Being that I was ruminating over my dream kitchen yesterday, I thought it would be wholly appropriate to delve into the various gadgetry that I find essential for any well equipped kitchen. I tend to subscribe to the Alton Brown school of thought; meaning I try not to clutter my kitchen with single-use tools, because in most cases, less is more.
However, that philosophy hasn’t stopped me from the occasional impulse buy (really, who needs an ice cream scoop in the shape of a cow, anyway?)
So, without further adieu…
1 – Tongs – Ah, tongs. Tongs are like the duct tape of the kitchen world; exceptionally versatile and always innovative in their usage. I can use tongs to cook (clearly), but they also make great tools for holding oily pieces of paper towel when wiping down a BBQ grill, they’re key for retrieving foods from narrow-mouthed jars, and if you place half a lemon between the arms, the lever action makes a pretty bitchin’ impromptu juicer.
2 – A Santoku or other really sharp chef’s knife – My preference leans toward an Asian-style knife, and Santoku’s are notable for their comfort, reliability and precision. A Santoku is a Japanese knife that is typically shorter, stouter and easier to handle in my dainty hand than a traditional 8 or 10 inch chef’s knife. They occasionally have scalloped “divets” on the sides of the blade to prevent food from sticking to the knife, but Wikipedia informs me that these might not be entirely traditional. As a rule of thumb, every kitchen should have one really solid, sturdy knife, and for my money, the Santoku does it in my kitchen.
3 – Salad Spinner – Even if you only occasionally eat your greens, it makes good sense to have one of these around because nothing deflates a salad faster than limp, water-logged leaves. The internal bowl in the spinner can also double as a colander, and the whole thing can also be used (gently) for washing cherry tomatoes or delicate summer berries.
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Tags: Alton Brown, baking stone, ceramic rasp, dutch oven, gadgets, griddler, kitchen, Kitchenaid, Le Creuset, Lists, mandoline, microplane, mortar and pestle, offset spatula, salad spinner, santoku, saute pan, Silpat, skillet, slow cooker, The Foodie 13, tongs
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I have an ongoing, acute case of kitchen hankering.
It makes me laugh sometimes, because I’m sure there are a lot of people who would look at our kitchen and think that it’s pretty close to ideal (and it is) but when you live and work in it every day, eventually you pick up on the shortcomings and faults.
Chief amongst those downsides for me would be the lack of a double sink. When I lived on my own (pre-Everyman) I got so used to that small luxury that when we moved in together it was one of the things I ended up resenting about our shoebox apartment (that and the gaudy Scarface-esque rose-tinted mirrored walls, and chipped granite floors. A spacious kitchen was always in the plans when we were condo/house shopping a few years back, and even though I knew I wanted it, the sink ended up being one of a million tiny details that I wasn’t paying attention to. Not that I would’ve walked away from our place because of it when it came down to decision time. Of course, since our countertops are stainless steel, it’s not exactly the easiest thing to refit the kitchen with a new sink, either.
Another thing our kitchen lacks is a sizable pantry. We have 5 standard over the fridge or under the counter cabinets, but I’m a hardcore cook; I come with a plethora of gear. My kitchen tools, dishes and implements take up 4 of the 5 cabinets, plus one whole windowsill, which only leaves one small 3 shelf cabinet for dry staples. We have a minuscule broom closet that could theoretically be converted into a small pantry, if I weren’t using it to hang coils of my home-cured sausages.
The third thing that’s missing is an island. When we first saw our condo, it was staged and they had a movable island set up in the empty space between the kitchen and the living area, so I just sort of assumed that once we moved in we’d get one. In an attempt to keep the flow of the space open we’ve since decided against this, but it also means that I have nowhere to centre a well-placed ceiling pot rack to free up that valuable cupboard space.
Other than those 3 small nuisances, our kitchen is practically perfect, though my dream kitchen for our next house has been shaped by nagging kitchen covetousness. One of our neighbours a few doors over has a droolworthy wood-burning oven situated in their backyard, one which I have contemplated hopping the half dozen fences between our properties to use late at night. Due to that, (plus a trip to my in-laws friend’s where a wood-burning hearth formed the central heating system for their cottage) a wood oven has now become a near necessity. It might take me until I’m retired and living in the country pickin’ beans, but dammit, some day I will have one!
In recent years a secondary oven has also become something of a want; one that I didn’t grasp the convenience of until I met the Everyman’s mom. Not only does she have a second oven, but it happens to be installed at their home-away-from-home cottage – making it perfect for hosting large holiday celebrations. In general it just seems like a smart (if luxurious) idea that would aid in expedited baking.
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Tags: Alton Brown, CuisinArt Resort, dreams, Feasting On Waves, kitchen, ramblings
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