Top 10 Essential
Cooking Utensils
When it comes to cooking, the right tool for the job can not only
save you time, but it can also prevent you from ruining your meal or
worse. But with so many gadgets out there, you could spend a nearly
endless amount of money and still not have everything you need on hand. What
are the most basic items you'll need to buy to stock your kitchen?
These top essential cooking utensils will be the foundation of your
kitchen, ensuring that you can perform all of the basic tasks that your
cooking requires.
1. Good Knives
A set of good knives is a must for any well-stocked kitchen. Sharp,
durable
knives make preparing your food faster and easier, and can also avoid
accidents
caused by slipping blades. Start with a high-quality paring knife for
delicate
work, a serrated knife for slicing breads and pies, and a 8-inch chef's
knife
for chopping and preparing meats.
2. Spatulas
Spatulas can be used for everything from scraping the batter from
your mixing
bowls to pan frying meats and vegetables. It's a good idea to have a
few
different spatulas on hand, both flexible and stiff, for various
kitchen tasks.
Wooden and rubber spatulas won't damage non-stick pots and pans.
3. Whisks
Whisks are great for scrambling eggs, making sauces, and creating
meringues
and soufflés. The wire whisk is traditional, but many today come with a
silicon
coating which prevents damage to non-stick surfaces or cast-iron
seasonings.
4. Grater
Graters are essential for everything from cheese to top your tacos
to
shredded vegetables for salads or grated spices to use in recipes. Be
sure to
buy a grater that allows you to choose among several different size
cuts for the
ultimate flexibility.
5. Measuring Cups
All too often, a cook has stocked the kitchen with a huge variety of
gadgets
and accessories, only to discover at the worst possible moment that the
humble
measuring cup is missing. Modern adjustable measuring cups are easy to
use and
save storage space (and the frustration of not being able to find the
right-sized cup when you need it).
6. Vegetable Peeler
Sure, you can use knives to peel your vegetables, but they usually
take much
longer and have a higher risk of accidents. A good vegetable peeler
with a
solid, slip-proof handle will speed your food preparation and avoid
painful
cuts.
7. Corkscrews
Whether you're planning to have a nice bottle of wine with your meal
or use a
splash of vino in your recipes, you'll want to have a quality
cork-screw on
hand.
8. Can Openers
A can opener is one of those kitchen utensils that are easy to
overlook
because they're so ubiquitous. Choose an electric can opener for ease
and
convenience, or a hand-held opener to save space.
9. Cutting Boards
Good cutting boards help you avoid unhygienic situations in your
kitchen. Silicon cutting boards roll up for easy storage, are washable,
and come in a variety of bright colors
so that you can keep your meat boards separate from those you use to
cut
vegetables.
10. Sieves
A sieve is essential for draining pasta, cleaning vegetables, and
straining
bones and meat from stock. A sieve that hangs across your sink is easy
to use,
allowing you to pour out water from heavy pots and pans without
scalding
yourself with the steam. These ten essential cooking utensils will help
you
ensure that you have the basic items you need for easy and successful
cooking.
Be sure to refer to this list any time you are restocking your kitchen
to be
sure you have everything that you need on hand.
Article provided courtesy of Only Cookware – a resource for
All-Clad and
Calphalon
cookware.
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