Choosing the right utensils for your kitchen

Everything matters when making the perfect meal; quality ingredients, the recipe, the cook and last, but not least, the tools used. We should be thankful of the times we live in as we have so many kitchen utensils that help us prepare sophisticated dishes in a short space of time, without wasting too much energy. However, it's no good having the best gadget if you dont know how to use them!

Many kitchen utensils are seen as extensions of your hands and fingers, they help maintain contact with the ingredients you are using, and mold them into your end dish. Quality tools and utensils pay for themselves in the long run. Thinking objectively a cheap and poor quality pan may last you 6 months before it needs replacing, spending a bit more on better quality pans means they will last you longer. The taste of food is influenced by what the eye sees, not only what the food itself looks like but also how it is presented and what it is presented in, including the shape and size of bowls and serving dishes.

Needed in every kitchen

No matter how much (or how little) you cook, there are some basic tools that you should be present in every kitchen. For bread knives to steak knives, knives in the kitchen are very important, the serrated knife to grease, large knifes for cutting bread, portioning meat, a thin bladed knife for vegetables.

Equally important are tools for measuring, as that the success of recipes lie in the correct quantities of ingredients. Measuring cups for both liquid and solid ingredients, spoons for measuring, thermometers, stopwatch or alarm clock, kitchen scales, both electronic and mechanical small quantities for large quantities.

Then comes the mixing utensils: mixing bowls of all sizes (you can choose sets of 3-5 bowls of all sizes) and various depths, wooden spoons, spatulas, whisks of various sizes, blenders. Remember all of the tools that are helpful in the effective preparation of food so you can’t forget about the so-called basics like a tin opener, tea towels, chopping boards, cheese graters.

What materials should you choose? After you’ve made a list of tools that you consider necessary, think of the materials you want them to be made of. Wooden utensils are perfect for salads, or chopping boards. Do not use wooden utensils for raw meat, because they are very difficult to clean and remove bacteria. Plastic utensils are useful because they are light and easy to use, but most of them don’t resist to high temperatures so it’s better to use them to serve the food and not to prepare it. Some other utensils, like big forks should be made of hard and solid materials to last over time and to be used properly.