Reactionary

While browsing blogs today I came upon a discussion thread entitled “Why don’t professional chefs use garlic presses?” at my favorite food blog, Serious Eats. I don’t have a garlic press. I have never had a garlic press or felt the need to own one. I have an annoyingly small kitchen which I hate and one very small drawer for the bulk of my kitchen utensils. I also keep a container at the side of the stove with the long-handed implements like spatulas. The post got me thinking of what it is I feel I need to own and cram into that small drawer. Just for fun, here’s the list.

• Knives: I know it’s not optimal to have expensive knives in the drawer but I don’t know what more to do with them. I keep them in their original packaging on top of everything else. Chef’s 8″, paring, bread, and cheap-o utility.
• Waiter’s corkscrew: Anything fancier is overkill and completely unnecessary.
• Zyliss foil cutter
• Zyliss steel wine cap
• Measuring spoons
• Vegetable peelers, one straight, the other y-type
• Candy thermometer
• Mezzaluna
• Gelato scoop
• Ice cream scoop
• Pizza wheel cutter
• Pie cutting/ serving utensil (I’m not sure of the actual name)
• Tongs: I have two pairs and the other lives in the upright canister next to the stove.
• AeroLatte: Handy battery-powered device when I feel like a barista. It was better than buying a machine.
• Small frosting spatula
• Microplane
• Apple coring device: My latest acquisition I just bought yesterday. I know it’s a one-trick pony but I’ve gone mad for apples and coring them to leave them intact for baking is pretty hard for a small paring knife. Peeling them is annoying enough.

That’s it. My upright canister by the stove has a few wooden spoons, the other tongs, spatulas, turners, and two serving spoons. I’m a minimalist. But I completely understand where the gathering of kitchen implements comes from. I was at the store buying my apple coring device and as I scanned the wall display, I was absolutely convinced I needed every single thing there. I had to stop myself and repeat to myself more stuff doesn’t make you a better cook, just a packrat.

November 2nd, 2008 | Category: Food |  Print |  Send it | Subscribe to comments | Leave a comment | Trackback URL