Sunday, March 30, 2014

Gadgets, Utensils and Appliances

Why oh why are we obsessed with gadgetry in the kitchen? Most are supposed to ease a problem that no one has. I saw this one just yesterday:
The worst thing about cooking is touching or smelling like food
Now, a lot of things in my kitchen do just one thing, but they do it to many kinds of foods. Knives cut, peelers peel, blenders blend. Sometimes novelty spatulas are shaped as to ruin any utility:
What the hell am I supposed to do with a squirrel shaped spatula??
The gadgets come in when there is one task that you were never shown how to do properly. Egg separators are a good example. Sometimes we need just egg whites, but how to do we separate the yolk without breaking it? You could use an egg separator to catch the yolk, or carefully pick up the yolk with a water bottle, or you can do what chefs do:
Boom! That's one less gadget in the drawer. Some gadgets are worth it, like my garlic press and citrus zester, but there are dozens of one-task gadgets that you'll want to avoid. I don't know about you, but with my tiny kitchen, I need all my drawer space for utensils.
Three drawers and a utensil jar to be precise

Whip It

One way you'll know something is a utensil is if you might use it every day. I keep as many utensils where I can get at them quickly, and any other occasional-use tools go in a separate drawer. Your favorite foods and cooking habits may be different from mine, but some things are useful for every cook.
This is a short list of essential kitchen tools (play a seek-and-find game with the above image):
Knife set,
Large bowl,
2 smaller bowls,
Measuring cup and/or cups,
Measuring spoons,
Cooking spatula (AKA "turner"),
Silicone spatula (AKA "scraper"),
Peeler, 
Wooden mixing spoon,
Slotted spoon,
Ladle,
Whisk,
Kitchen shears,
Colander,
Sieve,
Grater/Shredder,
Can opener,
Tongs
Rolling pin
Oven mitts/pot holders
Apron

If you're still whipping eggs with a fork, a whisk is much better. If you're scraping all your bowls with a metal serving spoon, buy a nice spatula (a regular one, not a squirrel-shaped one.) Preparing food with nothing but tableware is a frustration you don't need when learning to cook all your own meals. Gather a few essentials you  might be putting off.

Electric Boogaloo

The most expensive things in your kitchen probably run on electricity. Toasters are ubiquitous. Everyone has a microwave now, but big or small, it's only going to be good for a few things, not meals. The three machines I wouldn't want to do without now are my blender, toaster oven and Kitchenaid stand mixer.

A blender is a blender, don't be fooled by "wave technology" or "bullet" designs. The rule of thumb is the more you pay for it, the less likely the motor or other moving parts will break. Glass is easier to clean than plastic, but is heavier. I've had good luck with Oster, but that's not an endorsement, just don't buy the cheapest blender at the store.

My toaster oven takes up a lot of counter space, but I use it every week. The convenience of toasting or baking small amounts of things on a digitally timed cycle with predictable temperature control is amazing. It saves time and energy, it doesn't heat my whole kitchen in summer, and I can use it when my oven is already occupied. I still use my oven for baking cakes, roasts, rise-in-oven pizzas, or pastries, but when I want freezer to oven entrees like breaded fish fillets or chicken strips, it's so nice to set the timer and walk away knowing they won't over-bake.
"There are many like it, but this one is mine."

Last but importantly, my KitchenAid stand mixer is the most used appliance I own. There are other brands, yes, but KitchenAid dominates the stand mixer market because of reliability. If you're on a budget, an electric hand-mixer at a tenth the price works just as well for many things, with a little more time and effort. But if you can save up, even the base model or a used KitchenAid can do things the hand mixers can't, like knead pizza dough and stir thick cookie dough.

That's all for now. Make the best use of the space and time you have. Remember you're cooking for health and connection to your food. Avoid lazy gadgetry and buy the most useful tools for your collection. 

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