According to most experts, there are a few particular cooking utensils that are almost indispensable. One of the most important things a cook needs is a set of sharp knives in various sizes. Secondly, any kitchen will generally need a collection of measuring utensils, including measuring cups and spoons. Various types of spatulas are also kept in many kitchens, including the flat type, which is used for flipping such foods as pancakes, along with the more rounded type that’s often used in stir-frying. Finally, there are several additional extras that make it easier to cook, including graters, tongs, can openers, and food processors.
Almost any kind of cooking using fresh ingredients will require the chef to cut vegetables or meat. This means that knives are basically essential for many cooking tasks. Sometimes people may choose to save money and buy inexpensive knives, but experts suggest that this can sometimes be a mistake. Knives made of higher quality steel are often easier to sharpen, and they tend to stay sharper longer. A sharp knife can make the cooking process significantly easier and puts a lot less stress on the cook's hands.
Cooking utensils designed for measuring are often extremely useful in a kitchen. Quality is generally not as important with measuring utensils as it is for knives, but it is often important to have a good mix of sizes. Most chefs like to have a large measuring cup for wet ingredients, and some smaller cups for dry ingredients. There is also a need to purchase measuring spoons for more precision when applying seasonings, which can be a delicate process.
Chefs also often need additional cooking utensils here and there for various odd jobs. The food processor can often be an extremely useful tool and makes many recipes much simpler to create. Additionally, tongs are one of the cooking utensils with the largest numbers of uses. They can be used during serving and are also handy for maneuvering food in hot pans while it’s cooking. Graters also are common and make it much easier to use blocks of cheese in cooking, and a can opener is required if any canned ingredients are necessary for a recipe.
During the cooking process, various spatulas are generally needed to turn foods in pans and stir things. The main differences between various spatulas are generally durability, shape and price. In terms of shape, most experts suggest that the two most useful kinds are the flat spatulas commonly used for flipping things, and the curved spatulas for stirring and scraping out bowls, though both kinds can be used interchangeably to some extent. The flat ones are especially useful for sliding underneath certain kinds of food while frying so flipping won't make a mess.
