Cooking For Geeks Part 2

Unaffected or negatively impacted by ethylene gas Store these separately from ethylene-producing produce.

Apricots, peaches, plums. Ripe fruits will be aromatic and will yield slightly to a gentle squeeze, at which point you can store them in the fridge. Don't store unripe stone fruits in the refrigerator, in plastic bags, or in direct sunlight. If you're lucky enough to be gifted pounds and pounds of these fruits, either freeze them or make jam before they have a chance to go bad. Ripe fruits will be aromatic and will yield slightly to a gentle squeeze, at which point you can store them in the fridge. Don't store unripe stone fruits in the refrigerator, in plastic bags, or in direct sunlight. If you're lucky enough to be gifted pounds and pounds of these fruits, either freeze them or make jam before they have a chance to go bad.Avocados. Ripe fruit will be slightly firm but will yield to gentle pressure. Color alone will not tell you if the avocado is ripe. Storing cut avocados with the pit doesn't prevent browning, which is due to both oxidation and an enzymatic reaction, but does stop browning where the pit prevents air from coming in contact with the flesh. Plastic wrap pressed down against the flesh works just as well, or if you have a vacuum sealer, go for overkill and seal them. Ripe fruit will be slightly firm but will yield to gentle pressure. Color alone will not tell you if the avocado is ripe. Storing cut avocados with the pit doesn't prevent browning, which is due to both oxidation and an enzymatic reaction, but does stop browning where the pit prevents air from coming in contact with the flesh. Plastic wrap pressed down against the flesh works just as well, or if you have a vacuum sealer, go for overkill and seal them.Bananas. Leave at room temperature until ripe. To prevent further ripening, store in the refrigerator-the peel will turn brown, but the fruit will not change. Leave at room temperature until ripe. To prevent further ripening, store in the refrigerator-the peel will turn brown, but the fruit will not change.Blueberries. While blueberries do ripen in the presence of ethylene, their flavor is not improved from this. See advice for blackberries et al. While blueberries do ripen in the presence of ethylene, their flavor is not improved from this. See advice for blackberries et al.Tomatoes. Store at temperatures above 55F / 13C. Storing in the fridge is okay for longer periods of time but will affect flavor and texture. If the ultimate destination for the tomatoes is a sauce, you can also cook them and then refrigerate or freeze the sauce. Store at temperatures above 55F / 13C. Storing in the fridge is okay for longer periods of time but will affect flavor and texture. If the ultimate destination for the tomatoes is a sauce, you can also cook them and then refrigerate or freeze the sauce.Potatoes. Keep potatoes in a cool, dry place (but not the fridge). Sunlight can make the skin turn green. If this occurs, you must peel off the skin before eating. The green color is due to the presence of chlorophyll, which develops at the same time that the neurotoxins solanine and chaconine are produced. Keep potatoes in a cool, dry place (but not the fridge). Sunlight can make the skin turn green. If this occurs, you must peel off the skin before eating. The green color is due to the presence of chlorophyll, which develops at the same time that the neurotoxins solanine and chaconine are produced.[a] Since most of the nutrients in a potato are contained directly below the skin, avoid peeling them whenever possible. Since most of the nutrients in a potato are contained directly below the skin, avoid peeling them whenever possible.

Asparagus. Store stalks, with bottoms wrapped in a damp paper towel, in the crisper section or the coldest part of the fridge. You can also put them in a gla.s.s or mug, like cut flowers. Eat as soon as possible because the flavor diminishes with time. Store stalks, with bottoms wrapped in a damp paper towel, in the crisper section or the coldest part of the fridge. You can also put them in a gla.s.s or mug, like cut flowers. Eat as soon as possible because the flavor diminishes with time.Blackberries, raspberries, and strawberries. Toss out any moldy or deformed berries. Immediately eat any overripe berries. Return the other berries to the original container, or arrange them (unwashed) in a shallow pan lined with paper towels and store in the fridge. To absorb additional moisture, place a paper towel on top of the berries. Wash them just prior to use; was.h.i.+ng and storing them adds moisture that aids the growth of mold. Toss out any moldy or deformed berries. Immediately eat any overripe berries. Return the other berries to the original container, or arrange them (unwashed) in a shallow pan lined with paper towels and store in the fridge. To absorb additional moisture, place a paper towel on top of the berries. Wash them just prior to use; was.h.i.+ng and storing them adds moisture that aids the growth of mold.Broccoli, cabbage, collard greens, kale, leeks, Swiss chard. Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator or in a plastic bag poked with holes to allow for any excess moisture and ethylene to escape. Ethylene causes florets and leaves to turn yellow. Store in the crisper drawer of the refrigerator or in a plastic bag poked with holes to allow for any excess moisture and ethylene to escape. Ethylene causes florets and leaves to turn yellow.Carrots. Break off green tops. Rinse carrots, place in a plastic bag, and store in the crisper section of the fridge. Storing carrots in the fridge will preserve their flavor, texture, and beta-carotene content. Break off green tops. Rinse carrots, place in a plastic bag, and store in the crisper section of the fridge. Storing carrots in the fridge will preserve their flavor, texture, and beta-carotene content.Garlic. Store in a cool, dark place (but not the fridge). You can still use cloves that have sprouted, but they will not be as strong in flavor. The sprouts themselves can be cut up like scallions or chives and used in dishes. Store in a cool, dark place (but not the fridge). You can still use cloves that have sprouted, but they will not be as strong in flavor. The sprouts themselves can be cut up like scallions or chives and used in dishes.Lettuce and salad greens. Check greens bought in bunches for insects. Wash leaves, wrap in a towel or paper towel, and then store in the fridge in a plastic bag. Check greens bought in bunches for insects. Wash leaves, wrap in a towel or paper towel, and then store in the fridge in a plastic bag.Onions. Keep in a cool, dry s.p.a.ce away from bright light. Onions do best in an area that allows for air circulation. Do not place onions near potatoes, because potatoes give off both moisture and ethylene, causing onions to spoil more quickly. Keep in a cool, dry s.p.a.ce away from bright light. Onions do best in an area that allows for air circulation. Do not place onions near potatoes, because potatoes give off both moisture and ethylene, causing onions to spoil more quickly.

Questions about other produce?See http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov and and http://postharvest.ucdavis.edu/Produce/ProduceFacts/.

[a] While you're unlikely to die from consuming the solanine content present in an average potato that's gone green (~0.4 mg), it appears to be possible to give yourself a rather unpleasant digestive tract experience for the better part of a day. For a more thorough explanation, see While you're unlikely to die from consuming the solanine content present in an average potato that's gone green (~0.4 mg), it appears to be possible to give yourself a rather unpleasant digestive tract experience for the better part of a day. For a more thorough explanation, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solanine.

Here's what I consider the essential kitchen items. We'll cover each in turn.

