If you’ve walked into any kitchen store, you know how overwhelming the business of kitchen tools can be. Beyond a solid knife (should have been on the list, but I’m mentioning now), below are five of my go-to kitchen tools. Some are cheap, some are an investment. These items are the five I use every day. The items I’m obsessed with and always tell people about.
Microplane Zester
I feel like my life forever changed when I purchased this handy tool. There’s nothing quite like a fresh grate of hard cheese. Of course, the fun doesn’t stop there with this tool. Grate citrus zest, use it with garlic/ginger, or finish your holiday desserts with freshly grated nutmeg.Wood Spatulas
Obviously spatulas are an indispensable in the kitchen but these Earlywood Spatulas have pretty much been life changing. If you’ve ever tried to scrape out a cast iron skillet before, you know it’s not always the easiest task to perform. Enter these flat, wood spatulas. Less food waste and easier clean-up; I’m sold.Kitchen Scale
My second job out of college was working in a bakery. I went from working the front counter, to head baker who also spent a lot of time in the new dedicated Gluten-free kitchen (this was 2008- the world of GF was SO small and fairly new at a commercial scale). I realize for non-Americans, this is a duh item but I can’t live without my kitchen scale. I weight everything (even my morning coffee!)High-Speed Blender
These last two items are bigger-ticket items but between the two, I can make pretty much any recipe on the site. I used to be a die-hard food processor person but now it just collects dust (unless I need to shred cheese or slice vegetables). I’m so smitten with my blenders. I have a Blendtec and a Wolf Gourmet (one at home, one at the studio): both are powerhouses that can perform almost any task. They are pricy but it’s a worthy investment.Flour Mill
I saved this one for last because I realize this won’t be for everyone. But, when you write a book about grinding flour at home, one has to expect a flour mill is a large part of the kitchen. Home-ground flour is amazing and it allows me to keep items on hand (like oats) that live in one form. The groats keep longer and I can easily turn them into flakes (oatmeal) or flour. This is the mill I have but I also know people love this mill.
