Browsing Tag

favorite kitchen tool

Favorite Kitchen Tool #4 – Timer

I get distracted fairly easily. I’m often fixing dinner while preparing something for the next day so there are a lot of things going on in the kitchen in parallel. A timer is what saves me from having to regularly reset the smoke alarm. When I have friends over and have a number of different things cooking at once I have multiple timers going at once. I place one of my three timers by each of the foods I’m cooking. This works because my stove, oven and vent hood are made of a stainless steel that attracts magnets. Each timer has a magnet on the back so I can slap them on the oven door or right above what’s cooking. The timers’ display is big and the buttons simple. Here is one similar to mine that has gotten good reviews.

I have another use for a timer. When there is a project I need to do but don’t want to – like filing, cleaning out a closet or folding clothes, I set a timer for 30 minutes so I know I only have to do the dreaded task for that amount of time. I can do anything for 30 minutes. It really helps me get projects I don’t enjoy done so I can go play.

When we get to the after-holiday let down, clean-up, and carry on, I’ll be using my timers and feeling virtuous about getting my least favorite items on my to-do list done with the help of my timers.

December 23, 2015 by Bowman O' Connor

Great Gift Ideas, Tips

Favorite Kitchen Tool #3 – Kitchen Scale

Holiday baking time has me thinking about my kitchen scale, one of the tools you really need in the kitchen.

Being off a bit with quantities is more consequential in baking than in any other form of cooking. Baking recipes do not tolerate approximate amounts well. Often, a less-than-stellar outcome stems from using volume measurements instead of weight measurements. For example, if you measure flour by filling a cup, then the amount of flour you end up using will vary depending on whether the flour is sifted or hard-packed and on whether you scoop or pour. The solution: do not measure by volume, measure by weight – put away the cup, get out the kitchen scale.

My scale measures ounces, kilograms, grams, and pounds on an easy-to-read screen. One feature I use all the time is the “Tare”, which zeros the display regardless of what is on the scale, enabling you to measure only what you put in the bowl. This scale is big enough to weigh a variety of bowl sizes and since the scale is thin, it is easy to store and to stack. I stack my big measuring cups on top of it. Great when you don’t have a lot of storage room. This kitchen scale, the EatSmart Precision Pro Digital, is also priced at $19.95 right now (12/15/15) on Amazon. It usually costs between $30-$40.

December 15, 2015 by Bowman O' Connor

Great Gift Ideas, Kitchen Tools, Tips

Favorite Kitchen Tools

Sitting around the table the other night we started taking about each person’s favorite kitchen tool, knives excluded. I had to really think about it.

Joni instantly said her instant read thermometer was one tool she would not be without. A big Kitchenaid mixer was Jim’s choice, because of the bread-kneading elbow grease it saves.

My first thought for my favorite kitchen tool was my set of peelers. I use them daily. I’m really picky about peelers. A dull one or one that has a poor grip can make a simple job frustrating. My next thought was my weighing scale: I use my scale often. And then there’s my juicer: I had just finished making limoncello so my wooden fruit juicer had seen a lot of use.

What do you use most often? A corkscrew is certainly a viable answer. This is important when you have a small kitchen. It is easy to clutter your drawers with what’s non-essential.

Especially since Christmas is just around the corner, I thought I’d pick a favorite tool each week and post it. For this week it’s my set of vegetable peelers. These peelers are inexpensive, quite sharp and have held their cutting edge for years. Their handles are well designed to grip easily. One is your typical scalpel peeler, another a julienne peeler and the third is a serrated peeler. Not only do I use these at home but when I travel they are light and easy to pack.

I gave these peelers to my mother for Christmas one year. Her reaction was one of surprise – they are plastic. She finally tried them and figured out what a nifty tool they are.

I’ve added a link to Amazon above in purple if you want to take a look at them.

I’d love to hear what your favorite kitchen tool is!

November 27, 2015 by Bowman O' Connor