Bare Minimum Equipment Standard Kitchen Equipment - Knives - Cutting board - Pots and pans - Measuring cups and scales - Spoons & co.

- Thermometer and timers - Bar towels - All that, plus...

- Storage containers - Strainers - Mixers & co.

Bare Minimum Equipment Here's the equipment that you'll need at a bare minimum.

Knives Knife blades made of steel are manufactured in one of two ways: forging or stamping. Forged Forged blades tend to be heavier and "drag" through cuts better due to the additional material present in the blade. blades tend to be heavier and "drag" through cuts better due to the additional material present in the blade. Stamped Stamped blades are lighter and, because of the harder alloys used, hold an edge longer. Which type of knife is better is highly subjective and p.r.o.ne to starting flame wars (or is that flambe wars?), and with some specialty sas.h.i.+mi knives listing for upward of $1,000, there are plenty of options and rationales to go around. blades are lighter and, because of the harder alloys used, hold an edge longer. Which type of knife is better is highly subjective and p.r.o.ne to starting flame wars (or is that flambe wars?), and with some specialty sas.h.i.+mi knives listing for upward of $1,000, there are plenty of options and rationales to go around.

Some people like a lighter knife, while others prefer something with more heft. Personally, I'm perfectly happy with a stamped knife (currently, Dexter-Russell's V-Lo series) for most day-to-day work, although I do have a nice forged knife that I use for slicing cooked meats.

Chef's knife. If I could take only one tool to a desert island, it would be my chef's knife. What size and style of chef's knife is best for you is a matter of preference. A typical chef's knife is around 8 / 20 cm to 9 / 23 cm long and has a slightly curved blade, which allows for rocking the blade for chopping and pulling the blade through foods. If you have a large work surface, try a 10 / 25 cm or larger knife. Or, if you have smaller hands, you might want to look at a Santoku-style knife, a j.a.panese-inspired design that has an almost flat blade and a thinner cross-section. Keep in mind, though, that Santoku knives are best suited for straight up-and-down cutting motions, not rocking chopping motions or pulling through foods. If I could take only one tool to a desert island, it would be my chef's knife. What size and style of chef's knife is best for you is a matter of preference. A typical chef's knife is around 8 / 20 cm to 9 / 23 cm long and has a slightly curved blade, which allows for rocking the blade for chopping and pulling the blade through foods. If you have a large work surface, try a 10 / 25 cm or larger knife. Or, if you have smaller hands, you might want to look at a Santoku-style knife, a j.a.panese-inspired design that has an almost flat blade and a thinner cross-section. Keep in mind, though, that Santoku knives are best suited for straight up-and-down cutting motions, not rocking chopping motions or pulling through foods.

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Paring knife. A paring knife has a small (~4 / 10 cm) blade and is probably the most versatile knife in the kitchen. I've had some chefs confide to me that their favorite knives are the scalloped paring knives, since they are useful for cutting so many different types of items. They're designed to be held up off the cutting board, knife in one hand, food item in the other, for tasks such as removing the core from an apple quarter or cutting out bad spots on a potato. I find that the almost pencil-like grip design of some commercial paring knives allows me to twirl and spin the knife in my fingers, so I can cut around something by rotating the knife instead of rotating the food item or twisting my arms. Personally, I prefer a scalloped blade-one that is serrated-because I find it cuts more easily. A paring knife has a small (~4 / 10 cm) blade and is probably the most versatile knife in the kitchen. I've had some chefs confide to me that their favorite knives are the scalloped paring knives, since they are useful for cutting so many different types of items. They're designed to be held up off the cutting board, knife in one hand, food item in the other, for tasks such as removing the core from an apple quarter or cutting out bad spots on a potato. I find that the almost pencil-like grip design of some commercial paring knives allows me to twirl and spin the knife in my fingers, so I can cut around something by rotating the knife instead of rotating the food item or twisting my arms. Personally, I prefer a scalloped blade-one that is serrated-because I find it cuts more easily.

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Bread knife. Look for an offset bread knife, which has the handle raised up higher than the blade, avoiding the awkward moment of knuckles-touching-breadboard at the end of a slice. While not an everyday knife, in addition to cutting bread and slicing bagels, bread knives are also handy for cutting items like oranges, grapefruits, melons, and tomatoes because of the serrated blade. Look for an offset bread knife, which has the handle raised up higher than the blade, avoiding the awkward moment of knuckles-touching-breadboard at the end of a slice. While not an everyday knife, in addition to cutting bread and slicing bagels, bread knives are also handy for cutting items like oranges, grapefruits, melons, and tomatoes because of the serrated blade.

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Boning knife. If you plan to cook fish and meat, consider acquiring a boning knife, which is designed to sweep around bones. A boning knife has a thinner, more flexible blade than a chef's knife, allowing you to avoid hitting bones, which would otherwise nick and damage the knife blade. Some chefs find them indispensable, while others rarely use them. If you plan to cook fish and meat, consider acquiring a boning knife, which is designed to sweep around bones. A boning knife has a thinner, more flexible blade than a chef's knife, allowing you to avoid hitting bones, which would otherwise nick and damage the knife blade. Some chefs find them indispensable, while others rarely use them.

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Knife Skills 101The sound of a failed disk drive grinding itself down is pretty bad, but watching someone use a knife improperly is far worse. I swear, if I were going to develop PTKD (post-traumatic kitchen disorder) over something, it'd be from watching people use knives improperly.I treat knives as the second most dangerous implements in the average kitchen. (Microplanes and mandolins hold the top spot.) When using a knife, I'm always thinking about the "failure mode." If it slips, or something goes wrong, how is it going to go wrong? Where is the knife going to go if it does slip? How can I use the knife and position myself such that if an exception does occur, it isn't fatal? Of course, getting a good, clean cut and keeping the knife in good working order are also important. Here are my top tips for knife usage: [image]

Feed the food into the cutting plane with your fingers positioned so that they can't get cut. Keep the fingers of the hand holding the item curled back, so that if you misjudge where the knife is, or it slips, your fingers are out of harm's way. You can also rub the upper side of the knife against your knuckles to get better control over the location of the knife. Use a smooth, long motion when cutting. Don't saw back and forth, and don't just press straight down (except for soft things like a block of cheese or a banana). Let the knife do the work!

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When sc.r.a.ping food off a cutting board, flip the knife over and use the dull side of the blade. This will keep the sharpened side sharper.

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There's more than one way to hold a knife: try using a "pinch grip" instead of a "club grip." A pinch grip allows for more flexibility, as it gives you more dexterity in moving the knife.

