Cooking Utensils

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Cooking utensils are the chef's equivalent to a painter's box of brushes. Having a good set of tools makes cooking not only easier, but often much more efficient. With thoughtful selection, the aspiring chef can create a whole collection of valuable cooking gear that will offer years of help and success in the kitchen.

Investing in Quality Cooking Utensils

There is a lot of junk out there and a lot of unnecessary cooking gadgets. Ask yourself if it's really necessary to have a strawberry huller that you use once a year when you can invest in a quality paring knife that gets used everyday? By building a collection based on quality and multi-function, not only is the foundation there to further grow a great assortment of tools, but you will own cooking utensils that offer a lifetime of performance.

Consider that performance when making cooking utensil purchases. Go with brands that are known for quality and choose individual items based on material. Metal, for instance, is often a better choice than wood or plastic for longevity. You will definitely pay more for it up front, but taken care of properly, it may be the only ladle or serving spoon you ever need.

Knives

A variety of quality knives are essential to create a great cooking utensil collection. Properly matching knife to function will aide not only in success and speed, but also keep your hands and wrists from fatigue. Here are a few of the many knives available:

A bread knife has a long, straight blade with a serrated edge for slicing bread.
A paring knife has a blade under 4" and is used for fine tasks like coring strawberries or creating garnishes.
A chef's knife is an all purpose mid-sized knife that is shaped for rapid chopping and cutting.
A boning knife is used for cutting away the bones from meat or poultry.
A carving knife is for cutting serving size pieces from large pieces of meat like a roast or turkey.
A steak knife is an incredibly sharp personal size knife generally for cutting beef or pork.
A cleaver is a heavy duty knife with a large rectangle-shaped blade used for cutting meat or large vegetables like cabbage or eggplant.

Three additional pieces of equipment complete your knife set: a sharpening wand, a cutting board, and a knife block to safely store and protect your knives.

Measuring Cups and Spoons

Learning How To Measure will ensure great success not only in baking, but in many other types of cooking as well. Use good tools that are accurate and made out of durable material. For cooking utensils that last, purchase metal cups with engraved lines versus plastic with printed lines that wear off over time. Many glass measuring cups can similarly be found with raised lettering rather than printing. A basic set of measuring utensils should include:

measuring cups including 1/8, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 cup.
A clear glass or plastic liquid measuring cup that is clearly marked with incremental measurements. Have a few: one with measurements from 1/4 to 1 cup, one up to 2 cups, and a large size up to 6 cups.
A set of measuring spoons should include 1/8, 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1 teaspoon as well as 1 tablespoon.

Spoons, Spatulas, and Mixing Utensils

The soup is on and your fried chicken is about ready. Got your cooking utensils handy? For cooking, mixing, and flipping, your collection should start with just the basics. As you cook more and discover you can't live without a giant meat fork or pasta spoon, that's the time to reach for specialized utensils. Here's a list of things to get you started:

A variety of whisks, including a balloon whisk for beating and a flat whisk for things like gravy.
Multiple sizes of mixing spoons for stirring soups, mixing baking ingredients, etc.
One small and one large flat metal or plastic spatula for flipping foods.
A ladle for mixing and serving soups or stews.
A slotted spoon.
Tongs for grilling or flipping.