Kitchen Tools
Did you notice over the holidays how many specialty cookware catalogues and kitchen stores sell every imaginable accoutrement for the home cook? It prompted us to ask our chefs and kitchen crews what they feel is their most indispensable kitchen tool. Here are the gadgets they can't live without:
A burmixer (or handheld emulsion blender) that smooths out any sauce, purees anything, and fixes broken sauces... Johnny Scheoberl
Six-inch tongs - they take the place of a spatula, a hand, a spoon, or a whisk. They're cheap and plentiful.. Chris Hunter
A silpat - a nonstick pad that lines a baking sheet and evenly distributes heat. Perfect when making biscotti or toffee. And, a balsa wood sander (you can buy them at craftstores) for grating nutmeg... Duskie Estes
Le Cloche - a ceramic, bell shaped bowl used in baking bread. Because it traps steam from the baking bread, it produces an excellent loaf with a crisp crust and great color. And it works better then a $50,000 French oven... Andy Meltzer
A kitchen timer - it's probably saved our kitchen thousands in labor and ingredients...Sean Hartley
My first studio apartment in Seattle drained my monthly paychecks, forcing me to live with the bare necessities. Unfortunately, a full set of pans was not in my budget so my jiffy pop "saute" pan worked like a charm. It was even "pre-seasoned"!... Michelle Jones
A sautoir, which is a straight-sided, "do everything" pan - use it to saute, for braising, or making soup ... John Sundstrom
"The Chipper" - a cheap french fry press that I bought at a second hand store ... Eric Tanaka
An item I picked up at a flea market in Palm Springs - it's a cross between a robo coup and a salad spinner. You put in a tomato, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, onion and lemon; turn the crank and out comes salsa ... Steven Steinbock
A sausage stuffer - I bought mine from "The Sausage Man" in Buffalo new York ... Tom Douglas
A food mill - they are so versatile and (as opposed to a food processor) they do a better job of separating out the solids that you don't want processed... Matt Costello
For the first time in my life I bought a KitchenAid mixer for use at home. It was expensive, but I think it is such well-made machine that if you like to bake, it's really worth it...Shelley Lance
I have two favorites - whisks; they are great for almost everything from vinaigrettes to waffle batter. And a potato ricer for a smooth mashed potato which makes a potato so creamy you don't need butter or cream ... Melinda Burdo
Thin plastic cutting boards; the ones that cost around $2.99. They are easy to cut food on and then carry right to the pot ... Jackie Cross
My most valuable kitchen accessory is my stainless steel cocktail shaker. I use it to fix a broken mayonnaise, mix salad dressings, make icy lemonades, and of course, the perfect martini... Bennie Frost
