The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook - Martha Stewart Living Magazine [17]
PIZZA WHEEL Besides being the perfect tool for slicing through pizza and flatbreads, a pizza wheel can be used to cut pie or pastry dough into strips or other shapes and to trim the edges of rolled-out pie or cookie dough. It is also great for cutting homemade pasta dough to make ravioli.
SIEVES Sieves are available in fine, medium, and coarse mesh, as well as in several sizes, so you may want to buy an assortment. Use a fine-meshed sieve for sifting dry ingredients and dusting cakes and other sweets with cocoa or confectioners’ sugar; use others for straining soups or sauces.
SPATULAS Silicone spatulas are great for folding cake batters or transferring them from bowl to baking pan. They are heatproof up to 800°F., won’t pick up or impart flavors from other foods, and are safe to use on nonstick pots and pans. A set of three (1-, 2-, and 3-inch) silicone spatulas is ideal. Metal spatulas are useful for other purposes: Choose at least one thin, flexible spatula for flipping pancakes or patties and removing cookies from baking sheets; a long, wide spatula is ideal for lifting fish out of a pan or for transferring a cake to and from a turntable or stand. Offset spatulas, which have angled handles for easy maneuvering, are good for icing cakes and spreading batters in pans.
STEAMERS Collapsible metal baskets are fine for steaming a batch of vegetables. The larger, 10-inch baskets will allow vegetables enough room to cook evenly, without becoming soggy.
Because they can be stacked, Chinese bamboo steamers are terrific for steaming different types of food at one time. Before using, soak a new bamboo steamer for at least 20 minutes in cool water to rid it of its bamboo odor. To prevent the food from sticking to the bamboo during cooking, line the basket with lettuce leaves or a ceramic plate.
THERMOMETERS
candy This is an indispensable tool for making candy, syrup, jams, and jellies. Choose a model that is easy to read, with an adjustable clip on the back for use with pans of different depths. Since it measures temperatures up to 400°F, a candy thermometer can generally be used for deep frying (when the oil needs to be maintained at 350°F), but we recommend buying a separate one for each purpose.
meat A meat thermometer allows you to determine whether a roast is ready to come out of the oven, without having to cut into the meat and lose precious juices. There are several models: some are inserted into the meat before it goes into the oven; others, called instant-read or rapid-response thermometers, are inserted near the end of cooking time (resulting in fewer juices being lost).
TONGS Kitchen tongs enable you to grasp foods that might otherwise slip off a spatula or spoon. They are ideal for turning meat and chicken when browning or roasting, lifting vegetables out of boiling water, and for cooking on the grill.
VEGETABLE PEELER A U-shaped (or harp-shaped) peeler has a wide blade that can tackle even thick-skinned produce, such as butternut squash and fresh ginger. Besides peeling fruit (even citrus) and vegetables, use it to shave cheese, cut zucchini and cucumbers into ribbons, and make chocolate curls.
WHISKS These multitasking tools handle myriad tasks, including beating egg whites, making roux, and stirring together dry ingredients when preparing batters and dough. The most versatile whisk measures from 3 to 3½ inches across at the widest point and is more elongated than a balloon whisk. A small whisk (8 inches long and about 1½ inches at its widest point) is handy for mixing glazes, marinades, and vinaigrettes; a flat whisk (12 inches long) reaches into the corners of pans to keep custards and puddings from scorching during cooking.
WOODEN SPOONS Though they come in many sizes and