Essential Kitchen Utensils

[channa]

Chopping boards I prefer wooden or the plastic flexible type, glass are the spawn of the devil quickest way of taking the edge of a knife I can think of. To stop them sliding about a bit of damp kitchen towel between board and surface. for garlic pressing smash the cloves with the bottom of a saucepan , if still coarser than you require cross cut chop with your chefs knife.

Channa

 

[Campervanannie]

Ok here are my go to items
1) top long handled strainer uses straining any veg also if you don’t have a chip pan can be used to get anything out of hot oil
2) a good small chopping board doubles as a hot pan/dish. Stand
3) a silicon spatula for stirring scraping the last drops out of pans dishes
4) and5) are my go too knives
6) for picking up sausages lifting spaghetti serving hot root veg roasted ect
7) a palm peeled for Arthritis sufferers
8) and 9) self explanatory
10) my stainless steel skewer for pricking sausages checking buns and cakes checking tenderness of a joint/ chicken

 

[Full Member]

dont forget the scraper use it for all sorts flipping eggs turning stuff crushing garlic is done between two pieces of 2x1 gentle crush first time to remove skin second one litte hard to crush it the paint scraper to scrape off into pan

short legged metal table keeps hot pans off surfaces and when cooking somewhere to put pans on the bed and it spans the sink

That's a really good idea, Barrie. We often assume that we need special utensils for the kitchen. There's nothing wrong with a scraper instead of a spatula/flipper.
And perhaps a 2 kg club hammer to tenderize steak?

Colin ???

 

[Full Member]

Colin I’ve tried loads of garlic presses

the best one I’ve ever found is the one from Ikea, quick, efficient easy to clean

aldra

Thanks Aldra. Is that one which has a removable insert?

Colin ???

 

[Full Member]

Chopping boards I prefer wooden or the plastic flexible type, glass are the spawn of the devil quickest way of taking the edge of a knife I can think of. To stop them sliding about a bit of damp kitchen towel between board and surface. for garlic pressing smash the cloves with the bottom of a saucepan , if still coarser than you require cross cut chop with your chefs knife.

Channa

All good points, Channa. I use the side of the chefs knife to crush garlic. A light tap on the knife to split the skin for peeling then a harder tap to crush the perked clove. If I need it finer a rocking motion with the blade on the chopping board.
Takes longer to write than to do!

Colin ???

 

[Full Member]

Ok here are my go to items
1) top long handled strainer uses straining any veg also if you don’t have a chip pan can be used to get anything out of hot oil
2) a good small chopping board doubles as a hot pan/dish. Stand
3) a silicon spatula for stirring scraping the last drops out of pans dishes
4) and5) are my go too knives
6) for picking up sausages lifting spaghetti serving hot root veg roasted ect
7) a palm peeled for Arthritis sufferers
8) and 9) self explanatory
10) my stainless steel skewer for pricking sausages checking buns and cakes checking tenderness of a joint/ chicken

That's a great selection, Annie. Like you, I try to use utensils for more than one purpose.

Rabbit stew please.

Colin ???

 

[Aldra]

Yep Colin
now I love garlic

toss full cloves into meals

But I burn peppers and skin them

roast corgettes and aubrogenes

Dress with olive oil , lemon juice and garlic

and always make make my own hummus

so I need garlic

aldra

 

[Full Member]

Yep Colin
now I love garlic

toss full cloves into meals

But I burn peppers and skin them

roast corgettes and aubrogenes

Dress with olive oil , lemon juice and garlic

and always make make my own hummus

so I need garlic

aldra

I love garlic as well, Aldra. I'm always amazed at the way whole (peeled) cloves are transformed into something almost sweet and delicate when gently baked with olive oil. The Spanish, for example, do this and eat the delicious cloves as we would carrots or any other vegetable as opposed to an ingredient in a dish.

Colin ???

 

[nicholsong]

They're really useful for the jars that are difficult to open. Another way to loosen tight lids is to carefully heat the lid with hot water. The small quantity of air at the top of the jar then expands and the seal breaks far more easily.

Colin :smile::smile::smile:

My trick is to wrap a wide rubber band round the lid - increases friction and grip - better than a bare hand. I tap on a metal lid also helps.

