A Beginner's List of Essential Kitchen Tools

I am no gourmet nor kitchen connoisseur, but I would like to believe I have kitchen survival skills. Yes, I do cook in our little kitchen so I came up with my own list.I do believe each list will vary depending on the kitchen owner's taste and skill for cooking. Since I'm no expert, I called my list a beginner's list of essential kitchen tools.

well-sharpened chef's knife

This is one of the most used kitchen knives ideal for chopping or slicing fruits and vegetables. I prefer to use a small one as it is easier to control. I'm not too particular about brands as long as my knife is sharp.

chopping board

Chopping or cutting boards are usually made of wood or plastic. There are also boards made of glass, steel, or marble. In my case, I use a small plastic chopping board which I find handy and works well with my knife.

vegetable peeler

The vegetable peeler is one of the first kitchen tools I became familiar with as I remembered being asked to peel potatoes when I was younger. In case you're not familiar with it, it's a metal blade attached to a wooden, metal, or plastic handle used to peel fruits or vegetables.

can opener

I remember growing up with the lever-type of can openers. It produced rough edges and you need to be careful not to cut yourself when opening cans. Then we replaced it with a butterfly opener that had a serrated wheel. No, I don't use an electric can opener, but I do use a more modern style that cuts the can from the top and leaves a relatively safe edge that is not likely to cause cuts.

small frying pan or skillet

Although there are cast iron or stainless steel pans, I prefer non-stick frying pans. These types are quite appropriate for my cooking; however I read somewhere that non-stick pans are inappropriate for some cooking preparations and should never be heated above 240 C (464 F).

serrated bread knife

I like using a serrated bread knife to slice bread, but it must be very sharp to prevent shredding the bread.A serrated bread knife should be no shorter than 7" in length. When slicing toasted bread, wait for the bread to cool a bit before slicing.

plastic or silicone spatula

Since I tend to use a non-stick pan, I definitely cannot use a metal spatula with it or the coated surface will get scratched. Instead I use a plastic spatula that will not damage the surface of my non-stick pan. Manufacturers typically claim that plastic spatulas are heat resistant, but I would suggest that you don't leave them exposed to hot surfaces for long periods of time. Doing so would cause some melting.

measuring cups

Although at times I prefer rule of thumb, I sometimes use measuring cups when cooking with liquids. These cups may be made of plastic or glass and have capacities of 250 mL (approx. 1 cup volume). Larger sized ones are usually used commercially.

saucepan or pot

Although I use non-stick frying pans, I generally use stainless steel saucepans or pots. The reason is stainless steel pots are resistant to corrosion, non-reactive with alkaline or acidic foods, and are resistant to scratching and denting. I use it for cooking soups or stews.

ladle

Naturally if I like cooking soup and stew I would need a ladle, which is used as a type of serving spoon for soup, stew and other foods. Ladles can vary in designs and sizes but are usually made of stainless steel alloys as saucepans or pots. Some can be made of aluminum, plastic, wood or other materials.

Here I want to share with you an exciting sandwich treat that is easy to prepare for afternoon picnics.

Photo is not the exact replica but is quite close.