Have you ever dined at your favorite restaurant and thought, “When I get home, I’m going to recreate this!” Only to be bummed when the dish falls flat when you try it at home, even though you followed the recipe exactly.
Don’t fret, dear love; take comfort in knowing you did your best. Honestly, it's not a poor reflection on your culinary chutzpah. When things in the kitchen fall short you can probably chalk it up to one of two things: incorrect technique or the use of incorrect kitchen tools. We won’t cover technique today—I’ll save that for a video. But we will cover some of the tools and gadgets that you should have in your stash in order to execute a meal like a pro.
Trinity of Knives (Chef’s Knife, Serrated Bread Knife and Paring Knife)
These three knives are the Queen, King and Bishop of kitchen tools. The knife universe is a vast landscape of diversity but with these three in your butcher block you can accomplish anything.
Handheld Immersion Blender
This gadget is amazing. It's perfect for whipping up gravies, smoothies, coffee, batters and such, in no time. The clean up is minimal and the convenience is simply unparalleled.
Food Processor or Blender
Some pros will advise you to either own one or the other, but my advice is to own both. A blender is great for mixing or pureeing ingredients with a lot of liquid, such as smoothies and soups. A food processor is best for chopping and slicing items.
Saucepan
This tool is the backbone of creating an amazing reduction or gravy. It’s best bought in stainless steel due its ability to conduct high heat. Your capabilities with this tool are determined by its depth. Use shallow sauce pans for frying or braising; deeper ones for boiling.
Cast Iron Skillet
Not only is this an inexpensive addition to any kitchen toolkit, it's perfect for one pot meals, quick breads, braises and so much more. There is a learning curve to getting used to handling it, but once you do it'll will become your favorite.
Dutch Oven
This is another super versatile tool. It's great for slow cooking. Use the pot as your go to for stews. It's also wonderful for making pot roasts, braises and for deep frying,
Citrus Juicer
I hate hand squeezing oranges, grapefruits, lemons or limes. Seeing as though most marinades, sauces and savory recipes call for a bit of citric acid, this tool is an indispensable time-saver.
Microplane/Grater
Often overlooked in our day-to-day culinary lives, this tool is indispensible for mincing garlic, grating cheeses and overall finishings.
Sheet Pan
A sheet pan is a roasting and baking necessity. Use cookies, veggies, wings, pizza, flatbread.
Blow Torch
Did somebody say crème brûlée? A small blow torch is the perfect tool for toasting marshmallows, flambeing desserts and adding a finishing touch of char to your meats.