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Don't use the edge of the blade to whack or crack hard objects, such as a walnut sh.e.l.l or a coconut; you'll nick it! Repeat after me: knives are not hammers (you know who you are). Unless, of course, you have a commercial knife that has a b.u.t.t that actually is a hammer, in which case, go right ahead... You can, however, use the side of the blade as a quick way to crush garlic or pit cherries or olives. Place food on board, place side of blade on top of food, press down on blade with fist. (you know who you are). Unless, of course, you have a commercial knife that has a b.u.t.t that actually is a hammer, in which case, go right ahead... You can, however, use the side of the blade as a quick way to crush garlic or pit cherries or olives. Place food on board, place side of blade on top of food, press down on blade with fist.

Buck Raper on Knives[image]PHOTOS USED BY PERMISSION OF BUCK RAPERBuck Raper is the manager of manufacturing and engineering for Dexter-Russell, the largest and oldest cutlery manufacturer in the United States. Above, Buck holds a knife next to an edge sharpness and edge life test apparatus in their metallurgy lab.How did you come to work at Dexter-Russell?In a former life, I was working on a doctorate in synthetic organic chemistry.Wow. What happened?I got drafted to Vietnam.And then you came back...I came back and there weren't many job opportunities for PhD chemists, and I was still looking at two more years in school, and I had a family to support. So I went and got an MBA and got twice the starting salary I would have gotten as a PhD. My family had always been in the cutlery business, my grandfather, and my father, and all I ever heard was knife talk. When I was a Baby Buck, my father would take me into the pocket-knife factory on Sat.u.r.day mornings and hand me off to a foreman so he could get some work done, and I'd make knives with a foreman.Did the background in chemistry, combined with your family's history in knife making, complement each other?To some degree...but it was more of the scientific method and a.n.a.lytical techniques that you learn in a hard science, applying them to manufacturing. I looked at it from a different standpoint than a history major MBA would, or an English major MBA would. Coming from a real science, you take a different approach, an engineering approach.Can you give me an example?Much of the heat treating, the grinding, and the choice of steels was done almost by folklore. It's always been done that way and n.o.body remembers why. Now when we're trying to choose a steel for a particular application, we do some testing, make some blades, and try them out to see what the results are. We have a control sample and record data. That's the type of change that I made. Dexter-Russell is 192 years old, and we still have machinery and tooling that we were using at the turn of the century, from 1900. Those techniques still work and they're still very good, but n.o.body really knew why we were doing things the way we were doing them.What surprised you when you were testing the folklore?We're number one in professional oyster knives, and there's the chronic problem with the tips of oyster knives breaking off. We had a heat-treatment process that we thought was making the steel hard enough to not break. The theory was if the blade is breaking, make it harder, and then the tip won't break off. The reality was what we needed to do was to make tougher steel. So we changed our heat treatment process to create a tougher, softer steel.What does it means for a steel to be tough versus hard?It's a trade-off to hold an edge. The harder the steel is, the better it will hold an edge. But you also want to have some flexibility. If you need a flexible bone or fillet knife, a harder steel is more brittle; it would fracture. So you have to trade off the hardness for the toughness that allows you some flexibility. The toughness also gives you wearability, resistance to abrasion. One way an edge fails is that you literally wear away the grains of steel, and to resist that, you're looking for a tough steel.When you heat-treat steel, you martenize it to the temperature that's going to give you the maximum hardness. But if you underheat it, if you undercook it a little bit, it comes out tougher. If you overcook it, it's also tough, but then it corrodes. In our case, when we're talking heat-treatable stainless 400 series steel, the optimum temperature is 1934F / 1057C. If you heat it to 1950F / 1066C, you get the same hardness that you would if you heat it to 1920F / 1049C, but one is tougher, and the other will corrode.Steel is formed of grains. If you were to snap a knife blade in half, and look at it with the naked eye, the texture would look like a fine cement inside the knife. What you're seeing is groups of grains. Steel exists in 9 or 10 different phases. Depending on how it's been processed, temperature-wise, it has a mixture of these various phases, and that determines the toughness of the steel. I use the a.n.a.logy of baking a cake when I'm explaining heat treatment. You have raw dough and expose it to heat. There's a chemical change and a phase change, and you go from slurry to a porous solid once it's baked.With steel, once it is heated to a critical temperature, cooling-called quenching quenching-is also critical. You've probably seen old movies where the blacksmith is pounding away, when he gets the iron hot, he plunges it into the water and there's a hiss of steam. The reason for that is the rapid cooling. In the case of stainless steel, you have to get it below 1350F / 732C in less than three minutes in order to maintain the phase that you want. If you cool it slower, you get a different mixture of phases in the steel. So it's not just in bringing it up to temperature, the cooling curve is key.Steel is also determined by the alloy. There're two or three dozen different types of stainless cutlery steels, and stainless cutlery steels are just a very small subset of alloyed steels. Alloyed steels are a subset of carbon steels. And all the heat-treatment processes are determined by which alloy you're working with.Are there other types of steels that you would want to use for particular purposes for knife making?We want to use a stainless steel, although carbon steel makes wonderful knives. Everybody likes their old carbon steel knives, but nowadays, with the National Sanitation Foundation and other regulatory bodies, you can't use carbon steel knives in most restaurants. We choose stainless, which has chromium in it; the chromium makes it stainless. You also have to have carbon in the steel so that you can harden it. You add more carbon if you want to create a harder blade, and more chromium if you need to get more corrosion resistance. When you heat-treat it, you want to come out with a very fine texture, and things like molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, and cobalt help you get a fine grain. Tungsten and cobalt help make the steel tougher.What's the rationale prohibiting carbon knives in restaurants?They rust, and rust is iron oxide. It's dirty, and where the blade has rusted, there are pits that will retain grease. The grease will breed bacteria. It's usually controlled by city or state or county ordinance.Carbon steel versus stainless steel. Which is better?That was a cla.s.sic question that I wondered about for 30 years. I finally had a seminar with a metallurgist from a French steel mill, and he developed a machine to test the sharpness of edges and the life of edges. The answer is that you can get a carbon steel edge about 5% sharper while a stainless steel edge will last about 5% longer. With stainless steel being tougher, it is harder to create the edge, so stainless steel often gets a bad reputation because people can't sharpen it correctly. It is possible to get carbon steel 5% sharper, but you would never perceive that using a knife. You need the scientific apparatus to bring out that difference. The practical difference is it's very easy to bring up an edge on carbon steel, so most people's carbon steel knives are sharper because they're easier to resharpen. A carbon steel knife responds very easily to a butcher's steel; you have to work a little bit more with a stainless steel knife.I'm going to ask the question that'll probably lead to the gates of h.e.l.l: how do I sharpen a knife correctly?There are lots of ways to do it. Probably the best general-purpose way and what I recommend to people is to use a diamond sharpening steel. The traditional serrated butcher's steel is a or rod with ridges running longitudinally. Those are now being replaced by rods that are plated with diamond. The diamond rod brings up an edge very quickly, because it's hard enough to remove metal, creating a new edge.An edge is actually a whole bunch of little burrs, sort of like hacksaw teeth that are standing up, perpendicular to the back of the blade. When you cut, those little burrs (here we call them feathers feathers) roll over. The first thing that happens when you swipe with a butcher's steel is you stand those feathers up, and you have a real good edge. After a time, they bend back and forth. They work-harden and break off, like breaking a wire by twisting it until it work-hardens and snaps. Then you have to create a new edge, new burrs, and the grit on a diamond steel is perfect for that. That's what the long serrations do on your regular butcher's steel, but it's a lot easier to do with a diamond steel.When you run a knife edge along a steel, you stand up the burrs, and you start thinning down the edge. I can do it with the back of a porcelain plate, or I can rub a knife on a brick wall and bring up the edge, but a diamond steel is best.I've made a lot of trips to China, and they have very primitive kitchens as far as equipment, tools, and utensils go. They make do with the one basic knife. People call it a cleaver, but it's not really a cleaver. It's a slicer and a spatula and a sc.r.a.per and everything else, but with that one knife, they stop and squat on the floor and bring the edge back on a brick that's in the floor. They keep those knives very, very sharp. I learned in Chinese cooking how nicely things are sliced up counts as much as the taste, the presentation, and the freshness of ingredients. All of that can be ruined if you have cut raggedy chunks.I would recommend either a diamond butcher steel or a whet stone. But a whet stone takes more skill, more training to use. I would stay away from electric sharpeners.At some point the burrs snap off, and I presume that's the point at which one needs to actually grind down the edge of the knife to form a new edge?With a diamond steel, you're doing grinding at the same time you're straightening up the edge. A traditional butcher's steel isn't hard enough to remove metal. The deal with using a butcher's steel is your steel has to be harder than the metal of the blade you're sharpening. Otherwise, you get nowhere, like using a common file to smooth or shape metal. Your file won't cut the metal if the file isn't harder than the metal it's cutting. If you let your knife get very dull, bringing the edge back is a real bear. If you give it a few strokes on a butcher's steel every other day, or once a week, or every time you go to put the knife in the drawer, then the knife is always ready.At what point is a knife effectively used up? [Buck shares with me the photo shown below.] I cannot believe how much the bottom knife has been sharpened away compared to the new knife on top. What's the story with this actual knife?[image]Whoever was resharpening that knife was very, very good. It came back to our customer service people for replacement from a mom-and-pop butcher shop. I train our sales force, and one of the questions they ask is how long is a knife useful. I show them this. That's pus.h.i.+ng the ridiculous. I would think that that knife had seen about five or six years of service.We usually find in a restaurant that a knife is good for six to nine months. With professional cutlery, and in particular with packing houses, they'll need a wide blade for breaking down a side of beef. They need a large curved knife, which we call a cimeter steak knife cimeter steak knife. When it starts out life, it's about 2 1/2 wide, and when it gets down to about 1 or 1 1/4 wide, it's no longer suitable for breaking down the big sides of beef. So then they use it for the smaller cuts, and call it a breaking knife breaking knife. When they wear it down to about under an inch, they use it as a boning knife boning knife.So these knives actually go to a series of different lives? As they get smaller from sharpening, they get repurposed and reused?They get narrower, and they get shorter. People find different applications for them. The poultry industry still does that. What I'm talking about is mostly pre-WWII. After WWII, people started coming to us and saying, "Hey, can't you make this shape from scratch?" So we started to create the same shape as the worn-out knife. You wouldn't have to wear out a giant cimeter; you could just buy a breaking knife off the shelf. A lot of our traditional knife shapes have evolved from large blades that were worn down and used for different applications, and then we started making a blade with that shape.[image]What advice would you give somebody new to the kitchen?If I were being a smarta.s.s, I would tell you don't run with a knife. Keep your knives out of the dishwasher. Wipe them clean with a damp rag. When you put them in the dishwasher, they bang together and you nick up your edges. If you do put them in the dishwasher, make sure you pull them right out of the basket and dry them off. Keep up with your sharpening; don't let your knife get dull. Maintain the edge every time you use it or every other time you use it. Give it one or two strokes on a steel and sharpening will never be a ch.o.r.e, and you will always have a sharp knife.Knife Sharpening 101Keeping your knives sharp is the kitchen equivalent of backing up your files: it's something you should do more often than you think. A sharper knife is safer and easier to use: - Sharp knives require less pressure for making cuts so there's less force involved-meaning you're less likely to slip and cut yourself.

