No, not that kind of adult toys! This is a family blog, for goodness' sake. However, today I will deviate, so to speak, from focusing exclusively on baked goods and their anecdotes to spend a bit of time on something very important but easy to overlook: proper kitchen tools (or toys, as I prefer to call them). Appropriate equipment can make a huge difference not only in the outcome of your creation but the process as well. And...the process impacts whether or not you decide to make whatever it is, so if there is a way to make the process smoother and easier, you are more likely to create deliciousness more often. The more often you create deliciousness, the more proficient you become, so you create more more often and it gets even easier and you create more and ... you get the idea.
Momentum can and will build in baking and cooking (and really anything) simply by the act of doing it. You don't have to do it well or with perfect form, but the more you practice, the easier it will become. When there are tools available to make your work come out better and to make the process more fluid, they are a worthwhile investment.
Now, I am not talking about tools and equipment that completely remove the baker or cook from the process. For example, I never use a food processor for chopping because the time it takes to clean up the food processor negates any time or aggravation savings afforded by using it to chop. I would rather use my knife and cutting board and have imperfectly diced sweet potatoes. In other words, there are not advantages for me in using the food processor for chopping because it does not make the work easier when all is said and done; nor does it improve the quality of the creation since I can chop things just fine. However, I will use a mandoline or grater when I need shredded apples or carrots or potatoes because typically, if a creation calls for something to be shredded, the creation needs it to be uniformly shredded, which is a much more specific parameter than simply chopped. Achieving perfect shreds with a knife is probably possible, but I'm not going to test out that hypothesis. In other words, in this case, the benefits of the proper tool make the work easier and the outcome better. With me so far? Wishing I had decided to write about the other kind of adult toy? Well, keep reading. Here comes the part that will enable you to rationalize (to yourself or others!) a reconnaissance trip to Sur la Table even if it's an hour away.
What follows is a partial list of what I could not do without in my kitchen for baking. A recipe for a happy kitchen, perhaps. I have also included explanations; most of the items are self explanatory, but some of them also come in handy in ways you might not have thought of - hence the explanation. I have not included things like bowls, whisks, mixers - those are things that you probably already have if you're reading this! They are also things without peculiarities for the most part. The items below are a bit more esoteric. If you have a suggestion, add a comment, please! I, personally, am always looking for more reasons to go to Sur la Table even though it's an hour away AND in a huge, scary mall.
Measuring cups: 2 sets so that you can use one for dry and one for wet. I don't like the ones with spouts because they are more annoying to clean and to level, and not any easier for pouring.
Measuring spoons: 2 sets, or one double-sided set, one for dry and one for wet. I prefer round spoons to oval for no reason whatsoever.
European style rolling pin, that is, one without handles: easier than regular rolling pins to maneuver and keep even pressure. They come in various sizes two of which I have. I find that the smaller of the two is the one I use most often. The large one is good for very stiff doughs, which I don't really make any more. If you bake with wheat or are interested in bread baking, take a look at all the sizes available and see what you like.
Metal dough roller: even easier to manage than a rolling pin and perfect for small creations or especially soft ones that don't require the heft of a rolling pin (individual cookies, pie crust, tart crust). They also can be refrigerated, which makes them even more ideal for soft dough that heats up quickly when worked.
Metal dough scraper: gluten free doughs are sticky. Cursing should not be part of my pie crust recipe, but it has been thus far because the dough is so hard to move. I am hoping that my new dough scraper changes all this.
9x5x3" loaf pan, metal, not glass: this size will work for any loaf cake or quick bread or regular bread. It is the most versatile of the loaf pan sizes out there and is often what is called for in recipes. If this size is not called for, you can still use it.
So, that will get you started. There are many, many other toys you can add to your kitchen and certainly many more that I have in my kitchen and use on a weekly if not daily basis. I am hoping that this small list and the explanations will give some added perspective and inspiration to your baking.
If not, if your trip to the kitchen store is fruitless and the mall is overcrowded and you've just had it, well, I'm sure there is an adult store somewhere nearby to bring a giggle to even the most irritable of kitchen store shoppers.
~GFG
Momentum can and will build in baking and cooking (and really anything) simply by the act of doing it. You don't have to do it well or with perfect form, but the more you practice, the easier it will become. When there are tools available to make your work come out better and to make the process more fluid, they are a worthwhile investment.
What follows is a partial list of what I could not do without in my kitchen for baking. A recipe for a happy kitchen, perhaps. I have also included explanations; most of the items are self explanatory, but some of them also come in handy in ways you might not have thought of - hence the explanation. I have not included things like bowls, whisks, mixers - those are things that you probably already have if you're reading this! They are also things without peculiarities for the most part. The items below are a bit more esoteric. If you have a suggestion, add a comment, please! I, personally, am always looking for more reasons to go to Sur la Table even though it's an hour away AND in a huge, scary mall.
Measuring cups: 2 sets so that you can use one for dry and one for wet. I don't like the ones with spouts because they are more annoying to clean and to level, and not any easier for pouring.
Measuring spoons: 2 sets, or one double-sided set, one for dry and one for wet. I prefer round spoons to oval for no reason whatsoever.
European style rolling pin, that is, one without handles: easier than regular rolling pins to maneuver and keep even pressure. They come in various sizes two of which I have. I find that the smaller of the two is the one I use most often. The large one is good for very stiff doughs, which I don't really make any more. If you bake with wheat or are interested in bread baking, take a look at all the sizes available and see what you like.
Metal dough scraper: gluten free doughs are sticky. Cursing should not be part of my pie crust recipe, but it has been thus far because the dough is so hard to move. I am hoping that my new dough scraper changes all this.
9x5x3" loaf pan, metal, not glass: this size will work for any loaf cake or quick bread or regular bread. It is the most versatile of the loaf pan sizes out there and is often what is called for in recipes. If this size is not called for, you can still use it.
So, that will get you started. There are many, many other toys you can add to your kitchen and certainly many more that I have in my kitchen and use on a weekly if not daily basis. I am hoping that this small list and the explanations will give some added perspective and inspiration to your baking.
If not, if your trip to the kitchen store is fruitless and the mall is overcrowded and you've just had it, well, I'm sure there is an adult store somewhere nearby to bring a giggle to even the most irritable of kitchen store shoppers.
~GFG
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