Food PreparationTools
To help you to . . .
■ Identify a variety of food preparation
tools.
■ Understand how to properly use utensils and
equipment.
■ Recognize quality characteristics in kitchen
tools.
LOOK FOR THESE
TERMS
sharpening steel
rotary beater wire
whisk pastry
blender colander
double boiler
steamer
You have p robably heard the
say ing, “Use the right tool for the
job.” Using the right tool help s
workers get a job done quickly and
efficiently . That is just as
imp ortant in t he kitchen as in the
workshop . For instance, y ou can
snip parsley with kitchen scis sors
more easily than y ou can chop it
with a knife.
Using the right tool is just the
beginning. Knowing how to use the
tool p roperly is also important. To
become a skilled cook, learn to use
the kitchen tools y ou need and
learn to use them p rop erly .
J

Chapter 14 ■ Food Preparation Tools 210
USEFUL UTENSILS
The following lists include the basic tools and
utensils a well-equipped kitchen should have. When
you are just getting started, though, you may not be
able to afford all of these items. You may not need
all of them right away either. For instance, a person
who cooks just for one and never bakes will need far
fewer tools than someone who enjoys baking and
entertains regularly. The amount of storage space
you have also will affect your choices. If you end up
storing tools out of reach, you’ll probably find that it
is too difficult to get them out each time, so
eventually they will remain unused.
Keep all those considerations in mind as you go
through these lists. Identify the items you use the
most and those that could be added as they are
needed. Then plan how you would add new pieces as
your budget allows. Remember, electrical appliances
that make a task easier can also be expensive. Many
of the tools and utensils listed in this chapter can do
the same jobs—and for much less. That's an
important fact when you’re just starting out.
MEASURING EQUIPMENT
Food preparation involves using specific amounts of ingredients. It is important you
measure each accurately. That is best done by using the proper measuring utensil.
Different ingredients call for different tools.
Dry Measuring Cups
Use to measure dry and solid ingredients. These
come in a nest of four cups: V4 cup, Vi cup, V2 cup,
and 1 cup. A set of metric measures includes 50 mL,
125 mL, and 250 mL sizes.
Measuring Spoons
Use to measure dry, solid, and liquid ingredients in
small amounts. These come in a set of four spoons:
X
M teaspoon, V2 teaspoon, 1 teaspoon, and 1
tablespoon. A set of small metric measures includes
1 mL, 2 mL, 5 mL, 15 mL, and 25 mL sizes.
Liquid Measuring Cup
Available in plastic or glass. Has extra space at the
top so liquids can be carried without spilling. Has a
pouring spout. Markings for volume measurements
are printed on the side. Some cups have customary
and metric measurements.

Chapter 14 ■ Food Preparation Tools 211
Straight-Edge Spatula
Use to level off dry ingredients when measur-
ing; sp read frosting on cakes.
Scoop
Use to transfer dry ingredients from storage containers to
measuring cup or mixing bowl.
SLICING AND CUTTING TOOLS
Nothing can make a cutting job easier than a good, sharp knife. Dull knives actually
cause more accidents than sharp ones. No one knife can handle all the jobs in the
kitchen, so to have the right tool for the job an assortment of knives is needed.
Remember, at first you may only need a few of these.
Paring Knife Butcher Knife
This short-bladed knife is used often. Use for A heavy-duty knife that’s widest near the
cleaning and paring foods and cutting fruits pojnt. Use for dividing large cuts of meat or
and vegetables.
/"""~ |p'
Utility Knife
A good all-around knife that can be used for many
purposes. Use to cut and slice foods such as cheese
and vegetables.
Chef’s Knife
A versatile knife sometimes called a French knife or
cook's knife. Has a long, triangular blade. Use for
slicing, dicing, and chopping vegetables and fruits on
a cutting board.
Bread Knife
Usually has a serrated edge. This helps cut bread or
cake without crushing it.
Boning Knife
Use for boning meat and poultry and for cutting up
poultry.

