Jump to content
  • Welcome to the eG Forums, a service of the eGullet Society for Culinary Arts & Letters. The Society is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization dedicated to the advancement of the culinary arts. These advertising-free forums are provided free of charge through donations from Society members. Anyone may read the forums, but to post you must create a free account.

Kitchen tools you wish you had


Gary

Recommended Posts

Thanks to everyone for pointing out the obvious regarding the Orka mitts. Although I had noticed in stores how stiff they are, the practical effects of that were not sinking in for some reason, and you have, yet again, saved me from wasting my precious kitchen dollars on unnecessary tools.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

a waffle iron for  belguin  waffles

a  crepe  pan

a  food  saver

a  real double  boiler

a potato  ricer

one of  those  new  betty crocker  cake  pans  they have been advertising on tv (i forget  what its called  but  sure would come in handy for  some  fancier  cakes..even ice cream cake  or  baked  alaska.... :laugh: )

im sure there  r  some other things  but id have to think on it ahwile

I got a wonderful "real" vintage double boiler on Ebay for less than $12--it has an aluminum bottom and a glass top part and lid, and is big enough to do a family-sized batch of Pastry cream or butterscotch pudding in! I also lucked out one day at a Salvation Army and got an antique copper and thick white porcelain one in fabulous shape for $3!! That doesn't happen every day!

Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time, and have your eyes open ;)

It's not the destination, but the journey!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have some things to give away if anyone can come get them and has a use for them--I have pictures if someone is interested:

1) a very old Blodgett Pizza Oven 4 horizontal doors high

2) an electric grill about 6' long

3) a two-basket fryolator with a cover (?)

4) a complete commercial dishwasher

These items are old, and haven't been used for at least 10 years, and must be taken away. If someone wants them and feels the desire to contribute a little tax deductible $$ to the monastery, that's welcome but not necessary--just take the stuff out. You'll need an electrician (or knowledge) to remove the grill, it's hardwired in, ad well as the plumbing and electrical knowledge to get the DW, the oven is Gas, etc.

There's also a really cool looking white enamel refrigerator unit (I think 6-8 doors) with the chunky chrome hinges and handles, etc. I don't think the compressor works, but it might, and it would make a cool storage or display cabinet in any case.

It's all in Thompson, CT, right off I-395 in NE CT and you can PM me for more info.

It's not the destination, but the journey!
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shorts and shortsleeve shirt in wisconsin winter??????

When im in the kitchen its Pants, shirt, Chefcoat, boots.... even in the summer time when temp gets up to 105 degrees and heat index 115. Especially when I was a saute chef at a resturaunt right on the sound (marsh) with no air conditioning. Temp go over 120 degrees plus extreme humidity (north carolina - dismal swamp region) and i was fine working over a hot flame. You on the other hand have little clothing with temp probably -20 degrees.

THATS NUTS!

Dean Anthony Anderson

"If all you have to eat is an egg, you had better know how to cook it properly" ~ Herve This

Pastry Chef: One If By Land Two If By Sea

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want a table top dough laminator.

I have done a bit of research on this, and they cost more than I can get for my small marble collection. :rolleyes:

I am seriously considering a Somerset model (alas I cannot afford the Rondo) but even so, the Somerset is alot! I'm taking on a new account at our local food coop to try and save up to buy it before the summer. Does anyone know anything about the Somerset sheeters? I am nervous about buying one without having had hands on.

Patricia

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Space, space, space. Counter space, storage space, oven space. My current oven is a 60-year old O'Keefe & Merritt, and while it works great, the oven is so dinky that I can only bake one loaf of bread at a time. An oven with a steam injector would be spiffy, while we're at it. As would a proofing box.

"I just hate health food"--Julia Child

Jennifer Garner

buttercream pastries

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A good standing mixer, more flex-pans, production molds, a decent oven, a decent fridge and freezer, counter space (aka new kitchen/my own house) stuff to play with pulling/pouring sugar, lots of silicone to play with making my own molds, a bigger, better airbrush and a huge book shelf in the kitchen filled with all the books I want. My next major purchase will probably be Michael Joys mold making book.

Pamela Wilkinson

www.portlandfood.org

Life is a rush into the unknown. You can duck down and hope nothing hits you, or you can stand tall, show it your teeth and say "Dish it up, Baby, and don't skimp on the jalapeños."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I want a second oven.

My husband wants a whole new house. I've told him I see no reason to take on a bigger mortgage unless there's a second oven involved. That's how much I want it.

I'd like to have the space to keep my regular cooking stuff in. There's just not enough, even though I frequently weed out and rearrange.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Shorts and shortsleeve shirt in wisconsin winter??????

When im in the kitchen its Pants, shirt, Chefcoat, boots.... even in the summer time when temp gets up to 105 degrees and heat index 115.  Especially when I was a saute chef at a resturaunt right on the sound (marsh) with no air conditioning.  Temp go over 120 degrees plus extreme humidity (north carolina - dismal swamp region) and i was fine working over a hot flame.  You on the other hand have little clothing with temp probably -20 degrees.

