Perspectives on Kitchen Equipment.
I received a new cookbook to review that I started looking over. The author includes the 11 items she considers essential specialty items. While she urges all readers to obtain all of them, I manage fine with just one. I'll share her list with my comments here:
Food processor - that's the one I agree on.
Grill pans - I don't own these and can't think that they would justify the space they take up for the couple of times I may ever in my life make use of them. However, I do have a George Foreman indoor grill that I use for burgers, hot dogs, and grilled vegetables.
Mandoline - I don't own one. If it can't be sliced in the food processor, a knife will do.
Microplane - any grating I do is usually done in the food processor. For very small things like lemon zest, I use a knife.
Ovenproof skillet -- the idea behind this is that you can transfer what you've carmelized in it directly into the oven. I think many skillets would be ovenproof, and if your isn't, you can simply transfer it into a pan that is.
PepperMate -that a brand name peppermill -- another thing I live without
Potato Masher -- I don't use it. It is possible to mash with a fork or even to use the whisk on a Kitchen Aid*
Reamer or Juicer -- I may have one among my Pesach stuff, but I don't use it. I just squeeze lemons by hand when I do opt for fresh. More likely, I would use bottled lemon juice. And forget about squeezing enough oranges for fresh oj.
Salad spinner -- don't own and can't see taking up space with it.
Scissors - while I can see how poultry shears could come in handy, I've made do without them
Tongs -- I actually have both the BBQ kind and a decorative kind. I find myself using neither.
Surprisingly, she does not include an immersion blender, though I don't think her recipes do call for it.
*What she is missing that I would include is a Kitchen-Aid or other heavy duty mixer. If one doesn't have the space or the funds, then at least a good hand-held mixer. I bake a lot, but the cookbook features very little cake.
I also think it is more useful for the beginner cook to get a list of the real essentials, like measuring cups, pots, pans, strainers, and little things like corkscrews, can openers, pot holders, trivets, etc. Then there could be the nice to have lists that really reflect individual tastes and inclinations.
What would you list of recommended kitchen equipment include?
Visit my site www.kallahmagazine.com -- not just for kallahs. You can also see posts at http://www.examiner.com/x-18522-NY-Jewish-Bridal-Examiner
Food processor - that's the one I agree on.
Grill pans - I don't own these and can't think that they would justify the space they take up for the couple of times I may ever in my life make use of them. However, I do have a George Foreman indoor grill that I use for burgers, hot dogs, and grilled vegetables.
Mandoline - I don't own one. If it can't be sliced in the food processor, a knife will do.
Microplane - any grating I do is usually done in the food processor. For very small things like lemon zest, I use a knife.
Ovenproof skillet -- the idea behind this is that you can transfer what you've carmelized in it directly into the oven. I think many skillets would be ovenproof, and if your isn't, you can simply transfer it into a pan that is.
PepperMate -that a brand name peppermill -- another thing I live without
Potato Masher -- I don't use it. It is possible to mash with a fork or even to use the whisk on a Kitchen Aid*
Reamer or Juicer -- I may have one among my Pesach stuff, but I don't use it. I just squeeze lemons by hand when I do opt for fresh. More likely, I would use bottled lemon juice. And forget about squeezing enough oranges for fresh oj.
Salad spinner -- don't own and can't see taking up space with it.
Scissors - while I can see how poultry shears could come in handy, I've made do without them
Tongs -- I actually have both the BBQ kind and a decorative kind. I find myself using neither.
Surprisingly, she does not include an immersion blender, though I don't think her recipes do call for it.
*What she is missing that I would include is a Kitchen-Aid or other heavy duty mixer. If one doesn't have the space or the funds, then at least a good hand-held mixer. I bake a lot, but the cookbook features very little cake.
I also think it is more useful for the beginner cook to get a list of the real essentials, like measuring cups, pots, pans, strainers, and little things like corkscrews, can openers, pot holders, trivets, etc. Then there could be the nice to have lists that really reflect individual tastes and inclinations.
What would you list of recommended kitchen equipment include?
Visit my site www.kallahmagazine.com -- not just for kallahs. You can also see posts at http://www.examiner.com/x-18522-NY-Jewish-Bridal-Examiner
Comments
I use my food processr and stand mixer regularly.
I bought tongs within the last year or two. I really like these for slipping chicken on my grill pan :) and pulling out browned meatballs.
I really like the onion dicer. I use it for onion and garlic when I'm cooking up a storm.
I have a potato masher and microplane. Neither are necessary, but the kids love the potato masher and can manage it when "helping." For $1 at the Dollar Tree, I don't regret the purchase.