Community Magazine Februafy 2009

LEAH MIZRAHI I ’ll never forget the experience of cook- ing my first supper. I needed help and I needed it fast! My first recourse was cookbooks and columns claiming to assist would-be cooks by giving lists of kitchen must-haves. I read them tongue tied and went scrambling for the dictionary to help decipher the list of strange sounding contraptions. That experience taught me a golden rule: if you can’t pronounce it or never heard of it, you probably don’t need it. (A Dutch oven is a good heavy pot with a well fitting lid, by the way.) Plenty of new fads are always sweeping the market, like bamboo cutting boards, but they leave you wondering if they’re worth the splurge. What’s wrong with ordinary wood? According to one store, bamboo holds the promise of a sustainable, cost effective and ecologically responsible alternative to the widespread clearing of our world’s precious timberland. Aha! That’s quite an accomplishment for a mere 12” x 12” plank, but I think I’ll wait this one out. (See below for more on cutting boards.) The essentials, however, are still essen- tial. Below are some of the tools worth investing in for a quicker, more efficient, and even tastier cooking experience. The Cutting Edge Do yourself a favor and get a set of good, sharp, strong knives. Lots of time and frus- tration can be cut from your day by using knives that do it right the first time. And, your weary fingers and tired back will love you for it. The same applies for peelers. Dull peel- ers often result in potatoes slipping into the garbage bag. Get a good peeler to reduce peeling time to a minimum. If you’re the sort who peels with a knife, get a good paring knife that fits nicely into the crook of your hand. It can really reduce time and frustration. Don’t Scratch the Surface Husband: “What’s that pink stuff in the salad?” Me [blandly, as I eat my salad]: “What pink stuff?” [Cough. Choke. Gag.] “Oh my gosh, those things are the same color as my cutting board!” Returning to the question of cutting boards, all surfaces are definitely not created equally. Plastic cutting boards have a tendency to shred, leaving little plastic pieces of confetti in your salad (as I attest personally). So if you go plastic, get a thick, quality board, and throw it out when it is deeply cut and scored. Glass has a good feel and is easy to clean, but also easy to break. And the chopping sound on glass can get a bit loud. As for bamboo, I’ve never tried it but it is reportedly a stronger surface than wood and doesn’t swell, so it may be worth a shot. (You’ll save the trees, too.) Avoiding Sticky Situations A non-stick frying pan is generally a good investment – it’s easier to clean, easier to cook with, and allows you to cut down on some of the oil in your cooking, which will make your body happy. But since the chemicals used to coat non-stick cookware are believed to be dangerous, avoid cheaply made products which may allow chemicals to leach into food and don’t use nonstick items if cooking temperatures will exceed 500 degrees. Freshen Up A kitchen favorite of mine is fresh herbs, such as basil, parsley, and dill. Though it may be more con- venient to pour these out of a store bought shaker, the difference in taste between using fresh and dried is surprisingly extreme. Of course, fresh leaves are sometimes infested with bugs, but if you’re lucky enough to find certified bug free produce in a store near you for an affordable price, try it. It can transform the flavor of an entire salad or dish. Mix it Up Some helpful tools, while not essential, can prove very useful in helping to cut your time in the kitchen. Consider an immer- sion blender. Instead of having to blend your soup by transferring it in batches to your little kitchen blender, this gadget can be placed directly into the pot. A good one will have an added edge of plastic that reaches further than the blade, protecting the bottom of your soup pot from getting scratched. Just be sure to turn the fire off before you stick it in, or it might melt. Shopping for your kitchen can be lots of fun. Try some new gadgets and see how they work for you. You may discover a real time saver, or something that helps make a particularly detested task easier. And hey, even if you don’t end up liking it, at least you’ll improve your kitchen vocabulary! The Shaatra Files File #227: Kitchen Essentials (shõ•trä) n . An outstanding homemaker [Arabic] READER TIPS  The old low tech wooden spoon is still the best for cooking. They stir well, don’t scratch the bottom of your pots, and don’t get ho t E. Seruya .  I keep my spices in a shallow drawer instead of in a closet. I lay them down so I can see all my spices at a glance, instead of searching behind several rows deep for what I need . S. Cohen  This cute little gar- lic press allows you to just stick the garlic inside the chopper and roll it around until it’s completely minced, rather than strug- gling to fit two cloves into the old metal contraptions..  Put the vegetable in the groove, press down the top, and this little salad chopper will turn your onion, tomato or what- ever, into small uniform pieces.. Send your tips for the next edition: THE TOY STORY to: shaatra@communityM.com 70 COMMUNITY MAGAZINE