212 Part Four ■ Food Skills
Slicing Knife
A long, narrow knife. Use for slicing meat and
poultry, shredding cabbage.
Peeler
Use to peel fruits and vegetables. The blade swivels.
Carving Knife
Use for carving and slicing meat and poultry.
Kitchen Shears
Use for cutting dried fruits and vegetables, trimming
fresh herbs, and cutting pastry.
Sharpening Steel
Use to renew the sharp edge on a knife.
Cutting Board
Use to protect the counterwhen cutting.
Grater
Use to grate, shred, or slice vegetables and cheese.

Chapter 14 ■ Food Preparation Tools 213
MIXING TOOLS
Combining ingredients is an important part of many recipes. Having the right tools
for mixing can make the job much easier. There are electrical appliances available for
mixing ingredients, but the job can also be done by hand with the following tools.
1 Mixing Bowls Made of pottery, glass,metal, or
plastic. They are available in different sizes and may
be purchased as a set.
Rubber Scraper
Removes food from spoons,sides ofbowls, and
pans.
Wire Whisk
Use for beating and blending. Especially good for
egg white mixtures and stirring sauces.
Flour Sifter
Use for sifting and adding air to flour and other dry
ingredients. Mixes dry ingredients.
C
Rotary Beater
Use for beating together ingredients. Especially good
for light beating, such as scrambled eggs and
pancake batter.

214 Part Four ■ Food Skills
Pastry Blender
Use to cut
shortening into dry
p astry ingredients.
Pastry Board and Cloth
Working surface for rolling out p astry , biscuits, or
cookies and for kneading dough. Usually made of
wood. Heavy cloth cover may be used to keep dough
from sticking to the
BAKING TOOLS
In order to create flaky pastry and tasty baked goods,a few specialized tools are
needed.
Cutters
Use to cut out biscuits and cookies from rolled
dough.Available in many shapes and sizes.
Rolling Pin
Rolls out dough for piecrusts, biscuits, and cookies.
Sometimes covered with a knitted cloth cover to
prevent sticking.
Pastry Brush
Use to brush pastry or bread with melted butter or
glaze baked goods. A separate brush is useful for
greasing baking pans.

Kitchen
Technolog
y of the
Past
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
3.
7.
In this age of computers and microwaves, it's
hard to imagine any of the kitchen items shown
being considered time-savers. Even with their help,
cooking developed muscles!
Butter Hands. These grooved, wooden
paddles were used to form balls of
butter for use at the table.
Flour Sifter. When this primitive model was
new, sifting was essential for light, fluffy
cakes. No mixes!
Potato MSsher^. Mashers were available in
many shapes and designs. Canning Jars.
These have a rubber seal and glass lid held in
place with a wire bail. They replaced pottery
jars. Candy Mold. What an Easter treat—a
chocolate rabbit made from this tin
mold!
Corn Stick Pan. This cast iron pan made corn
bread in the shape of ears of corn.
Egg Beater. This is a turn-of-the- century
model—decorative as well as useful.
Cost when new? Nine cents!
Grinders. Coffee and spices were
ground at home with these.
9. Churn. To make butter, you poured in cream
and cranked away.
10. Cabbage Cutter. Cabbage was preserved as
sauerkraut. By rubbing cabbage across the
blade, large quantities could be cut quickly.
11. Grater. This early version of today's grater was
made of tin.
12. Pie Crimper. In many homes, pie was served
daily. This implement cut and crimped (sealed)
the edges in one operation.
13. Turner. Want perfect pancakes? Just squeeze
the handle of this turner and it flips them
automatically.
14. Wooden Spoon. Spoons were hand- carved (iike
this one) before they were made by machine.
15. Rolling Pin. This hand-carved rolling pin was
used to make springerlies, anise cookies with picture
tops.
■ ■ THINKING IT THROUGH
1. Select one of the antique items that is similar to
one used in a kitchen today. Why do you
suppose its design has not changed over the
years?
2. How would you feel if you had to make
butter the old-fashioned way, using the
churn?

