Kitchen essentials are one of the practical and sustainable things to donate after a disaster to a person and/or a family who had lost everything. These items help to gain confidence to start a new without feeling small from self-pity from receiving aid, being dependent and relying on others on the most basic things. The ability to be independent and self-reliant could be a great antidote from helplessness, hopelessness and ward off depression. Having the opportunity again to cook and prepare meals could aid to the path of recover. Thoughtfulness is a better gift than all the things money could buy.
Kitchen for Beginners:
How to be Smart in Assembling a Functional Kitchen Part II
This is the second part of the 4 part series of “Kitchen for Beginners: How to be Smart in Assembling a Functional Kitchen.” The items enumerated in the first part were a 4 quarter heavy duty sauce pan with all metal lid, 14 inch wooden spoon and spatula, 2 cutting boards, 8 inch chef’s knife, 2 large microwaveable mugs, and 2 sets of eating utensils, cutlery or tableware. Basically, the size and quantity of items points out to a single and/or two-person household, however, still remain flexible to any household-size.
A kitchen is an important part of our home, an appropriate place to cook and prepare healthy meals. It is important to have the proper, if not the best, tools in cooking for safety and health reasons. Moreover, both short and long-term economic benefits are gained from purchasing the right and multifaceted tools and equipment. For this month,six kitchen items would be added to the list of kitchen essentials based on its versatility.
1. All-purpose Frying Pan
In procuring pots and pans, a heavy-duty quality is always the top of the list of reason, next would be the purpose, and lastly the price. For an all-purpose frying pan, the best choice would be a heavy duty 12-inch stainless steel traditional skillet, with 10 inches cooking space, light in color, with 8 inches stainless steel handle that promote firm grip. If I had to have just one pan it would be this pan, as it is good for just about anything and could cook literally everything, whether it is shallow frying, sautéing, stir frying, pan roasting and even baking a pie. A skillet is a frying pan with a low flaring side and curve wall that makes it easy to handle and flip food while cooking. The shape also encourages evaporation which is why it is good in searing, browning and reducing pan sauce. The curve-shape also makes it easy to clean and wash. A lighter colored pan helps see and control cooking like butter browning and reducing sauces. Like any tool, always choose the one that gives a firm comfortable grip, this is for safety as one would be handling hot items.
An all-purpose frying pan is no good if it could not retain and maintain heat evenly, hence a material of stainless steel or a combination of an aluminum-core sandwiched with two stainless steel layers would be the most economical and less intimidating compare to a cast-iron and safer compare to a nonstick pan. Just like stainless steel, cast-iron is good in tempering heat but could be to intimidating and too much aftercare for a beginners. Another material is aluminum, aluminum pans are the cheapest, but is totally no good, as it heat up fast but uneven, would surely burn food and surely just forget about making sauces. In addition, this material warp and twist in high heat and sudden temperature change. While non-stick pans, may it be fluoropolymer-based or ceramic-based, are only good for cooking eggs as it has a limited heat threshold and could only handle low heat[1]. A well made heavy duty 12-inch stainless steel skillet or frying pan is a versatile pan to keep in your kitchen.
2. Tong
A 9 inch wooden tong would be a recommendable choice to protect delicate cookware surface, but for beginners a safer option would be a 9 inches stainless steel tong with a locking mechanism. The length would be long enough to keep heat and hot oil away from but maintains stability and controllability by a novice cook. Avoid items that is made of plastic even it claims to be heat resistant, always check qaulity of heat resistance silicon. Again, for safety reason, the choice is always based on how the tong gives a firm grip in your hands.
3. Medium Sieve
4. Box Grater
A 10 inches 4 sided stainless steel box grater, with stable and comfortable handle. Grater, together with peeler, has been considered as cutting tools as it has cutting surfaces [2]. The grater’s large and medium holes are used for grating soft cheeses and vegetables. While the smallest holes are used to produce small-fine shreds from hard cheeses, nuts and garlic. For safety, always used a downward motion when grating, and avoid forcing the last small piece to avoid cuts injury.
5. Peeler
A stainless steel speed peeler with swivel blade, considered as a cutting tool, used for peeling fruits and vegetables at a faster rate and shorter time [3], a great kitchen assistant. It is a good alternative for a paring knife when a beginner is not comfortable and confident enough to use a knife in peeling. A good peeler could also be used in slicing cheeses and making chocolate curls.
6. Kitchen Towels
A dozen or more of 11.5 inches by 24.5 inches, rectangular, white, soft, water-absorbent towels would be the final piece for this article on 6 versatile kitchen essentials, as these towel are not only used as a hand towel to dry hands, but also wipe dry cooking and table wares, clean and wipe counters and could be used as a pot holder. For a good standard hygiene practice, have a separate towel for each purpose and should be change everyday or depending how dirty and unsanitary it gets. And having it in white color would be easy to wash and disinfect without lamenting on color discoloration from the regular washing and bleach solution.
I hope this article provided some additional knowledge and ideas that could help in assembling and/or improving your kitchen. If you like this article, please do not forget to follow this blog and leave a comment, question, and/or suggestions. If you don’t please feel free to post your reactions and corrections that could help improve this article or this blog in general. I always appreciate what you think. Thank you.
As always enjoy cooking.
References
1. Guiliano, M. (2014, September 22). What are the Best Saute Pan. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vODAg4A2LTQ
2. Sir Makes A Lot. (2015, May 6). How to Use a Grater and Peeler. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsvNCW5gN7k
3. Ramsay, G. (2016, May 16). Gordon Ramsay's Kitchen Kit | What You Need To Be A Better Chef. [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-av6cz9upO0
No comments:
Post a Comment