Four or Five Necessities

[Chopstix]

chopstix, i love the signature line. to me that's the definition of perception... and life is nothing but a perception...

Thanks Bucky

Here's more on perception from Antoine de Saint-Exupery:

"It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye."

I have his 'The Little Prince' books permanently on my bedside table - in English and French. It's great to read it in the original French.

 

[Caine]

A good quality, steel wok. I could never live without my wok.

 

[DigitalAether]

12 inch cast iron skillet
14 inch wok
8 inch chefs knife
stainless steel mixing bowl
2 quart saucepan

I could survive with just those, but I wouldn't be happy about it. I like having the right tool for the job.

 

[htc]

Only thing I would add to the list is a good pair of cooking chop sticks. I really don't know how people live w/o this. I use it all the time, and not just w/ Asian food.

 

[leigh]

Only thing I would add to the list is a good pair of cooking chop sticks. I really don't know how people live w/o this. I use it all the time, and not just w/ Asian food.

I would really like to know more this! Please elaborate? Thanks!!

 

[htc]

The obvious would be stir fry, but other things such as beating eggs, and when I made frozen juice, I use one chop stick to mix, when I cook anything that needs to be flipped (i.e. meat or a big piece of veggie),etc. I think I basically use it in place of tongs or sometimes a whisk. Though I don't bake w/ chopsticks.

Here are some things you guys probably haven't seen (unless you live in an Asian household, or have been to China Town lately)

After cooking a poached or steamed chicken, the chicken needs to be hung and dried out properly if you want it to taste good. So if you take the extra large cooking chopstick and poke it under the wing in the carcass part, you can get some cooking twine, and hang the chicken on the knob of your kitchen cupboards and let it dry. My mom taught me this. Just make sure to place a plate or something to catch all the liquid that drips off.

Also, when I don't have anymore room in my fridge, I use chopsticks and place it a bowl that has saran wrap on it, this gives me space so that I can put another bowl or plate on top of the chopsticks.

 

[vilasman1]

At the risk of being boo-ed

I know some folks despise analon cookware, but I have collected several pieces, 1 qt, 2 qt and 3 qt with Lids and a 8" skillet, all of the discount aisle at marshall's ( i always feel so out of place winding my way through all the women's stuff to get to the pots and pan's ) but I got them for 1/3 of what I would have paid at the department store even when they were on after christmas sale.
I've made omelets and scrambled eggs in the skillet and cream of wheat in the 1 qt and everything just wipes out. The skillet cost about the same as my cast iron skillet.

2ndly and this is real heresy, kitchen electrics. Kitchen power tools. First one that I got was a handblender. Which half way did several things but nothing well except blend things in deep containers. Next I got a 5 cu Braun food processor. It worked well with it's multiple speeds, but was too large for doing onions and peppers and other small batchs and to small to bake cakes or grate large batchs of cheese or other things for holiday meals.

Then I got the K/A that I have now. That has 3 different size bowls. I love it cause i can chop slice and otherwise whack up 3 different batch's of stuff to dump in my wok or pot without washing anything, cook and then put everything in the dishwasher and I am ready to begin again!

I love my blender and mixer as well, but they aren't essential.

 

[Chopstix]

After cooking a poached or steamed chicken, the chicken needs to be hung and dried out properly if you want it to taste good. So if you take the extra large cooking chopstick and poke it under the wing in the carcass part, you can get some cooking twine, and hang the chicken on the knob of your kitchen cupboards and let it dry.

Hi htc! This is interesting! I've been looking for a way to hang my poached chicken to dry. But I don't understand what you mean by 'poking it under the wing'. Do you mean you'll skewer the chicken thru both armpits using one chopstick?

 

[htc]

Yup, that's all you have to do. Make sure to use the big cooking chopstick, not the eating ones, cuz it'll break.

I've always wondered why this makes a difference, but it does...

 

[Chopstix]

Thanks htc! I do have a pair of cooking chopsticks. Never used them though. (I prefer tongs). But now I'll break the giant chopsticks out of their wrapper!

 

[DigitalAether]

At the risk of being boo-ed

I know some folks despise analon cookware...

What is the gripe about Anolon? I use stainless steel for most of my stovetop cookware, with a couple of cast iron pieces, but I have been thinking about an Anolon Omelette pan. I currently use a cheapie can't even remember the brand name non-stick pan for my Omelette pan and love it, but it is losing its non-stick. I make Omelettes several times a week and wouldn't use anything but something with a non-stick surface.

 

[mikegeorge]

I also cook omeletes several times a week. Have you considered the Lodge "Chef Skillet". I have 2 of them now and would not consider a non-stick pan after using these. Properly seasoned I think they perform better than any non-stick coating.

https://secure.lodgemfg.com/storefront/product1.asp?menu=logic&idProduct=3936

 

[Claire]

Have also used cooking chop sticks as a steamer. Just X them over a little boiling water (obviously a wok or other slope sided pan), and you can put meat or large vegs on them to steam.