Having a properly supplied kitchen means that you need to have more than enough ingredients stored in their places. It also indicates that the kitchen has the proper utensils to be able to cook well. Just as a skilled carpenter needs specialized tools, an accomplished chef also needs the correct tools in order to create a delectable meal.
The most imperative tool is a set of good knives. A high quality knife will feel comfortable in your hand and well balanced, as well as having a sharp edge. It is wise to have many sizes of knives on hand, as each has a very specific use ranging from the paring knife to a large chef's knife.
Even more important are pans in varying sizes. Two important considerations in selecting pans are weight and composition; the pans should be heavy to sit securely on the burner and be made with a copper or aluminum bottom. For safety's sake, the handle should resist heat.
A food processor is an essential part of any kitchen. I use my 14 cup processor all the time. Some of the uses of a processor include chopping, grating, and mixing. Of course, you must realize that there are some jobs that are too small for a food processor to do efficiently; in that case you will need a mini-food processor in addition to the standard sized one. Having a smaller food processor makes it much easier and faster to mince something such as a few cloves of garlic. The small size processor is good for chopping onions, herbs, or nuts. A fully equipped kitchen will have both sizes of processors.
You will need a large and small mixer, just like the required sizes of food processors. With a stand mixer, you can blend two packages of cookies and not overload the motor. The powerful mixer has the ability to blend tough bread dough. A few of them may even come with tools for doing tasks such as making ice cream or grinding meat. A small hand-held mixer is just as essential as a stand mixer. A hand mixer is useful for doing smaller tasks, such as beating eggs, whipping cream, or just removing lumps from sauces or gravy. The hand mixer is better for smaller batches of food.
A couple of food processors and mixers do not meet all the mixing needs of a cook, though. Another required tool is a blender. If you're not interested in cleaning your walls and counter after liquefying something, it is advantageous to have a blender with a sealing lid. In addition, blenders also have the ability to chop hard objects such as ice, something you would not want to attempt with any size of food processor. Margaritas can be a good motivator to buy a blender.
So those are the basic tools of cooking. Some great supplemental tools for the kitchen include thermometers, spatulas, and timers. Looking for new cooking utensils to expand your collection is something any eager chef should enjoy.
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