Bristol Farms

There are certain tools, gadgets, and machines you always reach for whenever you’re cooking; these are the essentials when it comes to cooking. The following kitchen tools and gadgets happen to be my personal favorites and ones I rely on when in the kitchen:

1. Microplane zester - A wonderful zester (simply the best) that can be used on everything from cheese to spices, chocolate, and citrus.
2. Salad spinner - Use it first to wash your leafy greens, dry them, then use the bottom bowl again to build a large wonderful salad. Can be used for not only salad greens but for cooking greens too, such as: kale, collard greens, Swiss chard, etc.
3. Garlic press - For sheer, overwhelming popularity, especially for folks who regularly make dishes that call for 15 cloves of minced garlic
4. Mandoline slicer - This speedy slicer does the duty of slicing, mincing, and Julienne. For safety reasons, these little gadgets typically come with a hand guard to keep your fingers out of harm’s way.
5. Digital timers - There’s no guessing when it comes to cooking or baking time! Digital timers keep your cooking and baking contraptions right in line while you can pay attention to other stuff like kids, TV, a favorite book. It really could be your best friend in the kitchen.
6. Thermometers - Much like the timer, it keeps the guessing game at bay. This too could really be your best friend in the kitchen.
7. Manual juicer - This powerful machine comes in handy when making large batches of freshly squeezed juices. Nobody wants to juice citrus manually!
8. Pepper mill - Freshly ground pepper simply beats the pre-ground canned pepper, everyday.
9. VeggiChop - Perfect for making small amounts of  salsas, dips, and rubs and is much lighter and easier to clean than a food processor.
10. Can opener - a can opener is a kitchen must! Whether it be manual or electric, finding a good can opener is a delightful feat.

Consensus is a home chef needs at least one type of thermometer: an instant read thermometer for sticking into a piece of meat or fish to read the internal temperature. These are a million times better than the type you leave in the meat as it cooks. If you like to fry, you’ll need a frying thermometer that clips on to the side of the pan or pot.

Candy thermometers are not required if you know how to judge the temperature of sugar by its texture in cold water. When working with chocolate, you might use one of those long mercury thermometers, but if breaks, it is more dangerous than helpful. Mercury is extremely poisonous; Instead, try an alcohol thermometer or an inelegant digital thermometer that measures a range between 50 -200 degrees.

Swiss, Calphalon, Kitchen Aid, J.A. Henckel, Messer Miser, OXO, Zyliss: there are many of knives out there to choose from. Whether they are high end chef quality or discount national brands, knowing the basics and what you really need in the kitchen is crucial. Understanding the uses for each knife is also very important in determine whether you need them or not.

More expensive knives, especially those of popular heavy German knives, are made with very hard steel. In some instants, they can be very hard to sharpen at home and you will have to go to a professional to get the job done. Less expensive knives are made of softer steel and sharpen very quickly. Their blades are thinner, but sometimes do not work well on harder fruits and vegetables. The other alternative is carbon steel knives, particularly from France and Japan. They are easier to sharpen than stainless steel, but may also need to be sharpened more often or honed before every use. They also rust if left in dish water and/or not dried properly. Stains may occur from some foods. In spite of these drawbacks, many chefs still prefer carbon steel because it’s easier to keep sharp.

In the past few years there have a couple of new introductions: Ceramic and Nonstick Coating. Both of these originate from the Far East. Porcelain Ceramic knives are made from high forced porcelain, one of the hardest materials you can find. They are made well for cutting vegetables especially delicate greens because porcelain does not leave a bruise or browning on the edge on vegetables. Downfall; very hard to sharpen.

Non Stick Coated Knives are basically High Carbon Stainless Steel Knives forced with a non stick power coating. They are available in multitude of colors, shapes, and sizes. They work as well as any other high carbon stainless steel knife.

Here are the basics you need in your kitchen regardless of your preference:

• One Chef’s Knife: The largest you can find. A 14 inch knife will chop herbs twice as fast as an 8 inch chef knife.
• One Paring Knife: 4 inch for boning poultry, trimming vegetables, or preparing fruit.
• One Flexible Knife: Long and thin. This is used for filleting fish or slicing smoked fish and prosciutto.
• Bread Knife: 10 inch knife with serrated blade.

Just remember, all knives are not created equal.

On One Hand: Yes, They Are

According to the Reluctant Gourmet, wooden cutting boards are sanitary. Their porous surface actually draws bacteria into the body of the cutting board where it cannot replicate and dies. Unlike plastic cutting boards, wood cutting boards with heavy knife marks are still sanitary.

On the Other Hand: You Should Still Wash Them

The porous nature of a wooden cutting board is not an argument against thoroughly sanitizing it yourself. You still need to wash a wood cutting board after each use and between separate food items, especially if you are cutting raw meat. Wash the board in warm, soapy water, or put it in the dishwasher. Deeply sanitize it with unscented bleach. Also it is crucial to allow to dry completely allowing the enzymes in the wood to release and kill bacteria naturally.

Bottom Line

Wooden cutting boards are not unsanitary because they are porous; in fact, the pores prevent the bacteria from replicating and they die, making the wood board sanitary. Plastic cutting boards do not have this advantage and become unusable if there are deep knife grooves. No matter what cutting board you use, wash it after each use, and deeply sanitize it regularly.