- Sharp knives cut cleaner; there is less "tear" through whatever you're cutting.

- Sharp knives keep your arm from getting tired because you don't have to muscle through things. Of course, you'd probably need to be slicing and dicing for many hours to notice.

Keeping your knives in good working order involves both keeping the blade "true" (in alignment) and grinding down the blade to reshape the edge if the trued shape is lost. To keep your knives true, use a sharpening steel (those steel rods ubiquitous in celebrity chef photos) as part of your cleanup and wash routine at the end of a cooking session. By running the knife against the sharpening steel, you push any portion of the edge that is out of alignment ("burrs") back into alignment. (Never try to true a serrated knife, such as a bread knife-the sharpening steel won't fit against the serrated edge.) Look for a diamond-coated sharpening steel; the diamond coating is harder than the steel, so it can not only realign the burrs but also create a new edge, keeping the knife truly sharp and actually removing the need to reshape the edge. try to true a serrated knife, such as a bread knife-the sharpening steel won't fit against the serrated edge.) Look for a diamond-coated sharpening steel; the diamond coating is harder than the steel, so it can not only realign the burrs but also create a new edge, keeping the knife truly sharp and actually removing the need to reshape the edge.More serious sharpening involves grinding down the blade to form a new edge and can be done against any hard surface: a sharpening stone, a grinding wheel, even a brick! (See the interview with Buck Raper on the preceding pages for details.) If it comes to that, I find it easier to have my knives professionally sharpened. Grinding down the edge isn't a great thing, though, because creating the new edge removes material. Knives used in restaurants can be "sharpened through" in under a year-that is, sharpened down to a point where the new edge on the knife becomes too thick to hold a sharp edge for long.[image]

Cutting boards Most cutting boards are made of either hardwoods, such as maple or walnut, or plastics like nylon or polyethylene. Regardless of which type you get, look for ones that are at least 12 18 / 30 cm 45 cm. Bigger is better, as long as the board fits in your sink or dishwasher. If you choose a plastic board, consider snagging both a rigid one, which can serve double duty as a serving board, and a thin, flexible one, which can be used as a makes.h.i.+ft funnel (e.g., chop veggies, pick up board, and curl it while sliding the food into your pan).