Wooden Sp oon
Use to beat, stir, and mix hot foods or foods being
cooked. (Always clean in hot, sudsy
Turner
Lifts and turns foods, such as pancakes and
Potato Masher
Use to mash potatoes as well as other
foods.
Use to lift and turn hot foods. Does not pierce the
food.
COOKING TOOLS
This grouping includes an assortment of tools that are useful to handle foods while
cooking. With the proper use of these tools, cooking is made that much easier.
Basting Spoon
Use to baste and lift foods. Should have a long, heatproof
handle.
Slotted Spoon
Allows liquid to drain from foods when they are lifted.
Baster
Use to baste foods with liquid. Squeezing the ball
end draws liquid into the tube. It is released by
squeezing again. ....................................... ^------~
Ladle
Use to dip liquids such as
soup or stew from a
Kitchen Forks
Larger forks have two tines and lift or turn heavy
kitchen forks lift or turn

Chapter 14 ■ Food Preparation Tools 217
Colander
A large, p erforated bowl for draining liquid from
food such as cooked spaghetti.
Timer
Use to
buzzer
p ires.
S ©
keep track of cooking time. Bell or sounds
when set length of time ex-
Vegetable Brush
Stiff brush to wash and clean fresh vegetables.
Thermometers
M eat thermometer measures the internal temperature
of roasts and poultry to show when food is cooked.
Candy thermometer measures temp erature of sugar
sy rup in pan; fits inside pan. Deep-fat thermometer
measures temp erature of oil for deep -fat fry ing.
Oven thermometer measures temp erature inside
oven; useful in determining if oven thermostat
registers p rop erly .
KITCHEN AIDS
These tools serve a variety of useful purposes in the process of preparing and cooking foods.
Can Opener
Use to open canned foods. (Electric models are
available.)
Strainer
Strains food to remove unwanted parts, such as
seeds. Available in different sizes.
Bottle Opener
Use to open bottles.Some can openers have a bottle
opener at one end.

Chapter 14 ■ Food Preparation Tools 218
other small-mouth con-
218 Part Four ■ Food Skills Food
Grinder
Hand-operated grinder used to grind meats,
vegetables,cheese,and other foods.
Pot Holders and Oven Mitt Protect hands when
working with hot cookware and bakeware. Made of
heavy, quilted cloth. ■»
Funnel Use to fill bottles and tainers with liquid.
Food Chopper
Use to cut up many foods such as vegetables,cheese,
etc. By pumping up and
down on the handle, you
make the blades inside
the container chop the
food.
Wire Cooling Rack
Use for cooling cookies, cakes, and breads.
COOKWARE
Cookware is needed for both top-of-the-range and oven cooking. Many types of
cookware are made of metal. Some have special finishes to ease cleaning or help retain
heat. Some types of cookware and bakeware are made of heat-resistant glass. Special
plastic cookware is made for use in a microwave oven. It pays to spend a little more for
cookware because it will last longer and usually performbetter. For specific advantages
and disadvantages of various materials and for buying guidelines, see Chapter 10.
Frying Pans or Skillets
Use for frying, sauteing, and panbroiling foods. Can be
made of metal or glass-ceramic. Available in assorted sizes
usually given in inch diameter, such as 10 inches. Some
have matching lids. Lids help hold in heat and prevent
grease from spattering.

Chapter 14 ■ Food Preparation Tools 219
Oven Roasting Pan with a Rack
Use for roasting meat and poultry. Large,
heavy pan; either rectangular or oval.
Dutch Oven
Use for cooking meats and poultry. Large, heavy pot
with a cover.
Saucepans and Pots with Lids Saucepans have one
long handle; pots have two small handles. Use for
cooking foods in liquids. Available in a variety of
sizes. The most common are 1 L (1 qt.), IV2 L (IV2
qt.), 2 L (2 qt.), and 3 L (3 qt.) Pans can be made of
metal, glass, or enamel. Pots are usually made of
metal.
Double Boiler
Use for heating
foods that burn
easily over
direct heat, such
as custards,
chocolate, milk,
and sauces. Consists of two saucepans, one fitting
inside the other, and a lid. Water is placed in the
bottom
pan; the
food in
the top
one.
Griddle
Use for
cooking
food
such as
pancakes, French toast, eggs, and grilled sandwiches.
Pressure Cooker
Use for cooking foods in steam under pressure.
Reduces cooking time and helps prevent nutrient
loss.

