I had some fun with a recent Insta reel, and played a little game to see how many of my most beloved kitchen tools I could fit on my prep board. In no particular order, here’s what made the cut:
LE CREUSET:
This is, without a doubt, the work horse of my kitchen. I store it on the stove top since it’s used nightly, and it serves up everything from MIMI’S BOLOGNESE, SUPER SLOPPY JOES, and EASY CHICKEN & DUMPLINGS, just to name a few.
This was a gift from my mom many moons ago, and simply put, somehow everything I cook tastes better in a Le Creuset.
MINI SCRAPER:
About two years ago, I found myself in Philadelphia with six hours to kill, during peak covid times. I googled “kitchen stores” since (like bookstores) it’s getting harder and harder to find independently owned shops. This serendipitous search led me to Fante’s Kitchen Shop, which just might just be foodie heaven on earth. Family owned and operated since 1906, it’s located in the heart of the Historic Italian Market. It was definitely a visit to remember, and I learned about this mini scraper – which has made keeping my Le Creuset clean as a whistle a cinch. If an in-store visit isn’t possible, they have a super website that’s a one-stop-shop for all things kitchen. I just called them about my mini scraper, and they don’t have it anymore, but they said this is the current closest item.
SANTOKU CHEF KNIFE:
I learned about this knife from watching Rachel Ray’s first food network show in the early 2000’s, and I’ve been happily slicing and dicing ever since. It’s THE best.
JOHN BOOS & CO:
Rachel also informed me from the television almost two decades ago about the Boos board. At this point it feels like an old friend, lives on the counter next to my stove, and is my prep board extraordinaire.
IMMERSION BLENDER:
I really only use this item for two recipes, but they are both so good and can’t be made without this tool, so it had to claim a spot on the list. It’s an absolute must for MIMI’S BOLOGNESE (once again, thanks Mom!) which I make AT LEAST once a week. And every Thanksgiving, I make Ina’s BUTTERNUT SQUASH AND APPLE SOUP, and the immersion blender works its magic then too.
LOCKING TONGS:
These were a recommendation from a local kitchen shop that has since closed. I love how the tongs lock so they don’t take over the stove side utensil crock, and because I use these so often, they are one of only a few tools to enjoy that prime real estate spot. In hindsight I wouldn’t have included them because they don’t appear to be available anymore, but here’s the company site.
LEMON JUICER:
This was an impulse purchase a few years back that has now worked its way into stapledom. Using this tool makes for so much more lemon juice than hand squeezing…and goodbye seeds. It definitely comes in handy when making LIFE CHANGING CHICKEN SHAWARMA.
DIGITAL THERMOMETER:
This was a tip I got from @carochambers and I’ve never looked back. With this handy helper, there’s no more guessing if dinner is ready!
ICE CREAM SCOOP:
I love this ice cream scoop for two reasons. One, it makes getting a scoop of Breyer’s Non Dairy Mint Chocolate Chip a breeze. Two, it’s the perfect tool for baking cookies: scoop the batter onto the baking sheet for no-mess, uniform treats.
TIMER:
I use a timer every day, many times a day, for a million different things. But there’s something about THIS timer that works like a charm for cooking, and life.
BENCH SCRAPE:
Back to Rachel again. She made me a convert to using this big scraper vs. knife-to-hand to gather onions, potatoes, or any other chopped goodies into the pan.
SPOON REST:
Last but not least, I LOVE a good spoon rest. I have a few, since they are always in and out of the dishwasher. They make for the perfect souvenir, and add a sentimental boost and smile in the kitchen 🙂 Thanks to my girl for the one pictured, but here’s a link to another one that I use as well.