Back to Basics Kitchenware

Utensils

Stirring, blending and turning foods require utensils that do the job. A slotted spoon lifts food up while leaving any liquid behind, such as when you're making poached eggs. A large spoon stirs batters, gravies and sauces. A whisk turns egg whites into meringue, keeps hollandaise sauce from curdling, and blends chocolate into hot cream to make chocolate mousse. Flipping food over while it's sauteing or frying requires a spatula.

Slicing, dicing and mincing requires a set of knives. While you could manage with only a chef's knife, a broad- bladed knife about 9 inches long, adding a paring knife with a short 3-inch blade and a serrated knife for cutting breads and meats make cooking go faster. Obtain a good quality knife sharpener to hone the blades after every use. Do not put knives in the dishwasher. The blade is dulled by the chemicals in the dish washer detergent. Hand wash and dry immediately.

Cooking requires that you have a receptacle to put ingredients in while blending them. A set of three glass or ceramic mixing bowls are all you need. Metal bowls are more durable but they may react with some foods. In addition, a set of 8oz. size heat-proof bowls, sometimes called ramekins, come in handy when making individual size servings of puddings, souffles or fruit cobblers.

Removing seeds from juices, bits of clotted flour from gravy and draining vegetables and other foods requires strainers, sieves and colanders. A small mesh metal strainer does the job for juices. A larger strainer handles sauces and gravies. A colander, with feet to balance on, frees your hands when you're emptying a pot of pasta or potatoes.

Baking is based on chemical reactions for success. Those chemical reactions require more precise measurements than putting together inert ingredients as in a salad, for example. Wet ingredients require a glass or plastic see-through set of cups, a two and three-cup size are all you need. The cups have markings for 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3 and 3/4 measurements on the side. They usually have ounces and millimeters marked as well. Dry ingredients are measured by filling the cup with the dry ingredient and then scraping off any excess ingredient off the top of the cup. Acquire a set of cups in 1/4, 1/3, 1/2 and 1 cup. Combine two cups for 2/3 and 3/4 cup -- fill the 1/3 size cup twice for 2/3 cup -- fill the 1/4 and 1/2 cup for 3/4 cup. Measuring spoons round out your tool box.