THATS NUTS!

That big Peterson oven put out a lot of heat, even with all the insulation. Note in the upper right hand corner of the pic, the window is open also.

I had sweat pants and a sweat shirt that I pulled on when I went out of the oven room into the main part of the bakery but working the oven, loading and unloading the racks of loaf pans, was very hot work, especially if I had both doors open working my way down the tray.

This was the "regular" white bread, 1 1/2 pound loaves and we baked an average of 300 loaves during the winter months on weekdays, 500 and more during the tourist season in summer when we supplied all the lake resorts within a 30 mile radius. That doesn't include the French, Italian, various types of whole wheat, rye and pumpernickle.

I worked from 7 pm to 7 am with a major break at midnight when the main batch was in the proofing room.

We scaled every loaf by hand! However we did a a 10 ft. dough rol sheeter that really speeded up the shaping and loading the dough in the pans.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here is the steam injection oven we could all get, if it seems like the right sort and we have the right building for it: [g]

TAG Gas Oven

* Water supply: 1/2" cold water (65 to 100 psi)

* Electrical: 220v/3 ph G+N/60 Hz/20 amp

* Gas: 4" to 7" W.C.

* Gas Exhaust: 8" 0 double wall; 36" above roof with weather cap

* Steam Exhaust: 8" 0 S/S single wall

* Damper exhaust (optional): 8" 0 S/S single wall

* Floor sink needed

* Optional steam exhaust fan

* User friendly control panel

* Facade and panels constructed from AISI 304 stainless steel ensures durability

* Baking chamber windows constructed of stainless steel and tempered glass

* 1" thick baking stones ensure longer lasting heat inertia and consistent heat distribution

for the perfect baking of any type of bread

* Independent steam generators, positioned directly inside each baking chamber, and

equipped with an individual adjustment switch, assure abundant and accurate steam

production

* Double steam generators make it possible to perform special types of production in

which considerable steam quantities are required

* The furnace is made of high quality refractory bricks, carefully designed to ensure p

perfect heat distribution

* Furnace is easily accessible at the front of the oven

* Pipes are high pressure "Mannesmann" process UNI 663/68 STANDARDS, STEEL FE

45,2, .35x5.5mm and are guaranteed by test certificate and tested one by one at the end

of the internal production cycle

Linda

-------------------

"The price of anything is the amount of life you exchange for it."

--- Henry David Thoreau

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you have cable, don't forget to tune in to HGTV this evening. Right now on the east coast.

Brand new state of the art stuff for kitchens.

Special shows on kitchen stuff all this week, ending next Monday.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A new house would be nice...

I would love to have a delicatessen style electric rotary slicer, so that I could make thin slices of cold cuts delicatessen style. Also, a vacuum sealer - I had a cheap one and returned it. I might try getting another one, if I knew which one to buy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On the search for sheet pans . . . I finally found some. Granted, these are half sheets to fit in a home oven so I can't speak for the full sheets. They are heavy aluminum and come from the restaurant supply place. A half sheet pan costs all of $5.48 (US) if I remember right. (Hmmm . . . might be off topic here. :biggrin: ) I have shoved them into an oven as hot as 450 degrees F and have never had one warp.

Linda LaRose aka "fifi"

"Having spent most of my life searching for truth in the excitement of science, I am now in search of the perfectly seared foie gras without any sweet glop." Linda LaRose

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My alltime biggest wish is a wall oven.  Does not even have to be a real good one.  I am 6'4" with a creeky old back.  Bending down for that oven gets harder all the time.  Would like to have my counters raised alittle.  Biggest dream is a wood fired oven for bread.and pizza

I have a couple of friends who bought a home about 6 or 7 years ago, both are well over 6 feet tall, and while the kitchen had recently been beautifully redone, with a nice high ceiling with skylights, naturally the counters (a beautiful moss green granite) were the standard height.

They solved the problem by having the upper cabinets moved well up on the walls, hung on special brackets that will hold a huge amount of weight, but will allow the cabinets to be repositioned if they ever move. The base cabinets were raised 5 inches which allowed drawers in what would ordinarily be the kick space.

Clever drawers, set back in the kick space by 2 inches, it only takes toe pressure to release the spring latches and the drawers extend out fully so everything is in reach.

They actually don't need them for kitchen items, but use them to store things they don't want stolen in case of a break-in. Unless you know about the drawers, you would never guess they are there.

They have several low stools for those of us who find the counters too high, when we visit and are cooking.

"There are, it has been said, two types of people in the world. There are those who say: this glass is half full. And then there are those who say: this glass is half empty. The world belongs, however, to those who can look at the glass and say: What's up with this glass? Excuse me? Excuse me? This is my glass? I don't think so. My glass was full! And it was a bigger glass!" Terry Pratchett

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...