Favorite Tool in the Kitchen

Alright. I just got through making a fairly complicated dessert (Chocolate-Orange-Pecan Torte) that involved all three of my favorite appliances and one of my favorite hand tools. I want to know what you consider-

1) To be indespensible (can be more than one thing)
2) Something you love but really don't need or use alot

I'll go first (which only seems fair since I am, by definition, the first one to post on this thread).

I love my Kitchen aid mixer and my 20 year old (no safety features, not one)Cuisinart. I have virtually every attachment made for both units and have, many times, actually cooked or baked something complicated involving these appliances just to put them through their "wonder of modern convenience" paces.

On the low tech side I have a 53 year old O'Keefe and Merrit stove. It has a bread oven, regular oven, a cool stainless griddle, and four really hot burners, 2 of which have regular grates and 2 of which have steel plates over the fire. The plates are incredibly great for getting an even simmer and not scorching gumbo and other stuff that has starch or flour that will settle out and scorch. I don't know why new ones don't carry on with this feature. It is made from white porcelain, stainless, and chrome. It weighs a ton. It cooks like a dream and when something goes out not only can I get the parts, but I can repair it myself. I don't know much about digital, but I know about thermocouples and gas valves.

On the silly thing I like the most, I have a 30 dollar zester I bought at B,B,andB. a couple of years ago. It is the sharpest tool I have in my kitchen and makes zest the size of dust particles. Rediculously expensive? Yes. Does it make me happy and is it worth it? Hell yes!

My Wife!

quote:

Originally posted by BigGlenn

My Wife!

I think my boyfriend would get really mad if I called him a tool!

Since I can only have the oven on late at night because of the heat, I sometimes double up meal cooking. Tonight I made smothered pork chops, yams, quiche, and a banana cream/strawberry pie. The tool I had in my hand most was a weird whisk I got at IKEA. The "business" end is shaped like a half-moon and it is so much better than a traditional whisk!

Even though I don't use it much this time of year, I am madly in love with my Kitchenaid mixer. It's so dreamy.

Besides the obvious chef's and serrated knives, I also use whisks for many things, and TONGS are used constantly.

One of the greatest inventions is a hand-blender. It's so much nicer and easier to blend in the pan than to use the regular blender.

Last year, I received an Ulu as a gift. I'd never heard of one, and it's a half-moon shaped knife with a handle across the top. It comes with a block of wood that's a cutting board and on side, and the other side is carved out into a bowl (which perfect matches the shape of the blade). It's PERFECT for chopping, although I must admit I tend to use my knife more. Ulu's are made in Alaska:

http://www.theulufactory.com/blade_block_bowl_cutting/Default.asp

BTW: I ordered a set of those "chef's wands", that are like a combo whisk and tongs, a month or two ago. They looked so cool on TV, and I mentioned tham on a thread similar to this one. My impression? They suck. Almost completely useless.

OK, I am revealing my darkside here, but I run a very large place that takes calls for Direct Response Ads on TV. We only sell really expensive gym equipment, no junk, but I do have access to alot of strange websites. If you are EVER thinking about buying something off of the TV you should go here.

http://www.asontv.com/

Also, TV infomercial .com is a good place for workout gear reviews.

As seen on TV is a really funny site. It is a consumer review place that has live reviews for your education and edification

I have and frequently use a chopping bowl and sort of single handed mezaluna knife that came with it ,similar to the UNU described by Bushie. It is a great tool for chopping fresh herbs. Our bowl is carved from hard maple and is available from: House in the Woods, Ripton, VT.

I could not live without my coffee grinder which I use every day - it is an inexpensive chopper type grinder. We also have another of the same type grinder that we reserve for grinding spices and i would never want to be without it.

Bushie,
My father in law brought me one of those round knives and the little pestle type block that comes with it. I can't get the hang of it. I am sure it is very useful, but I think that I am too much of a crusty, old cave man. I keep trying, but still go for the 10 in Sabatier when I have real chopping to do.

He did bring me something useful when he was up there. He brought a pair of "salad hands". This is a pair of wooden devices that are small, fingerlike paddles for tossing and serving salad. I use them everyday, pretty much. Have never seen them in any catalogues, but would buy another pair in a minute, especially if I could find some made of plastic (teflon or something like it).

I think our cast-iron skillets are the most versatile, most used tools in our kitchen. However, I would be lost without my Kitchenaids (food processer and stand mixer) as well. My chef tongs are so so important too. And my OXO peeler...they sure do make some great products. Oh yeah, and my air bake cookie sheets...now my husband doesn't have to lie anymore and say he LIKES the burnt ones.

Meowzart

Mayhaw, those "bear claws" ARE cool! My sister-in-law has a pair, but I haven't found them locally and they're kinda pricey to order. They sure work great, though.

http://www.seabear.com/showsubprod.cfm?SingleItem=A1008

quote:

Originally posted by EliseT
I think my boyfriend would get really mad if I called him a tool!

