My Essential Kitchen Tools

Almost any home cook I've met, whatever their level of experience, has a fiercely protected collection of favourite kitchen tools that cannot be loaned out for fear of loss. I am no different. My garlic press is my garlic press...do you know what I mean?

Here's my top 10 list. What's on yours?

1. Pampered Chef Garlic Press. This tool amazes me every time I use it. No peeling required, and the garlic just slides out, and cleaning is a breeze. If you live in Canada, this is the rep I usually work with.
2. Cutco Carrot/Potato Peeler. I don't even remember when I bought this, but someone told me once if I ever had the chance to buy one, I should and I would never regret it. They were right.
3. Pampered Chef Julienne Peeler. If you make a lot of salads or stir fries and want to cut the hassle of hand cutting little thin strips of vegetables, this is the tool for you. I tried a different brand from a kitchen store after experiencing this marvelous one at a cooking class, but returned it after one use. There's no comparison.
4. A Really Sharp Paring Knife. I like mine from Epicure. It's got a wicked ceramic blade and I love using it. But I think that knives are probably a personal preference- how it fits in your hand and the weight of it, for one thing, will feel differently to each person. My husband has his own favourite knives, for example.
5. A Pizza Cutter. These are fantastic, and not just for pizza. If you want to cut fresh pasta by hand, for example, you can slice it quickly and cleanly with this tool.
6. A Fine Grater. I use this every single day! Sometimes more than once. It's forever being washed and dried and used again. We use it for cheese, radishes, garlic, citrus zests, carrots, and chocolate.
7. A Milk Frother. Nothing dresses up a chai latte, hot chocolate, or coffee like milk froth. Just because I'm enjoying it at home doesn't mean it can't be made a little more pretty.
8. A Fine Mesh Strainer. I use this for everything from dusting cocoa to straining tea leaves when making iced tea. Maybe not used every day, but several times in a week.
9. Several Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons. Because I cook a lot, I use measuring cups and spoons multiple times a day. My favourite ones have both Metric and Imperial Measurements on the handles, and can be washed in the dishwasher. They nest together in sizes from 1/8 c. to 1 c. and from 1/4 tsp to 1 tbsp. I have 3 sets of each.
10. Instant Read Thermometer. Hands down, the only real way to test whether or not your food is done. 

A well-stocked and organized kitchen makes it easier to plan meals, prepare meals, and eat meals at home. You don't have to eat out (unless you want to!) when you can use your kitchen easily and efficiently! Throw out your broken tools and replace them with ones that work properly. Cooking just doesn't work when your things are broken or wrong.

For example, when we were newlyweds and stocking our kitchen, we went to our local dollar store to buy things like measuring cups and measuring spoons. I used my cook book from Home Economics in grade 9, so I knew the recipes worked. But nothing I baked would turn out. I was at wits' end until I compared my measuring cups to my mom's and realized that all the cups were completely wrong! It was eye opening, for sure. I had started thinking the problem was me rather than my tools...who would have thought?

What kinds of items are on your list of favourite kitchen tools?

Enjoy your week!
Stacy

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