Happy New Year! In the first installment of this two part series, we talked about the benefits of using proper pans, quality knives, multiple cutting boards, a meat probe, and a kitchen scale. If you haven’t already read part one, pause now and go back to catch up. Now that you’re up to speed, let’s continue.
Stand Mixer
The next item on our list is a stand mixer. Yes, they take up precious counter space. Yes, it’s still worth it (even for you crazy New Yorkers with apartments the size of a matchbox). Stand mixers are serious multitaskers; you can whip butter, knead dough, shred chicken, make pasta, blend sausage, grind meat, and even mill flour.
Do not skimp and buy a cheap one. Buy a high quality model and put it through the wringer. I’ve had the same pistachio colored KitchenAid for ten years now, and I’ve worked it harder than a treadmill in January. They’re worth every penny.
Fish Spatula
This is my all time favorite utensil: the fish spatula. This oddly shaped tool is my go to for almost everything cooked in a pan. First, it features a thin, flexible blade that is much slimmer than standard spatulas, allowing you to slide it under delicate foods without tearing. It gets between the food and the pan with minimal force. The best part? It doesn’t matter that the blade is metal, because you shouldn’t be using nonstick cookware anyway!
Secondly, the blade is slotted and angled, allowing oil and butter to drain away while providing the leverage needed for better control. Finally, the thin metal handles high heat without warping and releases stuck on food easily. They’re strong enough for burgers, gentle enough for fish, and precise enough for eggs.
Blender
Soups, sauces, and smoothies! Blenders are the workhorses of the professional kitchen, and they deserve a place in your home, too. Just like the stand mixer, this isn’t a tool you want to skimp on. A quality blender should be able to take real abuse and still perform day in and day out.
The uses are nearly endless. It creates purées, emulsions, and vinaigrettes with a level of smoothness that traditional methods simply can’t match. Beyond that, it handles frozen fruit, ice, and batters with ease, turning scraps into soups and saving you time, money, and cleanup. If you care about texture, speed, and consistency, a blender earns its spot on your counter.
Bench Scraper
The next item on the list won’t necessarily make you a better cook, but you’ll find yourself reaching for it every day: the bench scraper. There are two main types, plastic and metal, and I use both.
The metal scraper is excellent for portioning dough, cutting pasta, scooping chopped vegetables, and scraping the counter after kneading. Plastic bench scrapers are usually flexible; they can do most things a metal one can, though they aren’t quite as rigid. However, they do a superior job of scraping the inside of a mixing bowl and are safe for delicate surfaces. Having both on hand makes prep faster, cleaner, and more precise.
Microplane/Zester
A Microplane (yes, it is a brand name, but through “genericization” it has become the common term) is one of those small tools that make a massive difference. It uses ultra sharp blades to finely shave ingredients, preserving essential oils and aromas to provide bigger flavor with less effort. It’s perfect for citrus zest, garlic, ginger, onions, hard cheeses, and whole spices. It’s fast, easy to clean, and takes up almost no space. If you care about flavor, a Microplane is a no brainer.
Investing in the right tools isn’t about filling your drawers with gadgets; it’s about removing the friction between you and a great meal. When you stop fighting with dull knives or flimsy spatulas, cooking stops being a chore and starts being fun. You can find all my recommendations here.
Meals with Mills 
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