Fine mesh strainers have many uses in the kitchen. They can be used to sift flour into a cake, dust a finished cake with confectioners sugar or strain lumps out of any kind of soup, sauce or pudding. They’re not as glamorous as a stand mixer or blender, but they’re a staple kitchen gadget and it is well worth getting a good one. I was recently in the market for a new one and flipped back through an older issue of Cook’s Country (Aug/Sept 2010) to see how the test kitchen weighed in on strainers.
The test kitchen said that they looked for ease of use and durability in strainers. All models that were tested strained both pudding and raspberry coulis easily, so the brands were mostly even in terms of performance. The big problem that came up with strainers was where durability was concerned, as many models had problems with the handles detaching from the strainer basket over time. Testers like soft, easy-grip plastic and silicone handles, but all metal models proved to be more durable and a better buy overall. The highest rated strainer was the CIA Masters Collection Fine-Mesh Strainer, which was very durable and had a wide bowl rest that made it fit over a variety of containers easily. The mesh basket also held its shape without warping over time, which was the only flaw with runner up models Norpro Krona Double Mesh Strainer and Paderno Mesh Stainless Steel Strainer.
Chopping up a large amount of fruits and vegetables, whether you’re baking pies or making a stew, is not a problem if you have the counter space to really spread out. If you don’t, you will probably find that even large cutting boards start to look small as you fill them up with slices, dices and juliennes. When you can cut everything and push it straight into your pot, there usually isn’t much of a problem with kitchen space, but if you like to prep everything first you might end up with a lot of chopped veggies and no where to put them. That is when something like the Cut and Collect Cutting Board can come in handy. This sturdy cutting board has a slide-out drawer beneath it that you can use to catch freshly cut fruits or veggies (or anything else you’re chopping) and clear the board for the next batch. You can also fill it up with peels and scraps to keep them out of the way, and simply unsnap the drawer and dump it out when you’re ready.
The board gives you a solid cutting surface and is just over 1.5-inches tall. It is made of polypropelene and is completely dishwasher safe, too.
You don’t always have to measure ingredients when cooking like you do when you’re baking. You can get away with adding a big pinch of oregano to a recipe or “eyeballing” a tablespoon or so of ground cumin when making chili. But it is nice to know exactly how much you’re adding to a recipe, especially if you get a good result and want to reproduce it the next time, or if a dish doesn’t turn out and you don’t want to make the same mistake twice. I know that die-hard “eyeballers” don’t always want to pull out measuring spoons and cups just to make a pasta sauce, but there is at least one gadget that can streamline the process.
The Portion Cooking Spoon is an all-in-one cooking tool that allows you to mix, stir and measure both wet and dry ingredients all in one gadget. It is definitely not a unitasker! The bottom of the spoon is made of heat-resistant silicone and has easy to use measurements for 1 teaspoon, 1 tablespoon and 2 tablespoons. It eliminates the need to pull out a set of measuring spoons when cooking, but also allows you to get your spices and other additions measured a lot more accurately than “eyeballing” does. The handle of the spoon is hollow and can measure liquids up to 1/4 cup in volume. It is ideal for measuring a quick splash of olive oil, wine, cream or other common cooking liquids. The plastic handle also detaches from the base of the spoon for easier cleaning, too.
It is often said that you shouldn’t cook with a wine that you wouldn’t want to drink because a good tasting wine is going to infuse the best flavor into your dish, whether you’re cooking a meal that just calls for a splash of wine or making a sauce that calls for a lot of it. When you have a good tasting wine, however, you might want to indulge in a taste yourself instead of just dedicating that bottle to the recipe.
The Sauced Wine Glass is a lovely glass that allows you to both measure your wine and drink it in style. The glass has measurements for 1/4, 1/2, 3/4 and 1 cup on the side so that you can easily see how much you’re adding to your pan while pouring straight from your wine glass. The other side has measurements written in 2-ounce increments, so that you can easily see how many “pours” you’ve had. While you could pour the wine into a more traditional measuring cup, it is certainly easier to sip from this glass than from a large measuring cup. And if you’re the type of cook who enjoys a sip (or three) of wine while you’re cooking with it, that is a feature that you’ll appreciate.
It seems like winter just ended, but I know I’m not alone when I say that I’m already looking forward to the summer. Summer means sun, beaches, vacations and relaxation. For many of us, it also means that there is more time to bake because the days are longer and lazier, which makes it seem like there is always time in the day to whip up another batch of chocolate chip cookies. Wilton’s Summer Mini Cake Pan captures some of the spirit of summer in an easy to bake with form. The nonstick pan features two designs – sunglasses and ice cream cones – that are perfect for summertime celebrations.
The miniature cakes are about as deep as a cupcake, so you get a good portion of cake in each cavity when you’re baking, and the nonstick finish will help the cake come out cleanly while leaving the detailed designs intact. Just looking at this pan makes me think of eating an ice cream cone on a hot day at the beach – but it also makes me think of how fun it would be to decorate a whole bunch of these little cakes for a summer barbecue or pool party.
