Chef Meg's Top 10 Tools for a Stress-Free Kitchen
By: Meg Galvin,
SparkPeople Blogger
3/7/2011 5:40 PM
: 60 comments
: 13,706 Views
Awhile back I shared my six favorite kitchen tools. (Watch the video here.) Well, today I'm going to show you Round 2 of my favorites. Now, you can be a great cook--and a healthy one--without most of these tools and appliances, but boy do they make prepping food a breeze. Put these on your wish list--or treat yourself when you reach a goal! (That's my real-life kitchen in the photo above!)
1. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer: My go-to for mixing cakes and kneading breads. This is the machine that can do it all and leave your hands free. I think they should change the name to the "Multi-tasker Master Mixer." Look for a model with the highest horsepower if you are planning on making a lot of yeast doughs. I have the professional model because I didn't ever want to worry about burning out the motor. Have you ever noticed the front plate on the machine? Well, it is magical. I have pasta rollers that fit in the slot and make pasta rolling and cutting a breeze. You can also pick up a grinding plate that will grind meats in a flash. (I use it to make low-sodium breakfast sausage.) Oh, by the way, check out all the cool colors!
Cost: About $350
2. Silpat: I bought mine when I was working in France 10 years ago, and I still have the same one. These days, you don't need to go to France to pick one up for your kitchen. This is a must-have tool for the healthy kitchen. When using this silicone baking mat, you don't have to grease your baking sheets, and it's environmentally friendly since you reuse it. (Just be careful to never put it under the broiler or in the dishwasher.) Wipe clean with a damp kitchen towel and let it air dry.
Cost: about $15
3. Kitchen Aid Food Processor: Perfect for cutting, shredding, or pureeing foods. My secret, I make all my icings in the food processor. It blends the fat and sugar and does not add any extra air like a regular mixer. This is one tool where you want buy quality. I like the kitchen aid brand because the blades stay sharp and it brings in lots of power.
Cost: about $150
4. Staub Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven: When it is cold outside this is the workhorse in my house. This post provides steady even heat. Perfect for stews, soups, and braised dishes. Can go from the stove top to oven to table. You can spend a small fortune on enameled Dutch ovens if you go for the top of the line brand name. I have found Staub to be the best value. Be careful not to take it from extreme hot to extreme cold, it will crack.
Cost: $30 to 300 depending on the size
5. Victornox knives: I am going to tell my age! When I attended the Cordon Bleu 27 years ago I was presented with a set of Victornox forged knives. I still use them all today- everyday. They hold their edge and are light to the touch. Hand wash.
Cost: $3.89-$30
6. IKEA PS Spraka Pepper Mill: This pepper mill sits right next to my stove for easy access. It has a ceramic grinding mechanism that takes whole peppercorns to a cracked cut in seconds. I love how it looks in my kitchen- usable and functional art work with its stacked circle design. This was my girlfriend gift last year.
Cost: $19.99
7. Glass Storage Containers: Steaming or reheating in the microwave using plastic makes me nervous. I invest in glass storage containers just for this purpose. The food tastes so much better!
Cost: ranges from $2 - $20
8. Best Whisk: Wonder how it got its name? A French chef that I worked with years ago introduced me to this lovely balloon whisk. He kept saying this is the "best whisk" and I would ask, "what is the brand name"? The company that makes the whisk thought the same thing so they named it the "Best Whisk." It has a nice wooden handle and tines that work to help incorporate air into mixes. Makes whipping egg whites a breeze.
Cost: $13
9. Baking Stone: If you want a crisp crust on pizza or golden baked chicken this is the tool for your kitchen. I love mine and use it almost every day. Heat it up along with the oven for preheat mode and food gets cooking the minute it hits the stone. Be careful to clean with a scrapper or stone scrubber only. Soap and water do not mix with this natural stone.
Cost: $25
10. "Y" Peelers: These little colorful peelers really do the job and can be picked up for a great price. I have several in my kitchen. I like the way they are designed to be open at the top. I like to peel like one would strum a guitar so this style of peeler suits me best. Caution- they need to be hand washed.
Cost: $4
Which of these do you own? Which do you want?
1. Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer: My go-to for mixing cakes and kneading breads. This is the machine that can do it all and leave your hands free. I think they should change the name to the "Multi-tasker Master Mixer." Look for a model with the highest horsepower if you are planning on making a lot of yeast doughs. I have the professional model because I didn't ever want to worry about burning out the motor. Have you ever noticed the front plate on the machine? Well, it is magical. I have pasta rollers that fit in the slot and make pasta rolling and cutting a breeze. You can also pick up a grinding plate that will grind meats in a flash. (I use it to make low-sodium breakfast sausage.) Oh, by the way, check out all the cool colors!
