Learning How to Cook
If you want to learn how to cook then at first, you should of course learn the basic methods and skills for cooking. However, without the basic utensils and tool to start with, you won’t really be able to learn how to cook. Having some of the right cooking utensils in the kitchen is important for every cook, whether at home or in a professional kitchen. Knowledge is not enough – you also need the proper tools to help you do the cooking.
Cooking utensils range from spoons to juicers, cutting devices, etc. Think about what you are going to cook in the kitchen and then think about the basic utensils that you will need to cook your food. Unless you have a nice amount of money to spend, you might want to acquire your kitchen equipment in steps.
Some Basic Kitchen Utensils
The following are some basic things you will need around the kitchen to make cooking a lot easier and more enjoyable.
A salad spinner and vegetable peeler are good for cleaning vegetables and drying them. Knives, mandolins and graters are necessary for slicing and cutting the food. Measuring spoons and cups are also important to keep the ratio between different ingredients and to accurately follow the recipes. An oven or meat thermometer is also an important utensil that is necessary to have your meat and vegetables cooked properly and safely.
Chef’s Knives
A chef’s knife is maybe the most important piece of equipment in the kitchen. Of course, don’t forget the cutting board… The knife is chopping fruit, vegetables, meat, herbs, onions and garlic. A good knife can even cut through chicken bones. Make sure your knife is sharp to aid you in your slicing, dicing and cutting duties.
Find a sharpener that you like, you don’t have to get an expensive one. The one I use was given out free at the grand opening of a restaurant supply store. I think it actually costs $10.00. A sharp knife is actually safer than a dull knife.
Whether you use wood or plastic cutting boards, make sure to properly clean and sanitize them. For plastic, this can be done in the dishwasher. A wood board can be wiped with watered down bleach. Of course wash it thoroughly first.
Colander, Strainers and Bowls
Another important addition to your collection of supplies, are various sized bowls, which are necessary for mixing ingredients and colanders and strainers. It’s useful to buy items that fit together to help with storage–bowls and strainers fall into this category.
While plastic and metal can be use, a mesh strainer is probably the most useful because the small mesh does not let items pass through it, like a colander. Big colanders or strainers should be used for pasta and salad greens, while smaller strainers can be used for soups and straining pulp from fruit juice.
Some cooking utensils can be expensive, so you might want to shop around or build your cooking arsenal slowly over time. One of my favorite places to get kitchen tools for a reasonable price is at a restaurant supply store. They have good prices and great selection.