Building Your Batterie de Cuisine: Part Two

Last month, I wrote about the most basic basics you need to have a functional kitchen. If you don’t have a decent chef’s knife and some pots and pans, your culinary attempts will be frustrating, and you’ll probably decide that cooking’s not for you and order some take out. And that would be a shame.

But let’s say you’ve outfitted yourself with the basics and started learning how to saute and simmer. Maybe you’re starting to feel limited, and you realize that you might need a few more goodies. This is where the Extra Nice List comes in. These are slightly more special tools that will expand your options in the kitchen. You can get away without any of these and cook up plenty of meals for you and yours, but there will be a few recipes you’ll come across that will require some of these tools, and they will make your life a little easier.

These are the kinds of things that you might end up buying all at once. If you need mixing cups, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll need mixing spoons, too. You can sometimes find good deals, but I have found over the years that I’ve upgraded many of these from the cheap-o supermarket version to nicer, sturdier pieces purchased at cooking stores. Start inexpensive, and you’ll learn over time what you like and don’t like about various tools. That will help you make choices when you’re ready to upgrade.

Once again, I’m including links to various shopping sites, and most of the links are to tools I actually use and like. But in some cases, the links are provided simply for illustrative purposes.

The Extra Nice List

Mixing Bowls. A good set of mixing bowls can be very useful. If you intend to do any baking, they’re a necessity. Mixing bowls are so handy that they almost ended up on the Basic Basics list, but I think you can prepare many meals without them, and I was trying to be super minimalist. But really, get yourself some mixing bowls. I actually have two sets: this set of glass bowls from Anchor and a set of Parker mixing bowls from Crate & Barrel. I use them all the time, for sifting flour or whisking eggs or just holding some chopped up vegetable before they go into the frying pan.

A spatula. This is another almost-essential tool that you’ll be really pleased to have. I like this three-piece set from Oxo. The different sizes and shapes do come in handy for different purposes, and nothing gets liquids and batters out of a bowl more cleanly than a rubber or silicone spatula.

Prep bowls. These are a much more “nice to have” item. There are many options out there, and a range of sizes. I like to have a few little dishes out for holding things I’ve chopped and keeping my mise en place organized. I actually would like more of these than I have, but we don’t really have space for them and, well, tupperware works too. The prep bowls I use have lids, too, which is nice if you chop a little too much parsley: You can just seal it up and save it for tomorrow.

Vegetable peeler. Dead useful for getting the skins off squash, carrots, potatoes, apples, and all kinds of other fruits and veggies. They’re also fun for making ribbons out of vegetables for salads. I like these Y-shaped peelers. I’ve bought some cheap peelers from the supermarket before and regretted it: They didn’t peel as well and were harder to clean. Who knew? If you like salads, you’re definitely going to want one of these guys.

Measuring cups. If you’re planning to bake at all, you will want some of these. I have this set (though not the spoons), and it includes a 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup measure. It’s sufficient, though I’d also like a 3/4 cup measure. I get by just fine, though.

Measuring spoons. Same deal: measuring spoons will be essential if you want to start baking. I have a set that’s similar to this, and I really like them. I find that spoons with elongated bowls are better for sliding into narrow spice jars. You can get away with just 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon, 1/2 teaspoon, and 1/4 teaspoon, but my set includes 3/4 teaspoon and 1/8 teaspoon and I do use them.

Liquid measuring cup. Why do you need a liquid measuring cup in addition to the others? Well, you don’t really need it, but they are so useful you will be glad you have it. Liquid measuring cups, like the classic Pyrex glass measuring cup have spouts that make it easier to pour liquid ingredients. There is usually space in the cup above the highest measuring amount, so you’re less likely to spill. They can go in the microwave, so if your liquid needs to be room temperature you can take care of that quick. I use mine all the time, and I have been considering getting a bigger version, as well.

A microplane. One of my readers, Joy, suggested that a microplane might be a basic, essential kitchen tool. She might be right. Microplanes are excellent, and can be used for all kinds of purposes: grating hard cheeses, citrus zest, chocolate, anything that you want grated finely. Microplane produces a variety of graters that vary in fineness of grate, but I like this standard Microplane. A worthy kitchen addition.

A casserole dish. Ok, you might not consider casseroles to be a standard part of your culinary repertoire. It is, after all, not 1962. However, basic baking dishes like these are useful for so many things, like lasagna and enchiladas and big dishes of roasted vegetables, not to mention roasted meats. Plus, you never know, you might get a hankering for a casseroles. I’m a fan.

There are many, many more things with which you can fill your kitchen, and I’ll be talking about some of them next week, in the final installment of this series. What kinds of special kitchen tools do you find yourself using over and over again? What’s your favorite neat kitchen gadget?