What's one kitchen tool you can't cook without?

[bai_lin83]

Let's suppose that you're in a kitchen stadium and you're asked to use only one weapon of choice to battle the Iron Chef greats... What would it be?


Abs

 

[VeraBlue]

My knife, of course!

 

[bethzaring]

well, i'm not likely to be in such a competition, unless they have a division for cooking grub, but I would need a stove, or source of fire

 

[buckytom]

i'm with beth. i'd have to say fire.

you can prepare food with your fingers if need be, even cleaning an animal.

but you'd have to be really hungry for that.

 

[kimbaby]

yeah you do have to have fire/stove for sure...
now after that I got to have some kind of spatchula.

 

[Robo410]

my chef knife

 

[BreezyCooking]

Assuming the heat source is a given, I don't think there's much I couldn't prepare with a good knife & a bamboo paddle/spatula.

When we've gone camping, I bring my knife, bamboo paddle/spatula, one non-stick fry pan, & one saucepan. With just those 4 things I've been able to make everything from hearty breakfasts to Chicken Piccata for dinner.

 

[Jeekinz]

If there was no pans.....a pan.

 

[SizzlininIN]

ok I'm going to assume a fire (stove or whatever) is provided. I agree I can use my fingers vs. the knife so I'd have to pick my cast iron skillet.

 

[Claire]

With a heat source as a given, I'd go with a knife. Having spent three years RV-ing full time, I did learn to pare down on the kitchen level.

 

[expatgirl]

I'm cheating: a good knife and a whisk

 

[college_cook]

I'd also have to go with the knife. I imagine removing silverskin with your fingers to be quite difficult. And also breaking down a fish... good luck getting through those scales with your fingers.

 

[Jikoni]

Cooking Chopsticks. I know it sounds crazy, but I use them all the time and can't think of my kitchen without them.They are great when stir frying or plain frying or stirring. I admit they are not great for tasting stew.

 

[Katie H]

I'm with the knife crowd. Beyond that, I'd have to say my pigtail turner is one of my oft-used kitchen tools. It's wonderful for turning any kind of meat and is invaluable for dipping and dredging foods for breading. No icky goopy fingers...ever.

 

[lulu]

As a knife has been so popular I'm going with fork. I can shred roughly with it (and my hands, which really are my number one tool) beat, fold, etc etc and turn whatever in the pan (I consider it a given that a pan and heat source would be available). I have even made frothy milk for cappucini with a fork and skimmed milk, so its a useful tool in a basic kitchen.

 

[Andy M.]

If I found myself in kitchen stadium, I'd leave, apologizing for mistakenly going into the wrong place.

 

[Michael Cook]

Cocotte, knife and stove, my holy trinity. Counts as one thing.

 

[csalt]

My slo cooker ( and source of electricity of course!)

 

[cookmex]

I'm jumping on the knife band wagon. I take my knife everywhere. The way some people take their pillow on vacation, I take my knife!

Linda