Information on Cooking Utensils

Like all functions of technology, cooking utensils make things easier. A lot can be done with just a small knife and fork, but it can be much more time consuming than using the proper utensil to do the job. Using job-specific kitchen utensils can save you added stress in the kitchen as well as lessen the probability of overcooking your food. The best cooking is done not out of necessity, but from a want to actually make something more than sustenance. With the right utensils, cooking is always a joy.

This article will detail the bare necessities of good kitchen utensils and certain amenities that make gourmet cooking accessible to all.

Necessities

Every good kitchen has at least one of these: a spatula, a sharp cutting knife, a large wooden spoon, a ladle and measuring cups.

Spatula: Generally, a metal spatula is best as plastic ones can melt in the pan or are unable to support larger food items. However, plastic spatulas are best on Teflon pans or any pan with a surface that can scratch off.

Knife: You can use a smaller, steak knife to prepare a dish, but it will add some time and energy to the prep work. The best knives have some weight to them so as not to put too much pressure on tender morsels.

Large Wooden Spoon: This functions the same as the spatula in that the cook can stir the food without being too close to the heat. Wooden spoons can be used in any pan.

Ladle: For sauces, a ladle is crucial. With a ladle, the cook can control how much sauce is put on the food with greater deft.

Measuring Cups: Perhaps the most important component of cooking, measuring cups are an absolute necessity. Only those familiar with the dish--its ratios, the way the spices run together, the nuances of its taste--can go without measuring cups (or the adventurous, and, indeed, cooking is all about exploring).

Less Crucial Utensils

These items are slightly more applied than the other utensils and have a shorter range of use: peeler, grater, slotted spoon, masher and rolling pin.

Peeler: For those items that must be skinned, a peeler is wonderful. A small paring knife can be used to skin certain items, but can be very time consuming and can take large parts of the item that isn't skin with it.

Grater: A lot can be bought pre-grated these days, but the best, cheapest way is always to grate it yourself.

Slotted spoon or colander: This item is great for fishing items out of soup or stew and is especially useful when the dish must be drained.

Masher: A masher is ideal for making homemade mashed potatoes, and especially comes in handy during the holidays. Other uses include applesauce, sweet potatoes and anything else you need to mash coarsely.

Rolling Pin: A rolling pin has a lot of uses. It can be used as a meat tenderizer, a masher, and, of course, a roller.

Amenities

The list of amenities runs the length of every utensil made and sold in grocery stores, JCPenney and late-night television. These are some of the more useful ones: whisk, tongs, garlic press and pastry scraper.

Whisk: This is great for mixing lighter stuff. Whisks give the mixture a fluffier consistency, which is good for baking and eggs.

Tongs: These give the cook much greater control over larger items that tend to be more elusive. Tongs in the kitchen are an amenity, but tongs on the grill are an absolute.

Garlic Press: This makes cutting garlic a lot faster and saves your fingers from the sticky residue that tend to linger for several days.

Pastry Scraper: Use a pastry scraper for those "bottom-of-the-barrel" scrapes that cannot be gotten with a spoon.

Electric Appliances

These items also make cooking much, much easier. However, as they've only been around for a fraction of cooking's varied history, they're not of utmost importance. Useful electric kitchen appliances include a food processor, beaters and a microwave.

Food Processor: The food processor can do what a large knife or rolling pin does, only much easier. For those dishes that need to be pureed, a food processor works absolute wonders.

Beaters: Beaters are mostly needed for dishes that are whisked into foamy peaks, such as meringues. If the dish just needs to be mixed, then a wooden spoon is satisfactory.

Microwave: While it's sometimes considered an adversary of the cook, a microwave can help get a cook out of those tight spots when something must be heated at that very moment. Generally, though, defrosting is best done under running cold water or just over the stove top.

Or Just Make Your Own

A lot can be substituted for "official" cooking utensils. For example, a fork can work better than a spatula on some dishes, though a fork might scratch up a pan. Discretion must be used, however, when substituting utensils to make sure nothing melts or gets damaged.

Nevertheless, to start cooking one doesn't need to spend a lot of cash on all the various utensils at once. Pick and choose what you think you'll get the most use of and build on your collection from there.