tHE ESSENTIALS: UTENSILS
- Dec 7, 2024
- 4 min read
In many of our videos, we often get asked about the utensils we use. To help make your cooking experience easier, we've put together a list of our essential kitchen tools that we rely on daily. With the holiday season around the corner, it’s the perfect time to add these must-haves to your Christmas wish list.
Click on the photos below to find where to purchase these utencils!
Mixing bowls - stainless steel is best for most applications. Heat proof, non-reactive, easy to clean, stackable, not going to break if you drop it - simple, really.
Pepper mill - a good quality pepper mill is invaluable, not only is it going to stand the test of time it also means you can fill it with more than just your usual peppercorns. This particular one is from Kuhn Rikon and it’s got a chamber big enough that you won’t be having to refill it every other day. It also has a crank action so for those that may find it difficult using a regular pepper mill, it’s a great alternative.
Small slotted spoon - not necessarily an essential piece of kit, but handy to have nonetheless. Great for scooping and draining anything out of liquid.
Box grater - for anyone not familiar with Microplane, they’re making some of the best graters out there. This one in particular has 4 different styles for all of your grating needs. If you haven’t made the switch yet, you really should - it’s worth the slightly higher price tag.
Silicone spatula - also known as a Maryse, these things are perfect for scooping and scraping, making sure you won’t be leaving anything behind. Much more practical than a metal utensil, and it won’t scratch or damage your cookware. Get yourself a set of heat resistant spatulas in a range of sizes.
Ladle - the sensible choice for transferring liquids, stainless steel is the way forward with these. Non-reactive and they won’t melt in a pot of 180° frying oil. And it won’t look out of place in that pot of soup you want to put in the middle of the table.
Cake tester - not just for checking if your cake is cooked, these little tools are useful for checking the doneness of vegetables without having to shove a knife into them. The more experienced cook can also use this to check the internal temperature of meat and fish, feeling the warmth of the spike against the back of their hand or the underside of their lip.
Fish slice - not just for fish, this is useful for flipping and turning burgers, slabs of meat and all sorts of vegetables. Pretty handy for portioning and serving a tray of brownies, for example.
Wooden spatula - when you need something a little more sturdy than a silicone spatula, in steps the olive wood version. Great for scraping all of that lovely fond from the bottom of the pan when you’re deglazing, and it won’t scratch your pans. Just don’t put it through the dishwasher.
Temperature probe - takes all of the guesswork out of cooking meat and fish, the helping hand you might need to serve perfectly cooked proteins every time. Good for checking the temperature of your oil if you’re frying, or the temperature of your fudge.
Dough scraper - whilst these are designed to be used for working with dough and pastry, they also have a few other very useful applications. You can use this to move your freshly chopped ingredients from board to pan, as well as scraping debris from your work surfaces. Need to get every last drop out of a bag? Perfect.
Y-shaped peeler - more ergonomic and efficient than the classic swivel peeler, you’ll have that sack of potatoes peeled in no time. You can also make long ribbons of cucumber or courgette without having to risk your fingers with a mandolin. I like this OXO peeler, inexpensive and it retains the sharp edge on the blade for a long time.
Slotted ladle - the big brother of the slotted spoon from earlier, I like this style because it feels more ergonomic than using a massive spoon.
Tongs - for turning and moving meat and vegetables with ease. This particular pair is Japanese and they’re very responsive - you don’t need to squeeze to hard to get them to do what you want. Bonus points for their ability to sit on the counter with the tip in the air.
Balloon whisk - self explanatory but please do find yourself a sturdy one, far too many cheap versions that fall apart after a few batches of thick batter. Handy to have a small and a large version too.
Handheld grater - Microplane, of course. Maybe you don’t have the space for the box grater mentioned earlier. Maybe you only grate parmesan. Doesn’t look out of place on the dining table, either.