Thursday, July 14, 2011

Not all kitchen tools are created equal

My husband believes in the power of knives. He is a firm believer that if a knife can do the job, then you don’t need a special tool. For the most part, I agree with this philosophy. We have a relatively small amount of storage space in our kitchen and I don’t like clutter. This frame of mind kept us from registering for a plethora of unnecessary kitchen gadgets when we got married (I’m looking at you waffle iron, Panini press, electric griddle, bread maker, the list goes on!) However, I have a small wishlist of kitchen items I could really use. I frequently read recipes that call for some little tool that I just don’t have, which tells me I cannot make that dish. Other times, the tool seems pretty basic so I try to find a substitute. Sometimes it’s suitable, other times, not so much. For example, a few weeks ago I tried to make apple chips. I got out my knife and sliced the apples, seasoned them with some cinnamon, and popped them in the oven to bake. When I pulled them out half burnt and half still soft and soggy, I added a mandolin to that wishlist. You just cannot make things like apple chips without having consistent slices.

1. Double boiler (I have a makeshift solution that works for the most part, but
it has been known to let steam into my chocolate making it seize up.)
2. Mandolin
3. Funnel
4. Apple corer/slicer (The flat one that cuts them into wedges, not the big one
that hooks to counters and spiral cuts around the apple. My husband is
adamant about NOT having one of these. It has led to many arguments.)

That’s it. For now at least. Is that really too much to ask for? I’m sure as my cooking skills progress, (they will progress right? They have to.) I will find other tools that I need. Someday I would love to have a mortar and pestle, but just don’t really see the need for it at this point in my life. But I’m guessing by the time I need a mortar and pestle, hopefully I’ll have a bigger kitchen to store it in.

For now, I will continue to make recipes I know my kitchen tools can handle. My husband will just be missing out on all the delicious things I could be making, like non-burnt or soggy apple chips.

2 comments:

Rachel K. said...

I want an apple corer too! Matt thinks a knife will do the job, but I like the even slices and less work. When we were registering, I read something that said not to buy anything that you can't use for more than one thing, eliminating things like rice cookers and panini presses. I still want a bread maker though.

Tiffany said...

I appreciate Chase's thoughts about gadgets and the uses for them. I tend to agree, but I do think there are some things that are so nice to have it out weighs the minimalist in me. A mandolin (of which I do not have)is a must!
I just got a double-boiler for Christmas and I appreciate it because both pans also double as sauce pans so I use the two pans more for sauce pans but also appreciate the real deal double boiler as well as I too have experienced the chocolate seizing up!