Kitchen tools are so important to the preparation of a meal, and yet so few people really grant them the status they deserve. If you think about it, the tools you use are often-times more important than the quality of the ingredients. You might have the most amazing fresh apples, Aunt DeeDee's hand-made pie crust, and imported cinnamon and sugar. But if your knife is dull, your plastic mixing bowl is holding on to odors from last week's salsa, or maybe your pie pan isn't deep enough (or made of metal - we'll talk!), you might turn all those stellar ingredients into a less than stellar pie. Tragic, right?
On the other hand, if you have store-bought, refrigerated crust, apples from a can, a little caramel ice cream topping from a jar and some walnuts left over from Thanksgiving, I can make you an Upside-Down Caramel Apple Pie for which your folks will be BEGGING next holiday! The secret? I have the right tools!!
The tools you keep in your kitchen should match the way you cook MOST OFTEN. We all have specialty items that are pulled out during the holidays, and those are fabulous. But there are some staples that one should have around, just the way you keep certain staples in your pantry . . . flour, sugar, rice, salt, Double Strength Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract. Okay, maybe that last one is just me, but it SHOULD be you, too! You deserve to have the best tools at your fingertips!
Think about this: If you ask the handy-person in your home to fix that squeaky cabinet in the bathroom (you know the one - the door hangs a little cock-eyed and your mother-in-law comments about it every time she visits), what is the typical response? The response at my house is usually, "Ohhhh, well for THAT I need a special drill bit and a one of those inserts for the cabinet backing and probably three pints of wood stain or at least some matching putty . . . and WHILE I'M THERE at Home Depot, I could pick up those special blah-blah-blahs to do this other job that I've been putting off . . . "
You get the picture.
My handy person has the right idea. The right tool for the right job makes things go smoothly and makes the end result something of which to be very proud. I am so fortunate that my handy person understands that concept, so I never catch any flak for making sure my kitchen is stocked with the right tools for the job! Even my teenagers recognize that value, which is exciting because I know when they get out in the world, they will know how to feed themselves from somewhere other than the Ramen noodles aisle.
So what are the staples? You need to have quality for the things you do most often. If you bake a lot, you need quality mixing tools: a tempered glass bowl with measurements and a handle for ease of use; top-quality nylon scrapers that won't stain, hold odors, or drop their heads in your cookie dough; versatile measuring tools that can go in the dishwasher without warping or fading; sturdy, reliable pans (I prefer stoneware over metal because I find the stone's heat distribution leads to fewer disasters); you get the idea.
If you cook everything on the stove, you need top quality (lifetime warrantied) cookware! Look for glass lids, sturdy heat-proof handles, and (my personal favorite perk) lids which can hang up with the pans/pots. Think about how you cook on the stove . . do you need non-stick surfaces (omelets, stir-fry veggies, things with cheese) or would stainless work better for you (high heat cooking, searing meats, caramelizing onions, making gravies, etc.)? Maybe you need a little of both.
Do you make lots of casseroles and crock-pot dishes? You need top notch cutting tools! Make sure your kitchen boasts lifetime-warrantied knives, dishwasher-safe cutting boards, stoneware baking dishes, and fresh, fragrant spices.
Worried about the cost of equipping your kitchen with everything you need? Of course it's not an overnight process. Start by replacing one or two substandard tools in your kitchen with the good stuff! Trust me, when you see what a difference even ONE replacement will do for your confidence and your recipes, you will be HOOKED!! For me, I discovered that I could get everything I want at a discount or for free by teaching other folks like me about the tools I love! (Contact me for more information on that opportunity via my website listed at the bottom of this article.)
I have to share one more thing about having the right tools in your kitchen. I am a slob. I hate to clean anything. I hate having a dirty home, too, so you can imagine that this is a big problem for me! If I would only visit a psychotherapist, I'd probably be institutionalized immediately!! One of my very biggest requirements for kitchen tools is that they clean EASILY. I don't own a food processor because it bugs me that I have to take it all apart and clean all those little whatevers. UGH!! I will not scrub a lasagna dish or a roasted-chicken-pan, so I have stones (terrifically easy clean-up) and a non-stick roasting pan. It's all in the planning ahead! Nearly all my measuring tools and hand-held tools (spatulas, scrapers, scoops, peelers, spoons) go in the dishwasher - by the way, NEVER, EVER put good knives in the dishwasher! They are easy to wipe and wash by hand, so take the extra minute and they'll last forever (just a little tip from your Auntie Pam).
If you eat, you should have the tools to make every meal your best (including cookbooks with pictures, by the way - I can't understand why so many cookbooks are published with only words - Hellooooo?! Cookbook industry?? We would like to see a picture to know if we did it right!). Your kitchen is your workbench, so fill it with the right tools for the job! Your hard work is worth it, you deserve it!! Here's to great success and good eating!
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