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You can use the wrapping paper that some meats come in as an impromptu disposable cutting board if you are just cutting something like a sausage to saute. One less dish to was.h.!.+

Always use two different cutting boards when working with meats: one for raw meats and a second for cooked items. I use a plastic cutting board for raw meats and a wooden one for after cooking because I find the difference in material to be an easy visual reminder. I then toss the plastic cutting board into the dishwasher for cleanup. Since I have more than two boards, I use the plastic one exclusively for raw meats.

Plastic cutting boards have the advantage of being sterilized when washed in a dishwasher because the heated water kills common bacteria. (Don't put your wooden cutting board in the dishwasher, though: the hot water will damage the board.) Note that was.h.i.+ng a cutting board in the sink with hot water and soap is not not sufficient to remove absolutely all traces of bacteria like sufficient to remove absolutely all traces of bacteria like E. coli E. coli. Whether wood or plastic is "safer" depends on your habits. Some studies have shown that wood is better than plastic at preventing cross-contamination, possibly due to chemical properties of wood, which suggests that wooden cutting boards are more forgiving to lapses in sanitization. If you don't have a dishwasher, current research suggests that a wooden cutting board is the way to go.

NoteResearchers at UC Davis found that disease-related bacteria such as E. coli E. coli survived for a longer period of time on plastic cutting boards than wooden ones, and that treating wooden cutting boards with mineral oil did not materially affect the die-off rate. Additional research found that home chefs using plastic cutting boards are twice as likely to contract salmonellosis than those using wooden cutting boards, even when cleaning the board after contact with raw meat. survived for a longer period of time on plastic cutting boards than wooden ones, and that treating wooden cutting boards with mineral oil did not materially affect the die-off rate. Additional research found that home chefs using plastic cutting boards are twice as likely to contract salmonellosis than those using wooden cutting boards, even when cleaning the board after contact with raw meat.

Here are a few additional tips: - Place a bar towel or slip mat under your cutting board to prevent it from moving while you're working.

- Some cutting boards have a groove around the edge to prevent liquids from running over the edge. This is handy when you're working with wet items, but it makes transferring dry items, such as diced potato, more difficult. Keep this in mind when choosing which board-or which side of a board-to use.

- You can clean wooden cutting boards by wiping them down with white vinegar (the acidity kills most common bacteria). If your board smells (e.g., of garlic or fish), you can use lemon juice and salt to neutralize the odors.

- Prep vegetables and fruits before starting to work on raw meats. This further reduces the chances of bacterial cross-contamination.

Pots and pans Which pot or pan is ideal to use for cooking an item, and how the materials in that pot will affect the cooking process, is a topic that could easily be expanded to fill an entire chapter and yet still leave questions unanswered. When it comes to the metals used in making pans, there are two key variables: how quickly the metal dissipates heat and how much heat the metal can retain (see Metals, Pans, and Hot Spots Metals, Pans, and Hot Spots). For new cooks, the biggest issues are avoiding hot spots and being careful not to overheat the pan. Avoid hot spots by using pans with materials that conduct heat well (and avoid those really cheap thin pans). Also, don't just automatically crank the heat up to high. Hotter doesn't mean faster! And if you do find yourself with a pan full of ingredients that are starting to burn, dump the food into a bowl to halt the burning. Even off the burner, the pan will still be hot enough to continue cooking and burning its contents.

All that being said, don't obsess over the "perfect" pan for a job. Looking at cladded pans (two types of metals sandwiched together) and can't decide between copper and aluminum? If they're properly made (in terms of the thickness of the metal and the construction), there won't be a huge difference. Same thing when it comes to size and shape.

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Sure, to a professional it matters: cooking 10 pounds of onions in a narrower pot will yield more consistent results than cooking them in a wide, shallow pan (the narrower pot will retain water better, which a.s.sists in the cooking). But as a home chef, you'll typically achieve similar results in both cases, as long as you use common sense about the amount of heat you're using and keep a watchful eye on the pan.

As with knives, let your preferences and cooking style guide your selection of pots and pans, and be willing to experiment and replace items to suit your needs. Avoid purchasing a set of pots and pans, because sets often come with extra items that aren't quite ideal and end up wasting s.p.a.ce and money. Instead, select each pot or pan individually and purchase only the ones that best suit your needs. Browse your local restaurant supply store or search for commercial products online. Commercial frying pans are cheap mult.i.taskers. If you're going to splurge on a pot or pan, spring for an enameled cast iron pan (Le Creuset is the leading maker), a good skillet, or a saute pan.

NoteA skillet is technically the same thing as a frying pan, but I think of frying pans as being the cheap-but-good commercial aluminum ones and skillets as being stainless steel. A saute pan is like a skillet, but the inside corners are square instead of rounded up.

When using pots and pans, follow these tips. Unless you're heating a pan to saute something, don't absentmindedly leave it empty while it's heating on the burner. Overheating a pan, especially the nonstick type, will ruin the pan's finish and possibly warp it. Cast iron is the exception, but you still risk destroying the seasoned finish. Also, if you're anything like me, when you throw a dinner party the dishes often wait until the next morning. Don't leave pots and pans soaking in water overnight. In some cases, the water can get "under" nonstick finishes and blister it. In the case of cast iron, the pans will rust.

Frying pans. A frying pan is a shallow, wide pan with slightly sloped edges. Look for frying pans that have a smooth cooking surface and are as large as your stovetop will comfortably accommodate. If you get one that's too large, the burners on your stove will heat the center but not the outer region, which will lead to uneven cooking. A frying pan is a shallow, wide pan with slightly sloped edges. Look for frying pans that have a smooth cooking surface and are as large as your stovetop will comfortably accommodate. If you get one that's too large, the burners on your stove will heat the center but not the outer region, which will lead to uneven cooking.

Nonstick frying pans are useful for sauteing fish and for breakfast items such as eggs, pancakes, or crepes. Using a nonstick pan for eggs or fish also allows you to reduce the amount of b.u.t.ter or oil needed during cooking.

Since nonstick coatings prevent the formation of fond (the bits of food that brown in the bottom of the pan and provide much of the flavor in sauces), you might also want to purchase a stainless steel frying or saute pan.

NoteHow do they get Teflon (polytetrafluoroethylene, PTFE) to stick to the pan if it doesn't stick to anything? By using a chemical that can actually stick to both PTFE and the pan, called an By using a chemical that can actually stick to both PTFE and the pan, called an adhesion promoter adhesion promoter in chem-speak. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is the adhesion promoter of choice. Unfortunately, it's rather toxic, but according to the manufacturers it's not present in the finished products. PTFE itself melts at 620F / 327C. Most stoves can get pans up above that temperature, which is why nonstick pans shouldn't be used for searing or under the broiler. DuPont says nonstick pans coated with PTFE are fine up to 500F / 260C and that the material won't begin to "significantly decompose" until 660F / 349C. Still, don't try it: polymer fume fever isn't fun. in chem-speak. Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is the adhesion promoter of choice. Unfortunately, it's rather toxic, but according to the manufacturers it's not present in the finished products. PTFE itself melts at 620F / 327C. Most stoves can get pans up above that temperature, which is why nonstick pans shouldn't be used for searing or under the broiler. DuPont says nonstick pans coated with PTFE are fine up to 500F / 260C and that the material won't begin to "significantly decompose" until 660F / 349C. Still, don't try it: polymer fume fever isn't fun.