Cost: About $350
2. Silpat: I bought mine when I was working in France 10 years ago, and I still have the same one. These days, you don't need to go to France to pick one up for your kitchen. This is a must-have tool for the healthy kitchen. When using this silicone baking mat, you don't have to grease your baking sheets, and it's environmentally friendly since you reuse it. (Just be careful to never put it under the broiler or in the dishwasher.) Wipe clean with a damp kitchen towel and let it air dry.
Cost: about $15
3. Kitchen Aid Food Processor: Perfect for cutting, shredding, or pureeing foods. My secret, I make all my icings in the food processor. It blends the fat and sugar and does not add any extra air like a regular mixer. This is one tool where you want buy quality. I like the kitchen aid brand because the blades stay sharp and it brings in lots of power.
Cost: about $150
4. Staub Enameled Cast Iron Dutch Oven: When it is cold outside this is the workhorse in my house. This post provides steady even heat. Perfect for stews, soups, and braised dishes. Can go from the stove top to oven to table. You can spend a small fortune on enameled Dutch ovens if you go for the top of the line brand name. I have found Staub to be the best value. Be careful not to take it from extreme hot to extreme cold, it will crack.
Cost: $30 to 300 depending on the size
5. Victornox knives: I am going to tell my age! When I attended the Cordon Bleu 27 years ago I was presented with a set of Victornox forged knives. I still use them all today- everyday. They hold their edge and are light to the touch. Hand wash.
Cost: $3.89-$30
6. IKEA PS Spraka Pepper Mill: This pepper mill sits right next to my stove for easy access. It has a ceramic grinding mechanism that takes whole peppercorns to a cracked cut in seconds. I love how it looks in my kitchen- usable and functional art work with its stacked circle design. This was my girlfriend gift last year.
Cost: $19.99
7. Glass Storage Containers: Steaming or reheating in the microwave using plastic makes me nervous. I invest in glass storage containers just for this purpose. The food tastes so much better!
Cost: ranges from $2 - $20
8. Best Whisk: Wonder how it got its name? A French chef that I worked with years ago introduced me to this lovely balloon whisk. He kept saying this is the "best whisk" and I would ask, "what is the brand name"? The company that makes the whisk thought the same thing so they named it the "Best Whisk." It has a nice wooden handle and tines that work to help incorporate air into mixes. Makes whipping egg whites a breeze.
Cost: $13
9. Baking Stone: If you want a crisp crust on pizza or golden baked chicken this is the tool for your kitchen. I love mine and use it almost every day. Heat it up along with the oven for preheat mode and food gets cooking the minute it hits the stone. Be careful to clean with a scrapper or stone scrubber only. Soap and water do not mix with this natural stone.
Cost: $25
10. "Y" Peelers: These little colorful peelers really do the job and can be picked up for a great price. I have several in my kitchen. I like the way they are designed to be open at the top. I like to peel like one would strum a guitar so this style of peeler suits me best. Caution- they need to be hand washed.
Cost: $4
Which of these do you own? Which do you want?
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Comments
I used to love my food processor when they first came out but I find that I rarely use it now.
The items I most value in the kitchen are set-and-forget appliances. I love my rice cooker; my rice comes out perfect and when it is done it keeps it warm. Mine is a cheap one so if I leave it on warm too long it will burn the rice on the bottom but it is still so much easier than using a pan and a timer. My in-laws bought me a Richard Simmons vegetable steamer a few years back and I thought it was a joke but it rocks. It has 3 sections that can each be set to different times and it starts each section so they will all be done at the same time and keeps them warm when the time is up. In my bachelor days I discovered the time a pressure cooker saved but I had to listen to make sure the jiggler kept hissing to be sure it wasn't plugged and I had to use a timer. Now I have an electronic pressure cooker that is also set-and-forget. I set the time and it cooks the food and keeps it warm when finished.
Not sure how they compare to Victorix but I have Cutco knives and these are seriously sharp.
I don't use it as often the appliances I list above but I do like my high power blender. I have a Vitamix and it makes the best smoothies. It sounds like a jet taking off when I run it but other than that it is incredible. Vitamix was the only blender like it when I got mine but now I understand that Blendtec also makes a high power blender worth consideration.
Ever hear of Scanpans? They are non-stick but use a hard ceramic surface instead of Teflon. Unlike other non-sticks you can use metal utensils on them. They are expensive but worth it. FWIW, some of my Scanpans did get messed up after a lot of use but the company replaced them without drama. - 3/29/2011 12:54:31 PM
I probably use the food processor more than anything else; I make spinach hummus with it every week; the recipe I use calls for roasting the chickpeas, and I'm not sure a lesser processor could do it as easily! I also use the same pyrex containers pictured; I "switched over" from plastics about 6 months ago and I've never looked back. I do still use a few teeny plastic containers for bringing things like salad dressings or hot sauce to work, but even those I'll probably swap for glass jars soon. Aside from the toxins issue, I like that you can get them truly clean. And the y-peeler? Awesome! I had an old standard style peeler I'd used for years, and kind of on a whim I bought an inexpensive y-peeler at the cooking store -- what a difference! It seriously made peeling a potato into a PLEASURE!
