Keeping Your Kitchen Sanity with Multiuse Kitchen Tools
Seasonal baking is well-underway judging by the number of die-hard bakers flooding into our shop asking for rolling pins and holiday cookie cutters. For the rest of the world, the shelves at Goods for Cooks are stocked with the usual baking and roasting supplies waiting patiently for the panicked procrastinators who arrive the week of Thanksgiving. This time of year, is invigorating, but can we be honest? It can be overwhelming and exhausting. As we welcome friends and family to our tables, we test whether therapy was worth it by cooking large meals and praying it all comes out perfect. To ease the stress, we’ve gathered a few multiuse tools which will help maintain your sanity all season long.
ALL-CLAD STAINLESS ROASTER
Just in time for that turkey, roast or ham. A classic roasting pan can be truly helpful in your kitchen; however, many only pull it out once or twice a year. We carry a lovely selection, including our favorite All-Clad stainless roaster originally $260.00, on sale for $179.99. If, however, you think you would rarely use a roaster, a disposable pan from the grocery, while not as stable, truly does work.
STRAIGHT-SIDED METAL BAKING PANS
We recommend reallocating your funds to something more useful in your kitchen and suggest investing in one or two 9x13 metal baking pans from USA Pan. These heavy-weight, straight-sided pans are covered with a light silicone layer which makes them a breeze to clean up. As the name suggest, these pans are still manufactured in the USA and with proper care, they’ll last decades. Often seen simply as a “cake pan” expand its utilitarian function and bake stuffing, potatoes au gratin, egg casseroles, lasagna, coffee cakes, crumbles, cakes, and cinnamon rolls. We are fans of this particular size because it is perfect for roasting a smaller bird and vegetables.
Price $23.99.
NATURAL OR BLEACHED CHEESE CLOTH
One of the handier items to have in your kitchen is cheese cloth. For those not familiar with this gauzy fabric, you can indeed wrap your freshly made cheese in it for storage. For the rest of us less adventurous folk, it can be used for a myriad of purposes. Try wrapping herbs and spices and tying with butcher’s twine to create a bouquet Garni. These little pouches flavor soups, stocks, and sauces and are easier to remove. Melt butter, a bit of stock and add herbs on your stove top, then dip a large rectangle of cheese cloth into it and cover your turkey while roasting. Each time you check on the bird, remove the cloth and re-dip into your mixture. This technique is an easy and unfussy way to baste a turkey, just remember to remove the cloth in the last 30 minutes of cooking so the breasts can brown nicely. If you like to stuff the bird, one can line the inner cavity with a thin layer of cheese cloth prior to stuffing, it makes extracting the stuffing a breeze.
Cheese cloth also acts as a lovely bug guard, just drape a portion over your food when outdoors. A clean piece can serve as a bandage for small cuts in the kitchen. If you need a sieve, line a colander with a layer of fine woven cheese cloth. Cheese cloth works as a good strainer for bacon or duck fat, stocks, soups, ghee, yogurt, or ricotta.
Finally, try dying this gauzy fabric and using it to wrap a gifts or in holiday or wedding table décor.
Price $4.99 for 2 to 3 yards.
THERMOCOUPLE THERMOMETERS
Thermocouple thermometers are the darlings of the chef world and here is why they are worth the investment at home. Domestic ovens can be inconsistent with regards to temperature and are infrequently calibrated by owners, if ever. In addition, cooking guidelines based on a minutes per pound formula produce inconsistent results. Both the Thermapen by ThermoWorks and its competitor from CDN (pictured) end the guessing game. Thermocouple probes provide accurate readings within 2-3 seconds. Their extended range, from -58 to 572 degrees, make them ideal for multiple applications including meat, poultry, baked goods, liquids, and candy effectively ending the need for multiple styles and clearing room in your drawers.
Price Various models: $59.99 - $99.99.
BLACKWING DOT JOURNALS AND 602 PENCILS
Finally, to create ease in your kitchen as well as your psyche, we suggest you take the time to make a plan. Sketching out a timeline, particularly for more elaborate meals can help tasks feel much more manageable. Make a list of desired dishes and tasks such as decorating your table or assigning sides to guests. Prep work pre-cooking can just as easily be accomplished in the days leading up to your event. Creating a plan is especially helpful if you are on the hook for the entire production but can also illuminate areas to know where to ask for contributions from others. We adore Blackwing dot journals and the famed Blackwing 602 pencils made from California incense-cedar and Japanese graphite.
Although favored by many artists and writers, Blackwings were discontinued in the 1990’s and have recently made a comeback. Using a bound journal allows you to make notes about what worked and what didn’t, creating a reference enables you to track your own growth in entertaining and cooking. Better still? A portion of the proceeds from the 602-line benefit music and arts education in schools. Oh and even the professional chefs love this!
Price Pick up the dot journal w/pencil for $23.99 or Blackwing 602 pencils, 12 for $24.99
All of these items are available at your local goods store, Goods For Cooks.
GOODS FOR COOKS
115 N. College Ave.
Bloomington, Indiana 47404
GoodsForCooks.com
