One of my favorite series on one of my favorite cooking blogs, The Kitchn, is the “10 most used kitchen tools” series, in which regular contributors give you a special look at their starting line up, when it comes to the kitchen. Since I’m not as a proficient home chef as any of the contributors (or even the commenters, for that matter!) and since I very much doubt I will ever be invited to pen my own “most used tools” article, I will give you the benefit of listing my five favorites right here.
1. Persimmon Mario Batali Silicone Spoon. I do everything with this spoon. I mix batter, stir hot sauces, spackle drywall. OK, admittedly I don’t spackle drywall with it, but if I even knew how, I know I would try with this spoon, which is so versatile and has held up remarkably well in the time I’ve owned it.
2. Lemon Squeezer. My dearest friends can attest to how dejected I become if I am asked to make a Skinny Margarita without the aid of a proper handheld Lemon Squeezer. You get so much more out of your lemons and limes using this handy gadget that you can often find at any grocery store for less than 10 bucks.
3. Ulu Cutting Block and Knife. My parents picked this gem up for me on a recent trek to Alaska. At first blush, I didn’t realize how much I would end up using this tool, for its ability to so finely (and quickly!) chop and dice vegetables and herbs.
4. OXO Tongs. Every good kitchen needs a good pair of tongs. Maybe even two.
5. My favorite tool on this list and the newest addition to my kitchen is my Le Creuset Dutch Oven. This is the little oven that could…could make beef bourguignon, a roast chicken, a pot roast, a slow-cooked pasta, a winter stew. Not to mention it looks pretty darn good sitting on the stove, whether you are cooking anything in it or not! All in all, a wise investment for the prolific home cook.
