Organization, Neatness, Cleanliness, and Essential Equipment
Keeping an organized, well-stocked kitchen does not mean that you have to have a million gadgets or spend a ton of money. It’s really all about a state of mind. Also, being neat and clean in the kitchen costs nothing, save a bit of discipline and care.
One of the smallest kitchens I ever worked in was a square little box in an apartment in Madison, Wisconsin, when I was a graduate student. There was a huge window overlooking the university’s stadium and the counter ran along three sides of the room. I could stand in the middle of the minuscule kitchen and reach absolutely everything. I had no choice but to keep it very neat and organized. I often look back on that kitchen and almost declare it a luxury.
On the first day of my cooking classes I rather tongue-in-cheek require all students to raise their hands and take The Pledge: “I do solemnly swear to keep my kitchen clean and spotless at all times. . . .” Some students tell me right out that it is not possible. (One student’s wife later took photos of his spotless kitchen to document his advancement!) I often tell them to “keep things neat for your neighbor” as they cook, but it also means keeping everything neat for themselves. Here are some tips:
• Keep pastry scrapers, damp sponges, and clean towels at the ready at all times. Pastry scrapers are invaluable tools: They are great for scraping minced or chopped ingredients into bowls from chopping boards and counters. And keeping your counters free of crumbs, chopped-off ends of vegetables, and peelings means when you turn around next time, you’ll have a clean and ready-to-go counter.
• Keep the sink totally empty of any dirty dishes or cooking utensils. There is nothing worse than turning around to drain something in the sink to find that the sink is barely accessible. In the end it takes less time to clean up and keep everything neat while actually cooking, rather than waiting until the bread is in the oven, the salad is made, and the main dish is simmering on top of the stove, and you still have a mess to clean up.
• Mise en place, mise en place, mise en place!!! Okay, I am lecturing, but this is one subject that deserves extra emphasis. Even I need the advice every now and then. Mise en place simply means “everything in its place,” and for me that means gathering all the ingredients, including any special equipment, set out on a tray. Weigh and measure all ingredients; if eggs need separating, do that now; if a lemon needs zesting, do that now; if confectioners’ sugar needs sifting, do that now. Trust me. Nothing adds confidence in the kitchen like this kind of organization. Even I find that when I bend my rule (oh, yes, I’m in a hurry!), I invariably forget an ingredient! Being a stickler about mise en place can also help you keep your pantry organized; as you use up the last of the baking soda, whole peppercorns, or active dry yeast make a note on your shopping list to replace them.
• Read the recipe all the way through first, not just the ingredients but the instructions, too. Having an idea of what is required of you from beginning to end will help avoid mistakes and surprises and ultimately help you be a better cook.
MY ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT
Although I do consider myself a gadget girl, I find that about nine out of ten gadgets fail to deliver on their promise. I recently purchased a “floating thermometer” that I thought would be great for monitoring the temperature of water while simmering. The first time I used it, the face of the thermometer steamed up so seriously that I could not read the temperature! So it does well to choose wisely. Here’s a list of the equipment that never fails me.
• I use both gas and induction cooktops, and favor all of the Le Creuset cast-iron products for searing and braising. For sheer ease of cleaning, I find that All-Clad stainless steel pots are excellent for simple heating or reheating.
• I am a fan of ceramic-coated nonstick frying pans, especially for cooking ingredients that will normally stick, such as scrambled eggs.
• A pair of stainless steel pasta cooking pots (5 quart [5 l] and 10 quart [10 l]) fitted with colanders are my favorites. I use them not just for pasta but for all my stocks (just lift out the colander and all the stock has been filtered out!), as well as for blanching.
• I love copper, and have a huge selection. I especially like to own equipment that will live longer than I do.
• I adore the panini grill for all kinds of grilling tasks, from toast to vegetables, so much so that I no longer own a traditional toaster. I haven’t had particular success with grilling meat, poultry, and fish on it, though, so I stick to my outdoor or stovetop grill for those.
• A label maker! I label everything: my spices and salt infusions, my containers of soups and stocks; leftovers in the freezer. Even if it is quite clear that the liquid in that container is chicken stock, I date and label it anyway. One can never be too sure! Of course you don’t need to buy a machine: a roll of labeling tape and a Sharpie will do in a pinch.
• Date your oils, condiments, and so on. The day I open a flavored oil—such as walnut, hazelnut, sesame, you name it—I write the date on the label, so I know when it has been opened. When using, I always give the oils the sniff test. If they smell good, even if just a bit past the desirable use-by date, I use them.
• Thermometers: Essentials include a good deep-fry thermometer, an instant-read thermometer for meats, and if, possible, an infrared thermometer that will instantly tell you the heat of your oven or the temperature of your freezer.
• A digital scale. Measure, weigh, measure, weigh. Weighing ingredients, from flour to sugar, nuts to vegetables, is a much more accurate method than eyeballing or even using cup measures. All of the recipes in the book are written to accommodate this.
• Multiple sets of measuring spoons: Have at least 4 or 5 sets and take them apart and recombine them, with the 1 tablespoon measures all hung together and so forth. You will always have a clean spoon at the ready. When, ever, did you need to use all of those spoons on the ring at the same time?
• Timers: Timers are essential. Most cell phones today have excellent timers, but I also love to have a collection in my kitchen, especially when several items are being timed at once. Be sure to place the timer next to the pot or oven it relates to, so you know that it’s time to intervene with that recipe!
• An electric spice mill: This is a pure essential for grinding seeds, nuts, dried vanilla beans, and spices.
• A small electric deep-fat fryer: Today one can find totally reliable miniature fryers that use no more than 1 quart (1 l) of oil for deep-frying. I find the machine indispensable, and much more accurate and less bothersome than frying on a burner and fumbling with deep-fry thermometers.
• Knives, knives, knives: My husband, Walter, collects knives and instructs students on how to handle and sharpen them, so we do have an abundance at hand. I find knives to be very personal, and the one that may be my favorite may be rejected out of hand by another cook. One only really needs a few: a good small knife for everyday use, a larger chef’s knife for larger tasks, and a serrated bread knife for even slicing.
• Cold bowls for sorbets, hot plates for hot food: If space permits, keep a set of small bowls in the freezer, so any sorbets you make will stay well chilled at serving time. Likewise, I am a stickler for serving hot food on hot plates. I have warming ovens but I find that a five-minute or so warming in the microwave heats plates more efficiently and keeps them hotter for longer. Timing will vary according to the type of plates or bowls (pottery, clay, fine china, etc.) being heated, the quantity, and the wattage of the microwave. Five minutes is an average, and with trial and error cooks will learn what combination works best for their plates and their ovens.