EQUIPMENT

kitchen equipment such as assembling a personal collection of knifes is one of the first steps in becoming a good cook. Just as a painter or craftsperson gather there collection of tools so should you. This equipment will help ease some of the steps needed when prepairing recipes in the kitchen.

PARTS OF THE KNIFE

BLADES Currently blades are made with high-carbon stainless steel. Stainless and carbon steelare also availible. The one thing to remember is carbon-steel blades take a better edge than regular or high-carbon stainless steel. They tend to lose there sharpness quickly. Also carbon-steel blades will discolor when in contact with acidic foods. Stainless steel is much stronger than carbon steel and will not discolor or rust. Recent development that combine the advantage of carbon steel and stainless steel with a higher percentage of carbon allows the blade to keep a keener edge.

TANGE The continuation of the blade that extends into the knife handle.

HANDLE The perfered material for knifes is rosewood because it is extremly hard, and has a very tight or fine grain. Which helps prevent splitting.

RIVETS Metal rivets are used to secure the handle. They should be completly smooth and lie flush.

BOLSTERS This is the collar or shank where the blade meets the handle. A sign of a well made knife. It protects the hand from accidental slips. Some kinfes have a collar that looks like a bolster but is a seperate piece attached to the handle. They tend to come apart easly and should be avoided.

STOCK POT The taller than wider pot has stright sides. Some commersal ones have spigot at the base so that the liquid can be drained without lifting the pot.

SAUCE PAN This pan has stright or sightly flared sides with a single handle.

SAUCE POT Simlar in shape as stock pot but not as large.

RONDEAU This wide fairly shallow pot with two handels

SAUTOIR This shallow skillet has stright sides and single long handle sometimes refered to as fry pan.

SAUTEUSE This shallow pan with sloping sides and a lond handle refered to as a saute pan

OMELET PAN/CREPE This shallow skillet has a very short sightly sloping sides.

BAIN-MARIE (double boiler) These are nesting pots with single long handle. The bottom pot is filled with water that is heated to gently cook or warm the food in the upper pot.

GRIDDLE A griddle is flat with no sides and maybe built directly into the stove.

FISH POACHER This long narrow pot with stright sides and includes a perforated rack for holding the fish.

STEAMER This consists of a set of stacked pots or bambo baskets with a tight fitting lid. The upper pot has a perforated bottom and is placed over the second pot which is filled with boiling or simmering water. The perforations allow the steam to rise from the bottom to cook the food in the upper pot.

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