I personally use nonstick frying pans as a default for day-to-day cooking because they're easier to clean and well suited to the type of food I eat. My stainless steel frying pan gets used for those times when I am cooking "for real" (not to knock my morning scrambled eggs) and want to deglaze the pan to capture the fond. But you might cook different foods than I do, in which case your default pan might end up being stainless steel or cast iron.

I recommend that you have at least three frying pans on hand: one for searing items such as fish, a second for sauteing vegetables, and a third for those times when you want to reduce a sauce or sweat onions at a lower temperature. I prefer Vollrath's Lincoln Wear-Ever Ceramiguard 10 frying pans (EZ4010): they're cheap, they get the job done, and the silicone handles are oven-safe. If you're lucky enough to have a larger stovetop with burners rated for higher BTUs, snag a 12 / 30 cm frying pan in lieu of a third 10 / 24 cm pan. And, if you're often cooking for one, a smaller 8 / 20 cm frying pan is a useful size for quick dishes like scrambled eggs.

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You don't need to completely wash nonstick frying pans every time you use them, unless there's particulate food left behind. Wipe the pan down with a paper towel, leaving a thin layer of oil behind.

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I find it useful to have multiple frying pans so that I can cook different components of a dish separately. Onions (left pan), for example, are often "sweated" at a lower temperature, to keep them from caramelizing, while sausage (right pan) needs to be cooked hot enough to trigger the Maillard reactions that give seared meats an intensely rich flavor.

Saucepans. A saucepan, roughly as wide as it is tall and with straight sides, holds two to three quarts of liquid and is used in cooking liquid foods such as sauces, small batches of soups, and hot drinks like hot chocolate. Look for a pan that has a thick base, as this will help dissipate the heat and avoid hot spots that could burn your food. Keep in mind that many of the liquids cooked in a saucepan tend to be things that can burn, so it's worth spending a bit more to purchase a pan that conducts heat better. I picked up my favorite saucepan as an "odd lot" piece from a department store set. (Be sure to snag the lid as well!) You might prefer a A saucepan, roughly as wide as it is tall and with straight sides, holds two to three quarts of liquid and is used in cooking liquid foods such as sauces, small batches of soups, and hot drinks like hot chocolate. Look for a pan that has a thick base, as this will help dissipate the heat and avoid hot spots that could burn your food. Keep in mind that many of the liquids cooked in a saucepan tend to be things that can burn, so it's worth spending a bit more to purchase a pan that conducts heat better. I picked up my favorite saucepan as an "odd lot" piece from a department store set. (Be sure to snag the lid as well!) You might prefer a saucier saucier pan, one that has rounded corners that are easier to get into with a whisk or a spoon. pan, one that has rounded corners that are easier to get into with a whisk or a spoon.

Stockpots. A stockpot holds two or more gallons of liquid and is used in blanching vegetables, cooking pasta, and making soups. Since most applications for a stockpot involve a large amount of water, burning foods is not as much of a concern as it is with a saucepan-unless you can figure out how to burn water! The stockpot I use is one of the $20 cheap stainless steel commercial varieties. Make sure to pick up a lid as well, because commercial sellers tend to sell them separately. A stockpot holds two or more gallons of liquid and is used in blanching vegetables, cooking pasta, and making soups. Since most applications for a stockpot involve a large amount of water, burning foods is not as much of a concern as it is with a saucepan-unless you can figure out how to burn water! The stockpot I use is one of the $20 cheap stainless steel commercial varieties. Make sure to pick up a lid as well, because commercial sellers tend to sell them separately.

Cast iron pans. You should have a good cast iron pan in your pot and pan collection. Cast iron pans are heavy, and their larger ma.s.s allows for better retention of heat. Cast iron pans can also be heated to higher temperatures than nonstick and stainless steel pans, making them ideal for searing foods such as meat. They're also handy for baking items such as corn-bread or deep-dish pizza. Just remember to avoid cooking highly acidic items such as tomatoes in them, because the iron will react with acidic items. You should have a good cast iron pan in your pot and pan collection. Cast iron pans are heavy, and their larger ma.s.s allows for better retention of heat. Cast iron pans can also be heated to higher temperatures than nonstick and stainless steel pans, making them ideal for searing foods such as meat. They're also handy for baking items such as corn-bread or deep-dish pizza. Just remember to avoid cooking highly acidic items such as tomatoes in them, because the iron will react with acidic items.

As with frying pans, when was.h.i.+ng cast iron, don't use soap. Instead, rinse the pan and wipe the inside to dislodge any stuck-on food, and then place the pan back on the stove. If the food is really stuck, throw in a few tablespoons of course salt and a spoonful or two of vinegar or lemon juice, and "sand" it off with a paper towel. Once your pan is clean, wipe it down with a little heat-stable oil such as canola or sunflower oil (but not extra virgin olive oil) and place on a burner set for low heat for a minute or so to thoroughly dry it out. And never let it sit in water for hours on end, because the water will ruin the finish. If you do do end up with rust spots, don't fear. You can use a metal scrubbing brush to sc.r.a.pe away the rust, and then reseason the pan with a coating of oil. end up with rust spots, don't fear. You can use a metal scrubbing brush to sc.r.a.pe away the rust, and then reseason the pan with a coating of oil.