My Beloved can be a real tool at times, but that's neither here nor there.

I *heart* my Microplane graters and zesters. I can't imagine life without them. I also swear by the Rubbermaid Commercial red-handled high-heat rubber scrapers. I use them for everything, as they're more comfortable to hold than a wooden spoon, they don't get hot and they survive the dishwasher with aplomb. I cannot reccomend them highly enough, nor can I imagine having to cook without them.

My could-live-without-but-wouldn't-want-to includes my Vita-Mix blender (for the best tropical frozen drinks *ever*), Calphalon cookware (I really, really, really like how hard-anodized aluminum behaves and how it holds up to abuse), and my gelato machine.

Eric

My flyswatter! But my Shell "No-Pest-Strip" comes in a close second. I always try to take it down before dinner guests arrive, because you can see my kitchen from the dining area. One time, I "forgot" to take it down before my mother-in-law came to dinner. She hasn't been back to my house for dinner since.

But, seriously speaking...my All-Clad cookware that can go from stovetop to oven is the most appreciated. I love my Braun handheld blender, too. And of course, my Kitchen Aid mixer and Cuisinart are indispensible for a lot of things. Any baking dishes that can handle being under a broiler for a short time are a big hit with me as well.

Seafarer, that's cool stuff available from that company:

https://www.houseinthewoodsvermont.com/index.html

Are you familiar with the music of that Spencer Lewis guy? Would you recommend it?

My cast iron skillet and my girlfriend. Although I have called her many endearing names, tool is not one I have used. And thats a good thing.

I love my salt and pepper shakers that take sea salt and whole peppercorns. What's special about them is that you only need one hand to operate each one. It's great when you're cooking and need that other hand for mixing.

My tongs are probably number one, especially since I do a lot of grilling. I do love my reamer for lemons and limes. and my third indispensible tool is my "Rabbit" wine bottle opener. It makes happiness so easy.......

Cutco knives with the pearl handles are both the sharpest & the prettiest kitchen knives around.

I use my battery-operated peppermill with light every day - it rules!

quote:

Originally posted by EliseT

quote:

Originally posted by BigGlenn

My Wife!

I think my boyfriend would get really mad if I called him a tool!

Well, She isn't a Machine......

Bushie: Never heard of Spencer Lewis till you asked about him, but any guy who builds stone walls can't be all bad. He has a web page- I found him in Google under his name but for some reason could not pull up an audio. Those wooden "bear claws" are my wife's favorite salad servers, we have them in several configurations that she has purchased at regional craft fairs - all in wood. Fie! on plastic!

Oh get in the twenty first century, Seafarer John. I only mentioned plastic because the dishwasher (yes I know they shouldn't go in there but they do anyway, so there) is drying them out. I like the shape and the feel of them as a practical cooking tool. If I had a set made out of something less destructible I could save the swell (and more asthetically pleasing) wood ones for showing off. Incidentally, I am not anti wood. I use wood cutting boards (even though I know that the delrin ones are more sanitary) and wooden salad bowls and wooden spoons etc. I just thought those salad claws were a great everyday thing and they would be more practical in delrin or teflon or something else heavy and not wood and dishwasher safe.

Those delrin or other hard plastic cutting boards dull a knife so fast that I rarely use ours, prefering to take a little time to scrub our wood
(maple) boards. Maybe the time would be just as well spent with the steel on the knife. Also, my wife frequently treats all our wooden utensils with "food safe" mineral oil so they last for many years with everyday use. Sometimes with that second bottle of wine things wind up in the dishwasher that shouldn't be in there .

BTW Mahaw, I've just been reading a collection of Ellen Gilchrist stories " Age of Miracles". I assume you are familiar with her work as she frequently talks about NO. Do you agree that she is one of the best short story writers working in America today?

John,
I love Ellen Gilchrist. Oddly enough, I know one of her sons fairly well through a bizarre combo of New Orleans partying ( I had this great house 2 blocks up from Tipitinas for years and made alot of friends during the long breaks, due to a combined situation involving sanitary bathrooms, free beer , and the nearest available air conditioning) and friends in Jackson, MS.

If you ever get a chance to go to one of her readings, go, she is a great reader as well as a writer. Lovely accent, (Vicksburg, MS well bred, soft lilt)lovely woman. She is now a teacher in Fayetteville (I think she has been for a while). I loved "Victory over Japan" and especially liked "I, Rhoda Manning, Go Hunting with my Daddy"

If you like Gilchrist, I might reccomend another Southern girl, Sheila Bosworth. Her books are kind of New Orleanscentric, but are in the same vein. I would reccomend getting "Almost Innocent" and giving it a try if you want to see what she is about. She lives in the same parish I do and you see her out and about (she needs to eat more, skinny as a bean pole) sometimes.

quote:

Originally posted by Bushie

Besides the obvious chef's and serrated knives, I also use whisks for many things, and TONGS are used constantly.

