Some tools are never far from the cook's hand and usually tucked into a jar by the stove ready in an instant to tend those dishes that need stirring, whisking or skimming while they cook.
One such type of tools are steel spoons and they are indispensable
in the kitchen.
These come in a variety of shapes and sizes and are suitable
for different tasks. Apart from measuring spoons, there are three types of steel spoons that you will need again and again. |
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The first is regular-sized steel spoons essential for stirring, mixing, beating and creaming. For use on the stove, long-handled steel spoons will protect your hands from heat when transferring food quickly from pan to dish, while short-handled ones are best for beating and creaming.
They are perfect for mixing cake batter and bread dough as they can gently fold together delicate mixtures. In the past, wood was the preferred material for this type of spoons.
However, they are dropping out of fashion because wood
retains smells and flavors, and the fibers can trap food
and breed germs.
It is also because of this that steel spoons should always be used for last-minute taste checks on soups and sauces, as wood can hold a tiny bit of the flavor from its last use.
The second type of steel spoons are slotted spoons, sometimes called perforated or draining spoons. These spoons have round holes or long slits in them. It is used for lifting food from liquid and fat, and for skimming. |
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The excess liquid drains through the holes or slots, keeping the food whole and fairly dry. A wide, round, fairly flat one is best to lift large and/or heavy food from deep liquid.
The final type are large stainless steel spoons with slightly curved bowls and pointed tips which are perfect to scoop, skim and serve. This type are used almost exclusively as serving ware for side dishes and stews.
Other types of steel spoons, such as a basting spoon, only have occasional uses and hence do not warrant a spot in your kitchen unless space permits it. The above three types of spoons can cover most jobs between them and give you good value for money once you buy them
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