The Importance of Tools in the Kitchen
What are tools in the kitchen? We are all familar with them, a whisk, a knife, a standing mixer, an offset spatula, the oven. Whatever tool it is, they all have their importance for us when working and making things in the kitchen.
Working in the kitchen is manual labor. We use our hands to make something. Most of us that enjoy being in the kitchen value practical skills. We enjoy hands on work and take great pride in our results. Tools are important because they are an extension of our hands. Our hands do the work and guide, while the tools we choose to use, get the tasks done quickly, efficiently, and safely.
Imagine we are baking a cake together. We have our recipe and all our ingredients but no tools. We are missing a bowl, a whisk, rubber spatula, something to sift the dry ingredients, maybe a mixer, and dont’t forget a pan to bake it in. Lastly, what would we bake it in without our beloved oven.
As I previously discussed in my last entry, pastry making and baking are all about precision and consistency. Technique is of high importance when baking, tools help us to execute technique consistently. We use scales to measure our ingredients precisely so that every pastry we make mixes, bakes, tastes and looks the same every time we make it. A mixer helps us to whip and mix ingredients to consistently produce our recipes. It also keeps us efficient and saves time. While our mixer is working, we can step aside and prepare our next step for the recipe.
Tools like thermometers help us to take the guessing work out. Temperature is crucial when it comes to baking and pastry. We can check the internal temperature of our Brioche dough when mixing; furthermore, we can check its temperature to make sure it's baked fully. Confections are cooked to exact temperatures to ensure a proper consistency. When working with chocolate, we are able to monitor not only the temperature of the chocolate during its tempering process, but also the room temperature and humidity.
“It’s all about consistency.”
Most are well aware that manual labor can be very demanding and physically taxing. In the kitchen we can face risks such as repetitive straining. We can relieve some of the physical strain on our bodies by using the correct tools to help us. This helps us achieve a great pastry, safely, with precision.
Choosing the proper tools are important. Investing in high quality tools will most certainly pay off. Improved efficiency and quality of work will most certainly improve. All this factors into increased productivity in the kitchen or bakeshop. Moreso, higher quality tools are designed and built to last, reducing the risk of spending money to replace the tools.
Manual labor and tools collectively go together. This is especially true in the kitchen for Pastry Chefs and Bakers. When we use the correct tools, we can reduce physical strain on our bodies and prevent injuries. This allows us to carry out the work comfortably and efficiently. When cooking sugar syrups, making jams, cooking a sauce, or baking in our ovens, we are able to bring our recipe to a precise temperature with a thermometer. Investing in proper tools will make all the difference in achieving the best results. Tools in the kitchen help promote efficiency, precision, safety, and overall success when baking.
Check out my Amazon Storefront for some baking and pastry kitchen tool ideas.
