Whether you’re just learning to cook or you’re the executive chef of your home kitchen, you probably have a basic supply of cooking tools. But it takes more than basics! The right cooking tools are key to upping your kitchen game. Here are five kitchen tools that will make you a sizzling chef.
Quality Pots & Pans: Just as every painter needs a good set of brushes, every cook needs a good set of pots and pans. One such set is the iCook® collection. It features the Duramic™ surface, which is the most durable non-stick coating in the world, as well as cool kitchen gadgets, such as a pasta insert ring and grater/steamer insert. In addition, the lids nest within the pans, so you can stack them in a cupboard or on a shelf or they can be hung from an overhead cookware rack, saving room in the kitchen.
Cooking Chopsticks: Chopsticks aren’t just for Chinese take-out anymore. Called saibashi in Japanese, cooking chopsticks are not your cheap wooden take-out accessory. Cooking chopsticks are typically made of bamboo and about 15 inches in length and allow you more precision and control than tongs or a spatula. Use them to stir-fry, scramble eggs, toss salad, pick up food in the deep-fryer, or grab small items out of jars. Cooking chopsticks have a multitude of uses that make them an essential kitchen tool.
Bench Scraper: One of the most versatile tools you can have, especially for baking, is the bench scraper. It can be used for smashing, cutting, scraping, scooping, and more. You can scrape batter out of a mixing bowl or scoop up chopped onion and move it from the cutting board to the cooking pot. A bench scraper can help smooth cake frosting or use its straightedge for cutting and then get underneath that pie dough. It also aids in clean up easily by scraping up left over cookie dough or baked on bits.
Mortar and Pestle: One simple way to step up your cooking game is the mortal and pestle. Not only does this old-school cooking tool look cool, it is one of the simplest to use, and, frankly is just better at what it does than the alternatives. While you could use a knife, blender, or food processor to do the same jobs, a mortar and pestle crushes the ingredients, where the others have a blade that cuts them. Crushing versus cutting better releases all the essential oils and full-bodied flavors trapped inside. In addition, no electricity is needed, so you fresh spices, guacamole, pesto, chimichurri, salsa, hummus, aioli, and more anywhere you cook. The kitchen tool you never knew you needed, the mortar and pestle allow you to mash, crush, whisk, and smooth your way to top chef status.
A Good Set of Knives: If nothing else, the one kitchen essential to step up your cooking game is a quality set of sharp knives. Good cooking begins with good cutting, and for this reason sharpening knives is one of the first things a professional chef does when entering the kitchen. Properly sharpened and maintained knives help prevent accidents, allows for straighter, cleaner cuts, and makes it easier to cut, thereby reducing the required force and time per use. One example of good cutting is the iCook® Knifeware Set. Designed by renowned knife expert, Ken Onion, the set offers a key to a great kitchen tool—versatility. With a knife for every job in the kitchen, you’ll be chopping your way to master chef in no time.
With these 5 kitchen tools, you’ll be cooking up a storm in no time. Bon appétit!