Geoff

 

[Full Member]

My trick is to wrap a wide rubber band round the lid - increases friction and grip - better than a bare hand. I tap on a metal lid also helps.

Geoff

Both good ideas, Geoff. I haven't used the rubber band idea but the gentle tap on the lid I have - and it worked a treat.

Colin ???

 

[yorkslass]

Both good ideas, Geoff. I haven't used the rubber band idea but the gentle tap on the lid I have - and it worked a treat.

Colin ???

My daughter gets the job of opening difficult lids these days. I have one of those silicone discs that used to work but doesn't so much now, Is it me?

 

[Full Member]

My daughter gets the job of opening difficult lids these days. I have one of those silicone discs that used to work but doesn't so much now, Is it me?

No, yorkslass. The manufacturers are at fault for putting lids on tighter and tighter as the years pass. Or your silicone sheet is losing it's strength.
100% not you!re fault.

Colin ???

 

[yorkslass]

No, yorkslass. The manufacturers are at fault for putting lids on tighter and tighter as the years pass. Or your silicone sheet is losing it's strength.
100% not you!re fault.

Colin ???

Thanks Colin, that's reassuring.:wink:

 

[Full Member]

Thanks Colin, that's reassuring.:wink:

You may also have noticed that publishers are economising on paper and ink more and more as time goes by.
They certainly are in the south.

Colin ???

 

[Iandsm]

I have a set of Victorinox (Swiss Army knife maker) Rosewood handle kitchen knives, the best present I was given last Christmas, they have had a lot of use over the year and they are still as sharp as razors. I wouldn't be without them.

 

[channa]

I love garlic as well, Aldra. I'm always amazed at the way whole (peeled) cloves are transformed into something almost sweet and delicate when gently baked with olive oil. The Spanish, for example, do this and eat the delicious cloves as we would carrots or any other vegetable as opposed to an ingredient in a dish.

Colin ???

For the garlic lovers the Isle of Wight does a garlic festival each year worth a google

 

[Full Member]

I have a set of Victorinox (Swiss Army knife maker) Rosewood handle kitchen knives, the best present I was given last Christmas, they have had a lot of use over the year and they are still as sharp as razors. I wouldn't be without them.

I'm a great fan of Victorinox knives as well, landsm. I have several Victorinox 'tomato knives'. They have a wavy edge, are about 16cm long, have rounded ends and originally only came with black handles. Now they're available in lots of colours and in total I probably have a dozen or so. I use them for prepping and for table knives.
Not cheap but in my view good value.

Colin ???

 

[Full Member]

For the garlic lovers the Isle of Wight does a garlic festival each year worth a google

I haven't been to the festival but have visited the farm, Channa. It's well worth visiting if you happen to be on the IoW.
Believe it or not, they export garlic to France!

Colin ???

 

[Homenaway]

Thanks, Steve. I'm thinking of utensils here as opposed to pots, pans, kettles etc.
Do you use your skillet inside the Moho? I've always used one for searing then cooking so would fill a Moho with smoke!
Also do you clean your skillet after use? I know some folks leave any fat burnt on the skillet as effectively a non-stick surface.

Colin ???

Hi Colin,
we use it as a frying pan more than a double pan these days and it has started to lose its non stick but is ok for bacon and eggs. We also use one half with the glass lid for hotpot meals using a single electric hot plate if on hook up but one of the pans is a bit wobbly! Perhaps I should try flattening it in a vice or with a club hammer!! We do wash it after use.

Ours is the smaller diameter 20cm one

Steve

 

[Full Member]

Hi Colin,
we use it as a frying pan more than a double pan these days and it has started to lose its non stick but is ok for bacon and eggs. We also use one half with the glass lid for hotpot meals using a single electric hot plate if on hook up but one of the pans is a bit wobbly! Perhaps I should try flattening it in a vice or with a club hammer!! We do wash it after use.

Ours is the smaller diameter 20cm one

Steve

Thanks for clarifying that, Steve. I was thinking of the cast iron type of skillet rather than the non-stick variety
Is your skillet a particular brand?

Colin ??? .