I love a good kitchen gadget. They're convenient and fun to use. It's so tempting to go out and buy kitchen tools that you've seen on instagram or on a late night infomercial. I'll let you in on a secret...you don't need all those gadgets. Maybe you're moving into your own place for the first time and don't have the budget to buy a dozen kitchen tools. Or you live in a city where apartments are small and kitchens are even smaller. All of your countertop and cabinet space is critical! If you find yourself having to prioritize what to keep, I'm here to help. Here are my four favorite kitchen tools!
First on the list is a solid knife. You don't need a huge knife block with a dozen different knives. If you're kitchen is small and space is limited, get rid of the knife block. You should opt for a chef's knife instead. They're sharper than your average knife and made to be used with ease. I personally designed the 8" Knife shown above. I made sure that it's versatile enough to cut through a variety of food items and it won't collect bacteria during food prep.
Many people would call this a spatula. However, it's actually a Fish Turner. I added this turner to the list of must have kitchen tools because without it, flipping anything in a hot pan would be extremely difficult. You might argue that a fork could do the job. However, forks are too small to adequately hold food as you flip it. That means a lot of broken salmon pieces and sad, folded over pancakes. Don't worry, it's happened to all of us. If you can get a fish turner, you'll find that it's large enough to properly support food, so you can flip all you want!
No kitchen is complete without a solid pair of tongs. If I'm frying food on the stove, tongs allow me to keep a safe distance from a sizzling pan of oil. I've had hot oil splash on my skin too many times to count, so tongs are a must for me! Tongs also made the list because they can be used for several different things. I use mine to toss salads and pastas. If I have something high up on a shelf and can't reach it, my trusty tongs come to the rescue.
When your space is limited, stick to kitchen tools that serve multiple purposes. This microplane zester and grater does just that! Whether I'm adding cheese to pasta or citrus zest to lemonade cookie dough, this tool comes in handy. If I had to decide between purchasing a microplane or a box grater, I'd choose the microplane every time. It's easier to use, you won't nick the skin above your fingers while grating and you can't zest with a box grater.
I hope this list helps you narrow down your shopping list the next time you need to purchase kitchen utensils!
Over the past week on CORA-ntine Cuisine, I got to reunite with several friends that Nicole and I have made over the years. Our incredible guests included Maria Shriver, Sheila E, Debi Mazar, Chef Gabriele Corcos, Chef Karen Akunowicz and the Shirley Temple King! Many of the guests spoke of the importance of taking care of your health and eating foods that boost your immune system.
Hey y'all! This past week was one for the books. Not only did we celebrate Greek Easter, but it was also my son Caje's birthday! I got to chat with some incredible special guests including Cameron Mathis, David Burtka, Scott Evans, Chef Andrew Zimmern and superstar film director Tate Taylor! I'm going to share a few of my favorite recipes from last week and fill you in on some of the topics we discussed.
I've had so much fun on CORA-ntine Cuisine this past week. I got to chat with several special guests including Chef Ingrid Hofffman, Chef Dominique Crenn, Cake Wars host Jonathan Bennet and my partners at the Little Kitchen Academy, Felicity and Brian Curin. There's been one common theme in all of my chats so far and that theme is positivity.
