A Southern Grace: weapons of choice

August 9, 2016

weapons of choice

Yum

I thought I might do something a little different with this post and reveal some of the kitchen tools that have been most useful to me lately.


First, the OXO Good Grips Flip & Fold Omelet Turner. Not only do I use this for its intended purpose of omelet flipping, I've also found it to be essential for turning fried eggs as well. I also use it for scrambled eggs and to separate breads from my non-stick loaf pans!


This is a new purchase, and frankly, I'm not sure how I lasted so long without it. The Chef'n FreshForce Citrus Juicer makes quick work of both lemons and limes, getting every bit of juice out quite neatly! While I have had a seed drop in on occasion, that's still far fewer than when I was squeezing by hand (and burning all of the little nicks and scratches on my fingers in the process...). Five stars!


I wasn't sure the OXO Good Grips Complete Grate & Slice Set would be any good (even though OXO is the bomb diggity), but I bought it anyway and I'm not exaggerating when I tell you that I use it nearly every day. It's perfect for slicing a few carrots and radishes for salad, zoodling some zucchinis, or prepping for pickles. Plus, the pieces are FAR less intimidating and dangerous than my full-size mandolin (but just as handy for small scale prep work!). Many of the aforementioned nicks and scratches came from the darn thing!


For most of my adult life, I used the cheapest, flimsiest sheet pans ever made--they buckled in the oven at even low heats! Buying the set of Nordic Ware Natural Aluminum Commercial Baker's Half Sheet and Baker's Quarter Sheet changed my life! They don't bend at all, clean up easily, and as far as I can tell, distribute heat efficiently and evenly! Baking small batches of cookies, roasting veggies, and cooking a lovely loaf of meat have never been so easy!


I put off buying a digital scale for a long time, determined that I didn't need it. When I got into bread-baking FOR REAL, I had to cave. I got the Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale and have loved it. It's not the most expensive or fancy kitchen scale on the planet, but it's accurate and can switch between grams, ounces, pounds, and more. It meets my needs and I highly recommend it for anything from weighing out ingredients to making sure those two loaves into which you've divided your dough or batter are the same weight!


These are just a few of my favorite things, and they're the ones that I seem to pull out of the drawer or off of the shelf most often these days. Just thought I'd share!