack.
Plastic Board: Clean in the
dishwasher or wash under hot water with anti-bacterial soap. Towel or drip dry.
Copyright 2001 Krista Barrett.
Krista Barrett has been writing for
the past 15 years. Her writing has been printed in newsletters, ezines, and websites, as
well as printed as far as Wales, UK. She is the Managing Editor of two websites; a writers
resource site called Writers Manual, and a cooking site called A Gourmet Kitchen.