- CULINARY
TOOLS FOR EVERY KITCHEN
- by Krista Barrett
We all have a set of basic kitchen
tools such as a ladle, whisk, spatula, peeler, pasta spoon, slotted
spoon, regular spoon, potato masher, and other choice tools.
In this article, I'm going to focus on a few extra kitchen tools
to help take a recipe from start to finish.
When preparing meals:
One of the keys to good and safe
cooking is called “mise en place” which means to prepare
all dish ingredients in advance. Everything should be measured,
chopped, diced, or sliced according to recipe instructions before
you begin cooking. These tools listed below will only aid you
in ‘mise en place’.
These are the tools:
Baster - Basters are used to lift the fat and liquids
from the bottom of a roasting pan and then pour that liquid over
the meat, keeping the meat moist, adding more flavor, and creating
a glaze as it cooks. A large spoon can do the same, but basters
hold more liquid, distribute the juices more evenly, and are
easier to use.
Basting Brush - Look for a brush that can do double
duty; meaning that can be used at the grill or on the pastry
board. Great for spreading on sauces, butters, etc onto your
meats or breads and pastries.
Box Grater - This grater is different from your
regular flat grater. It can handle a variety of foods, from cinnamon
to chocolate, cheese to vegetables. It usually has four sides
for various grating textures and is very easy to use.
Cheesecloth – An important kitchen tool and
a versatile kitchen helper; a natural cotton cloth that won't
fall apart when wet and will not flavor the food it touches.
Cheesecloth has many uses including straining liquids, forming
packets for herbs and spices (‘Bouquet Garni’) and
lining molds (‘Coeur a la Crème’).
Colander - Useful for draining pasta, and rinsing and siphoning
water from fruits and vegetables.
Click
to continue...
|
