The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 74

from a pot of boiling water with a pair of chopsticks Wiremesh spiders with bamboo handles are available at most Chinese grocers and restaurant supply stores for a few bucks a pop, but if you want something that’ll last a long time, go with an all-metal spider like the Typhoon Professional Cook’s Wire Skimmer, available for about $10 online 14 Small Offset Spatula Though these diminutive 4½-inch-long spatulas are intended for applying frosting to small pastries like cupcakes, you’ll find that they have a slew of other uses in both the sweet and savory kitchen Ever find yourself trying to unstick a fragile piece of food from a skillet with a spatula three times too big? The thin, flexible blade of a small offset spatula can slip under food items that even a fish spatula is too thick for Pan full of slender breakfast sausages to flip one at a time? This is your tool It’s also indispensable for plating and presentation A lightweight feel, comfortable handle, and ultrathin blade make the Ateco Small Offset Spatula (about $2) the industry standard, offering precision, control, and finesse More control means less mess and better-tasting food Oh, and it’s good for cupcakes as well, if that’s your bag 15 Fine-Mesh Strainer A full-size colander is great if you’ve got a full pot of pasta to drain, but it rarely gets used otherwise (and even then, I just use the basket of my salad spinner) For smaller everyday tasks like draining a can of tomatoes or beans, or ensuring that your crepe batter is perfectly smooth, a small hand strainer is what you need I keep one hanging on a hook alongside my pots and pans for easy access Inferior models consist of just a round mesh basket attached to a handle, but the 8-inch Stainless Steel Strainer from OXO ($24.95) also has a loop of metal sticking on the opposite side of the basket This allows you to set the strainer over a bowl for no-handed operation It may seem a little pricey for a simple strainer, but its heavy-duty construction means it will last and last 16 Chopsticks I admit it: this one is a little controversial Either you grew up using chopsticks and wouldn’t be caught dead near a pot of simmering water or a wokful of hot oil without them or you didn’t—and, if so, you will probably wonder, “Do I really need them?” But precise tips and a gentle touch will treat small, delicate pieces of fried or grilled food (say, a tempura of squash blossoms or slender stalks of asparagus on the grill) far more gently than a relatively clumsy pair of tongs, which are better suited to large items like fried chicken or a rack of ribs I use chopsticks for picking up bits of food from a stirfry in progress to taste for doneness They are also ideal for picking out a few slippery noodles from a pot of boiling water to make sure that they are perfectly al dente before draining While regular chopsticks will in many circumstances, high-heat applications require extra-long sticks made specifically for cooking If you are lucky enough to have an East Asian kitchen supply store nearby, you can pick these ... attached to a handle, but the 8-inch Stainless Steel Strainer from OXO ($ 24.95) also has a loop of metal sticking on the opposite side of the basket This allows you to set the strainer over a bowl for no-handed operation... really need them?” But precise tips and a gentle touch will treat small, delicate pieces of fried or grilled food (say, a tempura of squash blossoms or slender stalks of asparagus on the grill)... far more gently than a relatively clumsy pair of tongs, which are better suited to large items like fried chicken or a rack of ribs I use chopsticks for picking up bits of food from a stirfry in progress to taste for doneness They are also ideal for