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Metals, Pans, and Hot SpotsWhat's the deal with pans made of different metals or with various combinations sandwiched together? It has to do with the differences in thermal conductivity (how quickly heat energy moves through a material) and heat capacity (how much energy it takes to heat a material, which is the same as how much energy it'll give off when cooling).Let's start with the thermal conductivity of common metals in pans, along with a few other materials for reference.[image]Pans made from materials with a lower thermal conductivity take longer to heat, because the thermal energy applied from the burner takes longer to transfer up and outward. In physics-speak, this is called low thermal response time low thermal response time. In cooking, pans with low thermal conductivity (cast iron, stainless steel) are "sluggish" in response to changes in heat. Pop them on the burner, and nothing seems to happen for a while. Likewise, if you get them too hot and pull them off the burner, food in them will continue to cook for a while.Given two pans of identical diameter, one cast iron and one aluminum, the aluminum pan will conduct the heat throughout the pan faster. Here's a picture of this, using thermal fax paper (hey, not all of us can afford a thermal imaging camera!). Since thermal fax paper turns dark where heated, dark = hot and white = cold.[image]Cast iron pan on a gas burner = slower heat transfer.[image]Aluminum iron pan on a gas burner = faster heat transfer.NoteIf you're keen to try this yourself, grab a roll of thermal fax paper, heat your pan on the burner for 30 to 60 seconds, turn off the heat, and then place a square sheet of paper on top of the pan and coat it with a few cups of cold rock/kosher salt to help press the paper against the surface of the pan.Notice that the gas burner has a wide radius and the gas jets are directed outward. Result? The center center of the pan actually ends up being colder. The cast iron pan shows this well because the heat does not conduct through the material as quickly as it does with the aluminum pan, leading to a cold spot. of the pan actually ends up being colder. The cast iron pan shows this well because the heat does not conduct through the material as quickly as it does with the aluminum pan, leading to a cold spot.Specific heat is important, too. Specific heat Specific heat is the thermal energy (measured in is the thermal energy (measured in joules joules) needed to change a unit ma.s.s of material by a unit of temperature, and it differs between materials. That is, it'll take a different amount of energy to raise a kilogram of cast iron 1C versus a kilogram of aluminum, because of how the materials are structured at the atomic level. How do common metals in pans compare in terms of specific heat?[image]Cast iron has a lower specific heat than aluminum. It takes roughly twice as much energy (897 J/ kg*K versus 450 J/kg*K) to heat the same amount of aluminum up to the same temperature, and because energy doesn't just disappear (first law of thermodynamics), this means that a kilogram of aluminum will actually give off more more heat than a kilogram of cast iron as it cools (e.g., when you drop that big steak onto the pan's surface). heat than a kilogram of cast iron as it cools (e.g., when you drop that big steak onto the pan's surface).It's not just the thermal conductivity or specific heat of the metal that matters, though; the ma.s.s of the pan is critical. I always sear my steak in my cast iron pan. It weighs 7.7 lbs / 3.5 kg, as opposed to 3.3 lbs / 1.5 kg in the case of my aluminum pan, so it has more heat energy to give off. When searing, pick a pan that has the highest value of specific heat * ma.s.s specific heat * ma.s.s, so that once it's hot, it won't drop in temperature as much when you add the food.There are a few other factors you should consider when picking a pan. Cast iron and aluminum react with acids, so pans made of those materials shouldn't be used for simmering tomatoes or other acidic items. Nonstick pans shouldn't be heated above 500F / 260C. And then there are cases where the pan isn't the primary source of heat for cooking: when boiling or steaming, the water provides the heat transfer, so the material used in making the pan isn't important. Likewise, if you're using an ultra-high-BTU burner (like the 60,000-BTU burners used in wok cooking), the pan isn't a heat sink so heat capacity isn't important.What's the deal with cladded cladded metals? You know, pans with copper or aluminum cores, encased in stainless steel or some other metal? ( metals? You know, pans with copper or aluminum cores, encased in stainless steel or some other metal? (Clad = to encase with a covering.) These types of pans are a solution to two goals: avoiding hot spots by evening out heat quickly (by using aluminum or copper), and using a nonreactive surface (typically stainless steel, although nonstick coatings also work) so that the food doesn't chemically react with the pan. = to encase with a covering.) These types of pans are a solution to two goals: avoiding hot spots by evening out heat quickly (by using aluminum or copper), and using a nonreactive surface (typically stainless steel, although nonstick coatings also work) so that the food doesn't chemically react with the pan.Finally, if you're buying a pan and can't decide between two otherwise identical choices, go for the one that has oven-safe handles. Avoid wood, and make sure the handles aren't so big that they prevent popping the pan in the oven.

Measuring cups and scales In addition to the common items used for measuring (e.g., measuring cups and spoons), I strongly recommend purchasing a kitchen scale. If you will be following any of the recipes from this book using hydrocolloids or other food additives (see Chapter6 Chapter6), it is practically required. You might not use it every day (or even every week), but there is no subst.i.tute for it when you need one.

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You can pour ingredients directly into a mixing bowl by weight, skipping the need for measuring cups.

You will obtain better accuracy when measuring by weight. Dry ingredients such as flour can become compressed, so the amount of flour in "1 cup" can vary quite a bit due to the amount of pressure present when it's packed (see the sidebar Weight Versus Volume: The Case for Weight Weight Versus Volume: The Case for Weight). Also, it is easier to precisely measure weight than volume. Because much of cooking is about controlling chemical reactions based on the ratio of ingredients (say, flour and water), changes in the ratio will alter your results, especially in baking. Weighing ingredients also allows you to load ingredients serially: add 390 grams of flour, hit tare; 300 grams of water, hit tare; 7 grams of salt, hit tare; 2 grams of yeast, mix, let rest for 20 hours, and you've got no-knead bread. (See the interview with Martin Lersch in Martin Lersch on Chemistry in the Kitchen Martin Lersch on Chemistry in the Kitchen in in Chapter5 Chapter5 for baking instructions.) for baking instructions.) [image]

Use a high-precision scale when working with food additives.

When choosing a scale, look for the following features: - A digital display, showing weights in grams and ounces, that has a tare function for zeroing out weight - A flat surface on which you can place a bowl or dish (avoid scales that have built-in bowls) - A scale that is capable of measuring up to at least 5 lbs or 2.2 kg in 0.05 oz or 1g increments If you plan on following any "molecular gastronomy / modernist cuisine" recipes that use chemicals, you'll need to pick up a high-precision scale high-precision scale that measures in increments of 0.1 gram or finer. I use an American Weigh Scale AMW-100. that measures in increments of 0.1 gram or finer. I use an American Weigh Scale AMW-100.

Spoons & co.

Few things symbolize cooking more than a spoon, and for good reason: stirring, tasting, adjusting the seasoning, stirring some more, and tasting again would be virtually impossible without a good spoon! I prefer the wooden variety. In an age of technology and modern plastics, there's just something comforting about a wooden spoon. Look for one that has a straight end, as opposed to a traditional spoon shape, because the straight edge is useful for sc.r.a.ping the inside corners and bottom of a pan to release fond. When it comes to cleaning them, I run mine through the dishwasher. True, it's bad for the wood, but I find it easier and don't mind buying a new one every few years.