And I agree that an immersion blender is awesome for soups, stews -- and invaluable when I make a batch of homemade ketchup -- and I couldn't live without my crock pot, especially in the winter. I'm actually toying with getting a bigger one, 'cause I like to make a lot and freeze leftovers, but I have to make sure it'll fit in the same place in my cabinet!
Reading all of these posts has inspired me to look further into what all my mixer can do -- I've been wanting to make my own bread, and I totally forgot there's a dough hook on it! And I think I'm going to ask for the meat grinder and pasta maker attachments for Christmas or my birthday; I'd love to be able to make my own sausages and whole wheat pasta! And DUH, I always have a huge amount of extra veg from my garden; I've been wanting to can and pickle but all that chopping was so daunting -- didn't even occur to me to use my mixer's veggie slicer attachment!!! Homemade bread-and-butter pickles, here I come! - 3/9/2011 7:11:56 PM
I have a Lodge cast iron Dutch oven which I love. I particularly like that I can saute in it and then add other ingredients for a soup or stew. (again - no dishwasher - but I actually love to wash dishes. I find it meditative)
I've been using Rada knives which are inexpensive and easy to sharpen. I started with some from a knife store in Gatlinsburg, TN and since added some that I bought on the internet.
I have an old fashioned cast iron meat grinder that I use to make ground turkey and chicken and chopped herring salad.
My two favorite plug ins are my rice cooker and my Magic Bullet. - 3/8/2011 8:35:35 PM
A few on this thread mentioned the Vita-Mixer. I have one and I absolutely love it. I use it everyday!
- 3/8/2011 12:08:47 PM
You can buy a used one in any color except Turquoise for about 100.00.(turquoise is 50.00 more).
Look for one that has all the accessories with it. - 3/8/2011 10:52:43 AM
I gave away my KitchenAid stand mixer (not enough room).
Same with my cast iron dutchoven (too heavy, no room)
I like the baking stone,don't use it much.
Have a grocery store veggie peeler that is 30 years old...
Knives from Walmart ( local grocery resharpens for free, as long as you aren't a pest.. see the butcher..)
My peppercorns came in a disposable peppermill (Aldi I think)
I would be scared of cooking anything on or near silicone ( I work in the rubber industry).
the things I can't do without are my white plastic cutting board (KMart), and crockpots (Sears) - 3/8/2011 10:41:12 AM
It should make you nervous! A famous Canadian scientist, David Suzuki recently gave a lecture that I attended. Because of plastics in our environment, each of us has about a pound of plastic in our bodies, in our cells. Microwaving in plastic containers is definitely something one should never do. Use glass or ceramic containers.
I used to use a plastic cover in the microwave that I got at a dollar store for a dollar. Because I'm a potter I decided to make my own microwave cover and toss the plastic one into the recycling bin.
I have a baking stone that I got at a thrift store for about $5 and we love it!! It makes a good pizza crust a great pizza crust! - 3/8/2011 9:16:45 AM
Magic Bullet - shreds and chops, but most importantly whips up an excellent morning smoothie
Toastmaster Toaster Oven/Bread Machine - this device does everything, including makes a decent bread! - 3/8/2011 7:13:36 AM
My favorite toolath the moment is a stainless steel kadhai (Indian wok) which I use for just about all my cooking needs (soups, curries, masalas, chilis).
Silpats are great, but there are cheaper versions that work as well for 1/4 the price. I also use permanent parchment paper for a lot of my baking. I find it works better than the silpats, is easier to clean, and is way cheaper. - 3/8/2011 6:39:44 AM
I love my pryex glass dishes! I got a new set for Christmas last year as many of mine were broken and all the lids had disappeared. I love, love my knife set! About 10 years ago, I got a small set of Cutco knives. Love them! I've been gradually adding to the set over the years. They are expensive but are worth the price. - 3/8/2011 3:40:44 AM
I have cuiinart processor with which I can whip spelt flour bread till it is hot and rises with no yeast a lfesaver when yeast bothers me.
My sheffield steel Friar knives I love. I too use only pyrex in the micowave .I have and really wanted a vita mix blender but it is way too big and cumbersome now. Just 2 of us and I use my magic bullet for grinding my flax and making spreads in small quantities that way I can have more variety. - 3/7/2011 10:44:05 PM
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