The Other Tools

posted January 7, 2009
  by Josh Gunn, Bachelor Chow

Every well-equipped bachelor has tools. I don't mean hammers and screwdrivers, people. I mean kitchen tools. Those who are not well equipped in the kitchen tend to be, well, they tend to be tools. So here are ten essential tools that you bachelors need to avoid being a tool:

1. A decent chef's knife: perhaps more than anything else, you need good, quality knives. Good, quality knives are expensive, but they are worth it. If you can only afford one knife, however, the chef's knife is the one to go for. It is perfect for a number of tasks, from chopping to carving. I have a fancy set of German-made knives, but I confess that I rarely use any of them. The chef's knife, however, is almost worn out and so I'm getting a new one this year (mine lasted 10 years!).

2. An electronic knife sharpener: The great thing about the good knives is that they are sharp and hold their edge longer than the cheap, use-once-then-throwaway things they sell on infomercials. You do need to sharpen them every few times you use them. I suggest an electronic sharpener; they're quick and relatively mess free!

3. A spatula: This thing is a must for turning and flipping stuff in hot pans. It's essential for making eggs, getting slices of cake or pie out of a pan, for flipping pancakes, or simply stirring things. If you can afford more than one size, get two, because big spatulas are useless for cooking things in your smaller pans.

4. Tongs: Tongs have a thousand and one uses; they're akin to having hands, really. They pick stuff up. You need a stuff-picker-upper, for spaghetti or moving around sautéing veggies or lifting up pieces of meat. Once I used my tongs to investigate a strange bug on my kitchen floor. Really, tongs are magical.

5. A whisk: Whisks are helpful for beating things, like eggs. They're also great for prepping roux for gumbo. I don't know what else you use one for, but since I make gumbo and eggs fairly frequently, I have a whisk. Actually, I have two: one silicon covered whisk for high-heat (e.g., gumbo), and one metal whisk for eggs. I'm wild for whisks: how about you>?

6. Measuring cups (or shot-glasses): a handful of measuring cups, some for dry products and some for liquids, are super helpful. Actually, I've found shot glasses to be very handy in the kitchen: they're typically 2-4 oz., which is fairly easy to remember and use when making things (remember, 8 oz. is a cup!).

7. Measuring spoons: usually reserved for spices, measuring spoons are essential. Unlike my grandmother, I’m horrible at guessing amounts, so measuring spoons are important to keep me from over seasoning stuff. I find I use the tablespoon measure the most.

8. Wooden spoons: Wooden spoons are for stirring, sautéing, and so forth. Plastic spoons melt too easily, and metal spoons are not safe on non-stick cookware. Wooden spoons are relatively safe to use in all kinds of cookware, and after using them for a while they become "seasoned." That's probably just another way of saying they attract bacteria, but dang it: some bacteria are good for you! Well, what I'm sayin' is that you have be sure to soak and clean a wooden spoon and let it dry out before you use it again. But they just feel right.

9. Custard bowls: In the grocery store you'll see these smallish glass bowls in the "last minute" cookware aisle for fairly cheap, about the size of a cup cake or a little bigger. You'll be amazed at how useful these little things are. I use them when I'm cooking to keep measured ingredients separated (like folks do on cooking shows), but I've found they're also handy for all sorts of things. They're great for microwaving single portions of food (a must for a bachelor). They're also great for serving rice: spray one of these little bowls with non-stick spray, fill it with rice, and then invert (like you're making a sand-castle, only a rice-castle) on the plate. Perfect rice mounds look cool and all fancy, but they're really not.

10. Scissors or shears!: Once you start cooking, you'll be amazed at how much stuff requires you to open it with scissors! Even that pre-grated cheese that comes in bags: half the time the perforated top doesn't work and I have to cut it with scissors to get the dang package open. You can also use scissors to poke out your eyes: just run around the house with them.

Of course, there are many more kitchen tools out there—many of which are absolutely worthless. If you have a chef's knife, some spoons, a shot glass or two, and a spatula, you can do just about anything. Nevertheless, now you've got a top-ten list of tools that will help outfit the bachelor kitchen in style!

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