Whether you’re a keen baker or just like to make a basic family meal most of the week, there are some essential things you’ll need in your kitchen. While most of us consider an oven, refrigerator and other appliances as essential, we often overlook tools that should be in every kitchen. So, here we will explore the things you need to ensure that you are prepared to make any dish.
While you may think that a ladle is only needed if you’re making soup, a ladle is actually a very handy kitchen tool. From serving up a drink to making a risotto, you’ll need a ladle on hand to do the job right. Trying to move liquids with a spoon can be messy and frustrating. So, whether you’re serving soup, drinks or any other liquid, a ladle is essential.
Trying to use forks to serve up hot items can not only be frustrating, but it can be downright dangerous. Most of us have tried to serve up sausages from a hot pan using a fork, and it usually results in a burnt finger or a sausage on the floor. While any set of tongs will make serving this type of food far easier, a pair of locking tongs can be easily stored away when they’re not needed.
Most of us have at least one piece of nonstick cookware in our kitchen, and the biggest no-no with this type of cookware is using metal utensils. This is particularly the case with spatulas since they need to scrape the bottom closely. So, you should always have a rubber spatula on hand to ensure that your nonstick pans are safe.
Even if you’re not a big cheese fan, a grater should still be considered a kitchen essential. Graters are fantastic for zesting citrus fruit, shredding vegetables, and even creating really small bits of chilled butter for baking superb breads, cakes, and scones. Make sure that your grater has at least a couple of different panels to add versatility to your grating potential.
While you may have a couple of big serrated knives, you shouldn’t be without a good paring knife. A paring knife can be used for peeling tough-skinned fruits such as mangoes or lemons, slicing garlic or even detailed tasks such as hulling strawberries.
Whether you need to drain pasta, rinse grains or separate fruit pieces, a wire mesh colander is a very handy tool. Choose a colander that has a base stand, so you can stand it in the sink without your food touching the sink bowl. A wire mesh colander can be scrubbed to remove any starch from cooked pasta or vegetables, just be sure to wash and dry it thoroughly to avoid tarnishing or rust.
A good pair of shears can be used for anything from cutting herbs to deboning meat. Keep your shears sharp and keep them for food only. You should have a separate pair of scissors for cutting open plastic packages or snipping kitchen twine, or you could quickly find that your great shears are too blunt to be practical in the kitchen.
Even the most experienced of chefs like to double check their meats with a thermometer. An instant read model allows you to quickly check if your steak, pork or chicken is ready to come out of the oven or pan. If you buy an oven safe model, you can even use it to check your oven temperature calibration.
Even with the best tools, you can still have difficulties in the kitchen. If you’re having issues with any of your home appliances, you can rely on a professional repair specialist to provide effective solutions. For help with all of your appliance repair needs, be sure to consult a professional repair service.