r
oo<J Skills Cake Pans
Use for baking cakes and bar cookies. Available in
different sizes and shapes (rectangular, square, and
round).
such as vegetables
Loaf Pan
Use for baking bread and meat kquantities of soup or
)b.
Muffin Tin
Use for baking muffins, cupcake
id food combinations, -
ent materials. Usually
liters.
Pie Pan
Use for baking p ies and quiches.
Cookie Sheet
Use for baking cookies.
CLEANING EQLIP
If y ou clean up as i
finished. The right ecinj
kitchen chores.
Dishcloth or Sponge
Use to wash p lates, glassware, arn
Also for cleaning counters anc
surfaces.
Dish Towels
Dry washed dishes and equip n> use a
clean towel. Have a sep ara dry ing
hands.
Scouring Pad
Scours hard-to-clean sp ots on p an
Abrasive p ad like steel wool canno
certain cookware finishes.

■s)
&
222 L E T ' S R E V I E W
Key Ideas
Food preparation, cooking, and cleanup are made
easier when the proper tools are available. Knowing
which tool to use and how to use it properly can help
ensure the best results from any recipe. Measuring
utensils are available for measuring dry and liquid
ingredients. A good set of sharp knives is essential.
Mixing utensils are important for combining ingredi-
ents and achieving the right consistency. Baking
tools will help you create delicious, flaky pastries
and other baked goods. Cooking tools and kitchen
aids serve a variety of useful purposes when
preparing and cooking foods. Cookware should be
durable and easy to clean. With the right equipment,
even cleanup can be easy.
Chapter Checkup
1. When would you use a dry measuring cup?
Why?
2. How is a straight-edge spatula used?
3. What is the difference between a paring
knife and a slicing knife?
4. What does a flour sifter do?
5. Why is a pastry blender used?
6. When would you use a slotted spoon? A
strainer?
7. Describe the differences between a meat
thermometer and a candy thermometer.
8. What is the purpose of a potholder or oven
mitt?
9. When would you use a wire cooling rack?
10.What is the difference between a saucepan
and a pot?
Explore and Report
1. Look through a cookbook and find three
recipes you could prepare. Make a list of all the tools
and utensils you would need to prepare those foods.
For each recipe, describe how the tools are used.
2. Make a list of kitchen tools and equipment that
are not mentioned in the chapter. Write a
short description
of how each is used. If possible, bring from
home a tool that is either unusual or was used for a
special purpose years ago. Have others in the class
guess its use.
3. Your family is buying a wedding gift for your
cousin. A set of cookware costs $49.95. The same
individual
items may be purchased as follows: small
saucepan—$8.95; medium saucepan—
$10.95, double boiler—$16.98; and skillet—$17.89.
What should your family do, purchase the set or the
individual pans? Show how you reached this
conclusion.
4. In the school library, research
the different materials used to make cook-
ware and bakeware and determine the
advantages and disadvantages of each.
What Would YOU Do?
1. Your aunt has a large selection of knives, but she
always uses her favorite one no matter what she is
doing.
Then she complains about the results when the bread
is not cut smoothly, or she can’t cut through a piece
of meat.
2. You are furnishing your first apartment
on a shoestring budget. You have no
cookware and are wondering what
you can afford. An advertisement by a local
store offers a special on a set of cookware.
It consists of a small, medium, and large skillet; a
small, medium, and large saucepan with covers; a
large covered pot; a roasting pan; and eight basic
kinds of baking pans. As a free gift, you get a
cookbook. The cost is $10 down and $10 a month for
two years.
3. You walk into the kitchen to find your
sisterfilling a plastic catsup dispenser.She is trying
to pourthe catsup into the small-mouth dispenser,
but the catsup is running over the side