Weight Versus Volume: The Case for WeightHow much of a difference does it really really make to weigh your flour? To find out, I asked friends to measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour and then weigh it. Ten cups later, the gram weights were in: 124, 125, 131, 133, 135, 156, 156, 158, 162, and 163. That's a whopping 31% difference between the lowest and highest measurements. make to weigh your flour? To find out, I asked friends to measure out 1 cup of all-purpose flour and then weigh it. Ten cups later, the gram weights were in: 124, 125, 131, 133, 135, 156, 156, 158, 162, and 163. That's a whopping 31% difference between the lowest and highest measurements.[image]How much flour is in a cup? Depends on whether you pack it in tight (on left: 1 cup at 156 grams, then sifted) or keep it loose (on right: 1 cup at 125 grams, then sifted).Even if you could perfectly measure the same weight with every cup, you still might end up using a different amount than what a recipe calls for. The average weight of the 10 samples above is 144 grams. The United States Department of Agriculture defines 1 cup of flour as 125 grams; Wolfram Alpha (http://www.wolframalpha.com) gives 137 grams. And the side of the package of flour in my kitchen? 120 grams.The upshot? You'll get better results by weighing ingredients, especially when baking. A cup might not be a cup, but 100 grams will always be 100 grams. Clearly, weight is the way to go.But what about wet measurements-measurements of things that don't compress? While you're not going to see the same variability, you can still end up with a fair amount of skew just based on the accuracy of the measuring device. The following image shows what four different methods for measuring 1 cup of liquid yielded.[image][image]212 grams Tablespoon (16 tablespoons = 1 cup)[image]225 grams Liquid measuring cup[image]232 grams Dry measuring cup[image]237 grams Digital scale Besides the ubiquitous wooden spoon, here are a few related tools that you should keep "near to hand" while cooking.

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Silicone stirring spatulas. This type of spatula, in addition to making perfect scrambled eggs, is handy for folding egg whites into batters, sc.r.a.ping down the edges of bowls, and reaching into the corners of pots needing stirring. Silicone is also heat-stable up to 500F / 260C. This type of spatula, in addition to making perfect scrambled eggs, is handy for folding egg whites into batters, sc.r.a.ping down the edges of bowls, and reaching into the corners of pots needing stirring. Silicone is also heat-stable up to 500F / 260C.

Whisks. If you're going to bake much, a whisk is essential. Go for a standard balloon whisk, not one of those funky attempts at wires with b.a.l.l.s on the end or crazy little loopy things. Besides coming in handy when you want to whisk eggs and dressings, you should always whisk together the If you're going to bake much, a whisk is essential. Go for a standard balloon whisk, not one of those funky attempts at wires with b.a.l.l.s on the end or crazy little loopy things. Besides coming in handy when you want to whisk eggs and dressings, you should always whisk together the dry dry ingredients for baked goods to ensure that things like salt and baking powder are thoroughly blended with the flour. ingredients for baked goods to ensure that things like salt and baking powder are thoroughly blended with the flour.

Kitchen shears. Essentially heavy-duty scissors, kitchen shears are useful for cutting through bones (see Essentially heavy-duty scissors, kitchen shears are useful for cutting through bones (see b.u.t.terflied Chicken, Broiled and Roasted b.u.t.terflied Chicken, Broiled and Roasted) and are a great alternative to a knife for cutting leafy greens, both small (chives) and large (Swiss chard). If you're serving soup into bowls and want to garnish with chives, instead of using a knife and cutting board, you can hold the chives directly above the bowl and use the shears to snip them directly into the bowl: faster, and fewer dishes, too!

Tongs. Think of tongs as heatproof extensions of your fingers. They're useful not just for flipping French toast in a frying pan or chicken on the grill, but also for picking up ramekins in the oven or grabbing a cookie tray when you're out of towels. Look for spring-loaded tongs that have silicone or heatproof tips, because these can be used with nonstick coated pans. Scalloped edges are also useful, because they tend to grip things better than their straight counterparts. Think of tongs as heatproof extensions of your fingers. They're useful not just for flipping French toast in a frying pan or chicken on the grill, but also for picking up ramekins in the oven or grabbing a cookie tray when you're out of towels. Look for spring-loaded tongs that have silicone or heatproof tips, because these can be used with nonstick coated pans. Scalloped edges are also useful, because they tend to grip things better than their straight counterparts.

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In addition to flipping items in pans or grabbing hot ramekins from an oven, tongs can be useful for holding on to hot foods such as just-cooked sausage while slicing them.

Thermometers and timers Probe thermometers are awesome because they use a thermocouple attached to a long heat-safe lead, designed so that you can stick the probe into a piece of meat and set the controller to beep when it reaches the desired temperature. Timers are handy, and if you'll be doing much baking, one will be critical. But if you expect to be doing mostly cooking, a timer is just a proxy for checking when, say, an oven roast has reached temperature, in which case why not use something that actually checks that? And when it comes to food safety, it's not possible to "see" what a hamburger cooked to 160F / 71C looks like, even when cut in half.

Infrared thermometers are great for taking dry temperatures, such as the surface temperature of a frying pan before you start making pancakes, or ice cream you've just made with liquid nitrogen (see Making ice cream Making ice cream in in Chapter7 Chapter7). The other great thing about them is that they're instant: point, click, done. You can also use them to take the temperature of liquids in a pan without having to worry about handling a hot thermometer probe or was.h.i.+ng it after. Keep in mind, though, that stainless steel is reflective in the IR range, just like a mirror reflects visible light-you'll end up taking the temperature of your ceiling, not the pan, if you try to meter an empty stainless steel pan. Also, IR thermometers only take surface temperature, so they shouldn't be used for checking internal temperatures for food safety.

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Tuck a probe thermometer into a quiche or pie to tell when the internal temperature indicates it is done. I pull my quiches out when the temperature reaches 140F / 60C. The egg coagulates in the range of 140149F / 6065C, and 140F / 60C is hot enough that the "carryover" heat will just set the egg custard without making it dry.

Finally, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the most overlooked but useful thermometer: your hands. Learn what various temperatures feel like: hold your hand above a hot pan, and notice how far away you can be and still "feel" the heat (thermal radiation). Stick your hand in an oven set to medium heat, remember that feeling, then compare it when you're working with a hot oven. For liquids, you can generally put your hand in water at around 130F / 55C for a second or two, but at 140F / 60C it'll pretty much be a reflexive "ouch!" Just remember to use a thermometer for foods that need to be cooked to a certain temperature for food safety reasons, which we'll cover in Chapter4 Chapter4.

Mixing bowls While you can get away with using your dinner plates or soup bowls for holding some things, you'll invariably need mixing bowls for working with and storing your ingredients. I recommend two types: large metal bowls (~12 to 16 / 30 to 40 cm diameter) and small gla.s.s bowls.

For metal bowls, poke around your nearest restaurant supply store for some cheap stainless steel ones, which should cost only a few dollars apiece. These bowls are large enough to hold cookie dough, cake batter, and soup, and they have enough room for chopped leafy greens that you plan to saute. You can also toss them in the oven at low heat to keep cooked items warm, something you can't do with plastic ones.

Small gla.s.s bowls are also very useful, especially if you're using a mise en place mise en place setup. Measuring out chopped ingredients into small gla.s.s bowls ahead of time will allow you to toss the ingr