Your Cooking Survival Kit: Other Essential Kitchen Tools

Part III in a series of articles by the food sherpa llc

This article is the final part in a series entitled, "Cooking Survival Kit." Part one of the series focused on knives, including which pieces are most critical to the success of any cook, how to shop for knives, and how to maintain your blades once they are in use in your kitchen. Part two discussed the array of cutting boards that are now available on the market. This article ends the series with a closer look at some other useful tools that the cooking enthusiast should never be without.

Gadgets, Gadgets Everywhere! If you have taken a trip to your favorite kitchen store lately, I’m sure that you will agree that the variety of kitchen tools available in stores these days is nearly endless. So, how do you determine which ones you really need and which ones will just end up collecting dust in that infamous kitchen drawer full of useless junk? As a personal chef, I spend a good deal of my time lugging pots, pans, knives, and various kitchen tools from one client’s home to another. To make my job easier and more efficient, I have thought a lot about what I really need and what I can do without on each job. Though the majority of you reading this article probably don’t have such logistics to worry about when it comes to the choice of tools that supply your home kitchen, my guess is that you can still appreciate the value of keeping your kitchen clutter to a minimum. My short list of essential kitchen tools follows. These are the gadgets that I find indispensible in my daily work. Hopefully, you will find them to be just as useful in your kitchens.

Heat-Proof Spatulas are probably my favorite kitchen tool. These spatulas, which are typically made of silicone, are good for all of the usual tasks that you complete with any run-of the-mill spatula that you may already have, such as scraping a bowl or mixing ingredients for a recipe; with the added benefits of being heat resistant (usually up to at least 400-500 degrees) and stain-resistant so they won’t melt or retain odors and stains when used on a daily basis. Once you have a good quality heat-proof spatula, you will likely find that your current collection of traditional spatulas is just taking up space. One of the favorite choices of professional cooks in this category is the Rubbermaid Professional heat-resistant spatula. You should be able to find this spatula in your favorite kitchen store or online at places like Amazon.com (search for "Rubbermaid Professional 13-1/2" Heat Resistant Scraper") for under $20.

Tongs are also near the top of the list of my favorite kitchen tools. They come in handy for everything from flipping meats and vegetables to functioning as a burn-proof "hand" that allows you to safely grasp and move hot objects in the kitchen. The key features to look for in a good set of tongs are the length of the tool and the depth of the scallop on the gripping end. When it comes to tongs, longer is usually better. A 12"-long set of tongs will function well whether you are turning a steak on a hot grill or removing a hot lid from a pot of water that is getting ready to boil over on the stove top. Of course, a shorter set of tongs will work too, but if you happen to have both a short and long pair, my bet is that you will find that you use the long ones much more often. The second key feature is the depth of the scallop, or how deeply curved the "teeth" of the tongs are, on the gripping end of the tool. You will find tongs with either flat, shallow, or deep scallops in most stores. The flat varieties don’t provide much gripping strength because the "teeth" are parallel to whatever it is that you are trying to pick up. The deep varieties tend to mangle delicate foods that you may try to flip with them. A shallow scallop is usually best. This gives you sufficient gripping power, but minimizes the likelihood that you will leave an unattractive gash in that seared meatball that you spent so much time preparing! Oh yes, and be leery of any models that include things like spring-loaded opening mechanisms. These kinds of gizmos are likely to be more of a frustration than an added useful feature. You don’t have to spend a fortune to get set of tongs. I use a 12" pair that I bought for about $4 at one of my favorite Asian grocery stores more than a year ago every day on the job.

Kitchen Shears are a must-have for anything from snipping fresh herbs to breaking down a whole chicken. Look for quality shears with high-carbon stainless steel blades that can be taken apart for easy cleaning. You can get a good quality set of shears for your kitchen, such as the Messermeister 8" Take-Apart Kitchen Shears, for under $20. These shears are available from Cutlery and More at www.cutleryandmore.com/details.asp?SKU=8936. Of course, more expensive models are also available. Cutco Cutlery, based in Olean, New York, makes extremely high-quality "Super Shears" that are wonderful. More information is available on their website at www.cutco.com/products/product.jsp?itemGroup=77.

Vegetable Peelers are indispensable for peeling vegetables in the kitchen. You will find both straight and serrated edge peelers in your favorite kitchen store. Straight-edge peelers do a fine job of most peeling tasks. For more delicate items, like tomatoes, serrated edge peelers will give you quite an advantage. Some of the newer peelers on the market also include a blade that swivels, which can make peeling jobs that much easier. Having one of each a straight and serrated edge peeler is not a bad idea. Because vegetables peelers dull fairly quickly and usually can’t be re-sharpened, you are better off spending less on these tools. This way, when your peeler goes dull you won’t feel so bad about tossing it out and replacing it with a new one. Good quality peelers from manufacturers such as Messermeister and Oxo can be had for under $10.

Hand-Crank Can Openers. Electric can openers take less effort and typically do a fine job. However, if your kitchen counter space and/or available outlets are at a premium, a traditional hand-crank variety may be a better option. Some of the newest varieties of hand-crank models open cans without leaving the dangerous sharp edges of their traditional counterparts. A good pick is the Chefmate Safe Cut Can Opener, which is available at stores like Target for about $10 (see www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=sc_qi_detaillink/601-3187943-1568947?ie=UTF8&frombrowse=0&asin=B000UBWHEG for details).

Microplane Graters are wonderful tools. Microplane, which started out making wood-working tools, now provides a plethora of high-quality grating tools for use in the kitchen. You can choose between models with or without handles and those with blade gauges to tackle any grating or zesting job that you may have in mind. For most, a combination zester/grater, such as Microplane’s "40001 Zester," will handle most kitchen tasks for around $10. More information is available on the Microplane website at us.microplane.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=6.

Measuring Cups & Spoons are always in use in the kitchen. Measuring cups can be found in plastic, glass, silicon, or stainless steel varieties. You will want to have a set of dry measuring cups and a 1 and/or 2-cup model designed specifically for measuring liquids. Look for dry measuring cups that have flat tops (which are best for ensuring accurate measurement of dry ingredients) and long handles. The stainless steel varieties are usually more durable than their plastic counterparts. Pyrex makes some of the best liquid measuring cups on the market. Their traditional models are made of tempered glass that is oven-proof, so you can measure even boiling liquids without a problem. Newer plastic models, which can also be read from above, are lighter and very handy for most liquid measuring tasks.

Measuring spoons are usually made of either plastic or stainless steel. They have many of the same pros and cons as measuring cups, so you will want to keep your eye out for some of the same attributes when you are in the market for a set for your kitchen. You should be able to find a variety of cups and spoons at your favorite kitchen or home store for $10 or less.

This concludes the "Cooking Survival Kit" series. Look for a new culinary topic in the next edition of Endeavor. Until then, happy cooking (and kitchen tool shopping)!

(This article was originally published in the July 2008, edition of Endeavor, the official quarterly newsletter of the Annandale Chamber of Commerce. Visit the Chamber at www.annandalechamber.com).

Keith Steury owns the food sherpa llc, a professional personal chef service based in Arlington, Virginia. For more information about his business, please contact him:

the food sherpa llc
Keith Steury
P.O. Box 6473
Arlington, VA 22206
Phone / Fax: 703.379.7339
Mobile: 703.772.4101
ksteury@thefoodsherpa.com
www.thefoodsherpa.com