Basic Skills and Equipment Chapter 3 Basic Skills and Equipment

Objectives Measure liquid, dry, and moist ingredients for use in recipes. Identify various small kitchen utensils and discuss their functions. Demonstrate basic knife skills. Explain how to select and care for cookware and bakeware. Use various pieces of small kitchen equipment, cookware, and bakeware.

Measuring Ingredients Measuring each type of ingredient correctly will help food products turn out right Choose the correct tools for each measuring task © Jiratthitikaln Maurice/Shutterstock

Measuring Dry Ingredients 1. Spoon the ingredient into the correct measuring cup until it is overfilled 2. Use a straight-edged spatula to level off any excess © farbled/Shutterstock

Measuring Liquid Ingredients Set a liquid measuring cup on a flat surface and view the desired measurement at eye level Slowly pour the ingredient into the measuring cup until it reaches the mark for the desired amount © Phil Lewis/Shutterstock

Measuring Thick, Moist Ingredients 1. Press the thick, moist ingredient into a dry measuring cup with a flexible spatula, removing any air pockets 2. Overfill the measuring cup 3. Level it with a straight-edged spatula © Jiri Hera/Shutterstock

Measuring by Weight Using a kitchen scale gives the most precise measurements Set the scale to zero or tare so that you don’t include the weight of the container with the weight of your ingredient © Gtranquility/Shutterstock

Think Further When would it be important to measure ingredients with a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups? © LarsZ/Shutterstock

Kitchen Utensils Things to consider before buying small equipment Types and frequency of kitchen tasks performed Equipment design and operation Quality of materials Construction of handles © Veniamin Kraskov/Shutterstock

Mixing Tools Used for combining ingredients Mixing spoons (wood, nylon, silicone, metal) Slotted spoons Whisks © Foodpictures/Shutterstock

Baking Tools Used to prepare breads, cakes, cookies, and pies, which will be cooked in an oven Examples: sifters; pastry blenders; pastry brushes; basting brushes; rolling pins; nonstick baking mats; parchment paper; and bent-edged, straight-edged, and flexible spatulas

Thermometers Used to measure the temperature of foods and appliances Can improve cooking success and reduce the risk of foodborne illness Food thermometers: meat, instant-read, and candy/fat thermometers Appliance thermometers: refrigerator-freezer and oven thermometers

Cutting Tools Used to divide foods into parts for recipes Examples: kitchen and poultry shears, peelers, shredder-graters, plane graters, and cutting boards © Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock.com

Other Preparation Tools Used for a variety of food preparation tasks Examples: tongs, kitchen forks, ladles, basters, colanders, strainers, and can openers © Mark Herreid/Shutterstock © Robert Adrian Hillman/Shutterstock © mareandmare/Shutterstock

In Your Opinion… How would the types of utensils available affect a person’s satisfaction and success with food preparation tasks? © ruzanna/Shutterstock

Types of Knives May have smooth or serrated blades Popular knives include the chef’s knife, paring knife, bread knife, boning knife, and utility knife © AlenKadr/Shutterstock

Buying Knives Knives may be bought individually or in sets Consider the materials used for blades and handles For safety, the tang should extend at least one-third of the way into the handle and be secured with at least two rivets

Knife Skills Learn the proper grip for holding a chef’s knife Practice slicing technique to cut pieces of uniform thickness Curl the fingers of the hand not holding the knife to protect them from getting cut © Master1305/Shutterstock

Caring for Knives Keep knives sharp Follow proper cutting techniques and use knives only as intended Wash and dry knives individually by hand Do not store knives with other utensils

Think Further Which is the most versatile of all kitchen knives? © Donna Beeler/Shutterstock

Cookware Used for cooking foods in water or other liquids over direct surface heat Examples: saucepans, pots, double boilers, pressure cookers, skillets/fry pans, sauté pans, griddles, and omelet pans

Bakeware Used when cooking foods in an oven The performance of bakeware is affected by whether its surface is shiny or dull Examples: insulated bakeware; cookie sheets; cake, tube, springform, jelly roll, pizza, muffin, and loaf pans; pie plates; casseroles, soufflé dishes, and roasting pans

Buying Cookware and Bakeware Consider the following features Performance of materials and finishes Construction, including handles and lids Weight and durability Opportunities for storage

Cookware and Bakeware Materials All cookware and bakeware materials have certain disadvantages Metal materials may pose concerns such as rusting and pitting Glass and ceramic materials, including porcelain enamel coatings, may crack, chip, and break continued

Cookware and Bakeware Materials Silicone and plastic materials are not suitable for broiler or rangetop use Nonstick finishes make cooking and cleanup easy, but they have been associated with various health issues Microwavable materials must allow microwaves to pass through to food © c./Shutterstock

Use and Care of Cookware and Bakeware To maintain cookware and bakeware, follow manufacturer’s directions for use and cleaning © Julija Sapic/Shutterstock

Think Further How does the outer surface of bakeware affect foods prepared in the bakeware? © Michael C. Gray/Shutterstock

Review 1. What is the first step to follow when measuring liquid ingredients? Set a liquid measuring cup on a flat surface and view the desired measurement at eye level continued

Review 2. What types of thermometers are used in the kitchen, and how are they used? Meat, instant-read, and candy/fat thermometers are used to measure the temperature of foods Refrigerator-freezer and oven thermometers are used to measure the temperature of appliances continued

Review 3. What are two guidelines for using a chef’s knife? Learn the proper grip for holding the knife Practice the slicing technique to cut pieces of uniform thickness and to cut sticks and dices continued

Review 4. What is a disadvantage of glass and ceramic cookware and bakeware materials? They may crack, chip, and break continued

Review 5. What type of equipment would be used to cook and serve soup? Soup would be cooked in a saucepan or pot, and it would be served with a ladle