Kitchen Gears

Two Christmases ago, I decided to buy myself a special present. I wanted to reward myself for all the hardwork I have put into learning how to cook for myself (and my roomate).

I went online at Amazon.com to find a cookbook but I ended up ordering these gadgets you see in the photo.

I bought Silicone locking tongs to replace the fulcrum tongs I currently use. I don't like my existing tongs because the scissor-like mechanism of the tongs tends to squeeze the food I put between them. I like that the new tong is Silicone so I can be soft enough to handle delicate pastries, yet tough enough to handle high temperatures whether in the oven (just in case I really need to stick it in a hot oven) or on the grill (even though I do not own a grill, haha!). The tongs are red simply because I like red!

Alton Brown, in his kitchen gear book, suggests to have two sizes of tongs: a basic 9-inch tong for food prep and stovetop cooking, and an optional 12-inch for the grill. I read the book too late. I already have the 12-inch tong shipped but I think I like the 12-inch more. I have big hands anyway.

In the photo, I was cooking Tilapia fritters also using my candy thermometer. Yay! I have always been afraid of deep frying but this thermometer has taken out the guesswork. I also made fried chicken and my roommate and boyfriend raved out it. They like that the chicken are crunchy and "sarap to the bones!"

Oooh, I almost forgot about the cooling rack! Another thing I learned from AB is to allow deep fried food to drip excess oil over a cooling rack over a cookie sheet. Most cooking shows simply let food drip on paper towels, but that has the risk of soaking the dripping oil back into the food making is soggy.

I have a little problem with my cooking rack though. These are made for cooking cookies and pastries so the wires are wrapped in plastic material; therefore I can't put it in the oven. Why put it inside the oven, you ask? Well, an alternative to deep frying is roasting in the oven. AB had an episode where he made Buffalo wings in the oven. Cool huh! No oil, no spill or splatter!