One of the greatest inventions is a hand-blender. It's so much nicer and easier to blend in the pan than to use the regular blender.

Last year, I received an Ulu as a gift. I'd never heard of one, and it's a half-moon shaped knife with a handle across the top. It comes with a block of wood that's a cutting board and on side, and the other side is carved out into a bowl (which perfect matches the shape of the blade). It's PERFECT for chopping, although I must admit I tend to use my knife more. Ulu's are made in Alaska:

http://www.theulufactory.com/blade_block_bowl_cutting/Default.asp

BTW: I ordered a set of those "chef's wands", that are like a combo whisk and tongs, a month or two ago. They looked so cool on TV, and I mentioned tham on a thread similar to this one. My impression? They suck. Almost completely useless.

I second the notion with the ULU, Bushie. I got one a couple of years back, and was really delighted. Unfortunately, it was not a good one; cheaply made. Fell apart.

Mayhaw: Thanks folr validating my opinion. I liked Rhoda (I think that's where she sets all the animals free?)and all the girls in "Victory over Japan", but I loved one line in a story that takes place in a poor coal mining area in Kentucky, it goes something like this, "I don't know what they're all so mad about, all I wanted to do was f---- the boss's daughter". I'll
look into Bosworth when next I get into a good Southern bookstore in St Pete. And while we're on the subject, I think Anne Proulx is the absolute best living short story writer in the English language today - her stories about cowboys are priceless. Well, John Updike is prety damn good too...

I'm new to the whole "cooking for myself" thing. I'm a college student living on my own for the second year. First year I just relied on fast food and microwavables. Not good on the wallet or the wasteband. This year, I'm cooking more for myself. So my favorite kitchen tool is probably my George Foreman Grill. I know, I know, that may be blasphemy. In my defense, I do have 2 cast iron skillets. I just don't know how to use them.

quote:

Originally posted by improviser

I'm new to the whole "cooking for myself" thing. I'm a college student living on my own for the second year. First year I just relied on fast food and microwavables. Not good on the wallet or the wasteband. This year, I'm cooking more for myself. So my favorite kitchen tool is probably my George Foreman Grill. I know, I know, that may be blasphemy. In my defense, I do have 2 cast iron skillets. I just don't know how to use them.

Not a thing wrong with a "Foreman". I use mine all the time. You'll find they do very nice Quesadilla's, great grilled cheese, handles burgers & even fish well. Grilled some thick slices of Vidalia onion the other day, they were melt in your mouth wonderful! Quick clean up tip. Have a mess of wet paper towels ready when the food comes off the grill. Unplug & put towels in closed grill. When you come back to clean, the drippings on the grill wont be harddened.

quote:

Originally posted by EdSails

My tongs are probably number one, especially since I do a lot of grilling. I do love my reamer for lemons and limes. and my third indispensible tool is my "Rabbit" wine bottle opener. It makes happiness so easy.......

Ed, that was downright poetic!

quote:

Originally posted by seafarer john

Bushie: Never heard of Spencer Lewis till you asked about him, but any guy who builds stone walls can't be all bad.

You're right, SJ! Any guy who builds stone walls ROCKS!! (Uh, no pun intended.)

I think I'll order a CD or two. Sounds like it would be relaxing music.

Appreciate this topic, even though it turns out that I misread it initially. Recalled last week earlier reading here of the "bear claws" which reminded me that several years ago I bought at some close out somewhere several sets of what I thought were the "bear claws" referred to here. Knew I'd given most of them as stocking stuffers to folks who are really into cooking but thought I'd saved one set for myself. Finally found them, even though these are "bear paws" and are totally different from the "bear claws" salad servers, which I recognized when read the posts again. These "bear paws" seem to be made of an extremely heavy, dense plastic, have long sharp points, and are used for lifting heavy items from cooking pans to serving platters (either lift beneath the item or stick into its sides and lift up). I've always had difficulty in accomplishing that maneuver, and with knowing I had a turkey and then a ham to cook for two upcoming potlucks, thought I'd finally try the "bear paws". To my delight, they worked wonderfully. They are also good for stabilizing the meat while carving, and notice info says they can also be used for shredding barbecue and for tossing and serving pasta, slaw, salads, etc. (haven't tried them for those purposes). It must have been much longer ago than I realized when I bought these, for see they were made in the USA, and how long has it been since anything of this nature (and most computer, audio-video, electronic gear, or most other things) were made anywhere other than in China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Mexico, etc.

I tried using bear claws on my salad last night and they didn't work very well, but they tasted alot better than the salad did anyways

I also have an ULU, but never quite got the hang of the darn thing and still prefer my 10" Wusthof-Trident. I understand ULUs are great for scraping seal skins which is why they're preferred by the Eskimos. Otherwise, I could not live without my tongs and mandoline!