BEHIND THE SCENES

A RULE TO COOK BY

000

Contrary to what you may think, the test kitchen isn’t packed with the latest high-tech kitchen gadgets. In fact, one of our favorite gadgets isn’t even found in a kitchenware store. Wondering why that cake didn’t rise properly? Or why those cookies ran together? Did your expensive steak overcook? Pull out a ruler. It can prove that the 8-inch cake pan you are using is actually 9 inches, that the cookies have been spaced together too closely, and that the supposedly 1-inch-thick steak the butcher sold you is only ½ inch thick. We prefer 18-inch stainless steel rulers, which can be thrown right into the dishwasher. They can be purchased at any office supply store for about $4.