New Basics Of Kitchen Tools

With the right tools, any job is easier. When stocking your kitchen, buy the best-quality tools you can afford because you’ll be using them almost every day.

Must Have

BOX GRATER
A BOX GRATER has a sturdy handle on top and four sides to fi nely or coarsely grate or shred vegetables, cheeses, and citrus zest.

CAN OPENERS
A must-have tool for opening canned foods, the best-designed CAN OPENERS have a cushioned knob and handles for easy operation. Buy one with a stainless steel cutting blade.

CITRUS REAMER
Ideal for small amounts of juice, a CITRUS REAMER is a small cone-shaped tool with a pointed end and deep furrows. As a stand-in for a reamer, insert a fork into a lemon half and twist it to extract the juice.

COLANDER
A COLANDER lets you separate liquids from solids. Use it for draining cooked pasta and vegetables, draining washed greens, or rinsing fresh berries.

COOLING RACKS
COOLING RACKS allow air to circulate while baked goods cool. Round wire racks are good for cooling round cake layers. Large rectangular racks are perfect for cooling large quantities of cookies or large cakes.

CUTTING BOARD
Choose a CUTTING BOARD made of wood or plastic. Avoid ceramic, as it does not absorb the impact of the knife blade.

INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER
An INSTANT-READ THERMOMETER gives a temperature reading in a matter of seconds. The thermometer is inserted into the center of meat or poultry (without touching bone) to ensure that the food is cooked to the proper temperature (see page 9 for a chart of the minimum safe cooking temperatures).

This Tip was published in 'Weight Watchers - New Complete Cookbook (Over 500 Delicious Recipes For The Health Cook's Kitchen) - p4'