Using the appropriate equipment can significantly increase how much you like cooking and meal preparation. I didn’t even realize what I was lacking until I used a true, sharp chef’s knife. And I’m never going back now that I know how much time a garlic press can save for large volumes.
A good chef’s knife
A fine chef’s knife can completely change the way you work. It amazes me how many seasoned home cooks I meet manage to get by with severely dull and battered knives. Everything is simpler if you have a tool you can sharpen, hone, and keep in good condition.
It makes slicing roasts or steaks simple. Because I dislike the extra crumbs that serrated knives produce, I use mine to cut bread. For rapid minces, cutting produce, preparing fruit, or opening ingredient packages, chef’s knives are a need.
Cheap paring knives
They’re fantastic since all you have to do is rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher. This eliminates the hassle of having to carefully hand-wash your pricey chef’s knife when you only need to make a quick cut. The Kiwi brand knives, which I adore, cost around $1 in Asian grocery stores. I tried a few of Costco Business’ multi-packs of 3-4″ paring knives, but I feel like the shorter blade length is less adaptable.
Epicurean cutting boards
I don’t like using plastic cutting boards since they quickly scratch and create scars from using sharp kitchen knives. Wood cutting boards are fine, however since my sink isn’t the biggest, it can be challenging to fit and wash them there. They weigh quite a bit as well.
I’ve found the Epicurean line to be a perfect middle ground. Making cutting boards out of compressed paper results in relatively light, thin, yet dense boards. The boards are lightweight and quite durable, not easily torn by sharp blades, and simple to wash in my tiny sink.
A digital kitchen scale
This is a really crucial tool for me. Naturally, I use this every day to prepare espresso or pour over coffee for consistency and accuracy. I believe that my Acaia – Pearl scale’s responsiveness and accuracy are essential for measuring coffee. But there are several other kitchen scales under $30 that are also precise to the gram and great for various recipes. Get one that is precise to the tenth of a gram, if you can.
Measuring spoons for both dry and liquid substances
A liquid measuring cup is not the same as a dry measuring scoop for measuring one cup of milk. You must be aware of and compliant with these distinctions if you wish to create or follow recipes.
You might be able to wing it and get by while making single batch meals, but if you’re scaling up recipes or trying to develop a recipe, utilize the correct equipment for the task so you can be consistent when testing revisions and teaching others how to cook as well.
