Beth’s Must-Have Kitchen Tools
I have to admit. I love a good tool or gadget. I remember seeing that slick avocado slicer at Williams Sonoma years ago- and thought… I NEED THAT! (I didn’t buy it but there are times I think it would be handy!)
Many of our kitchen shelves and drawers are cluttered with items we rarely use (I am looking at your rice cooker!). And then there are those items that are constantly in the rotation (like a good pair of leggings, right?!)
I am often asked what tools or gadgets are essential when teaching clients to cook. Here I have compiled my top SIX tools I would be hard pressed to live without. (Yes- these are in both my home and Kitchen Shift kitchen!)
1. A good bamboo cutting board. You can tell an experienced chopper by their cutting board. I mean that! (And yes, I cringe when I see people cutting on their countertops.. Just don’t!) A good bamboo cutting board isn’t a large investment and it will allow you to get more efficient and rhythmic with dicing and chopping… and it will help you stay safe (less slipping!) I also discovered that I nice-sized cutting board will serves as a great charcuterie board. I do not cut raw meat on my board. I reserve it for fruits, vegetables, nuts and herbs. If you are in the market, I do have great quality bamboo cutting boards for sale at the shop ($40!). Come visit Noon - 4 Monday + Friday or Wednesday Noon - 6 to check them out!
2. A good microplane for zesting citrus, garlic, ginger and creating piles of parmesan. A tremendous upgrade for your health is eliminating bottled salad dressings and marinades that are typically packed with seed oils, and sugar. I love to make these homemade and will kick them up a notch with citrus zest. Lemon zest is great over roasted carrots or asparagus, lime zest great on chicken or fish and fresh ginger in salad dressing. This tool* creates a finer shred than a grater. Again, a must have!
3. Good quality knives- In my opinion, you only need these three. But these are MUST HAVES. I prefer the brands Henckels (choose a set* or just one*), Wusthof* or Zwilling*. A good knife is an investment but I use it with as much frequency as cutlery. I do think its a good idea to “try” on a knife for size, weight, and balance. Its a bit like Goldilocks You want to find one that’s just right! I recommend 1. a good chef’s knife for larger jobs like dicing vegetables, slicing meat, cutting nuts, 2. a good paring knife for peeling and 3.a serrated knife for slicing tomatoes, bread, and the like.
4. A good hand juicer. I love this wood one*- it’s inexpensive and effective! I use this to make my warm lemon water in the am as well as for juice in salad dressings or marinates. It is easy to clean as well!
5. A high quality blender like a Vitamix*. Yes- this is like investing in an appliance but I truly use my Vitamix daily, I make smoothies, marindates, soups and salad dressings in it. And its an incredible tool if you want to use more vegetables in your recipes (especially smoothies- no one needs unblended chunks of cauliflower spinach or carrot!)
6. My All Clad Stainless steel pans I have removed ALL teflon and synthetically coated pots and pans from my kitchen. The evidence is too great that these create health concerns when used over time. My All Clad Stainless pans were an investment (a wedding gift in fact!) but they are still going strong 21 years later. They really come in handy for one-pot meals. Try this non-stick skillet* or the 5-piece set* or a full suite.
Click the links in this blog post for easy viewing and purchasing too! I cannot wait to see what you cook up with these new tools!
Xoxo,
Beth
*denotes an affiliate link. By clicking through and purchasing, you are paying the same price, but are supporting Kitchen Shift through a small commission.
Thank you so much.