Sugar Cube (3 page)

Knives:
Invest in high-quality knives with high-carbon steel blades that run through the length of the handle, known as “full tang.” Try them out. Hold them in your hand. See which knife feels good to you because it’ll be like an extension of your hand. You’ll need an
8- or 10-inch chef’s knife
for most jobs. A
serrated bread knife
is essential for cutting through foods that are prone to squishing, like bread and tomatoes, and will make it easier to cut cakes into horizontal layers. It is also great for chopping chocolate. A
small paring knife
is handy for detail work. Store your knives in a knife block or on a magnetic strip. If you leave them loose in a drawer you run the risk of ruining the blade—and cutting yourself when reaching into the drawer. Get them professionally sharpened every few months, or invest in a Chef’s Choice knife-sharpening machine, which takes the guesswork out of it.

Ladles:
They’re not just for soup. Get a set in varying volumes from a restaurant supply store and use them to portion out batter, ladle custard into ramekins, stir cream into risotto, etc.

Marble slab:
You can get away with not having one of these, but they really are useful for keeping dough cold when rolling it out. If your kitchen or baking area doesn’t have a good surface for rolling out dough (maybe you have a tile countertop or old, warped linoleum), you’ll need a large, smooth surface of some sort to put on top, so you might as well make it marble! If you can’t afford it, then get a large wooden cutting board. Whatever you choose, make sure it’s at least 18 inches square so it can accommodate any recipe.

Measuring cups (dry):
These are made to be filled all the way, so you can scrape a metal spatula across the top to level it off for an accurate measure. Dry cup sizes should include
¹
/
₄
cup,
¹
/
₃
cup,
¹
/
₂
cup, and 1 cup. It’s very handy to have two sets.

Measuring cups (liquid):
Liquid cups have a pour spout and plenty of extra room at the top so you can measure accurately without spilling a drop. Go for glass because it’s easy to clean, see-through, and microwave safe. You’ll need two or three in the 1-cup size (it’s really very convenient having more than one). Then you’ll need 2-cup, 4-cup, and 8-cup sizes. (The 8-cup can also double as a mixing bowl.)

Measuring spoons:
Choose metal, and, if you can, buy oblong instead of round, so they fit into narrow spaces like spice jars. Make sure the measurements are etched instead of printed on, so they won’t rub off over time. The set should include: 1 tablespoon, 1 teaspoon,
¹
/
₂
teaspoon,
¹
/
₄
teaspoon, and
¹
/
₈
teaspoon.

Mixing bowls:
You’ll find a million uses for a set of nesting metal bowls. Restaurant supply stores stock stainless-steel bowls in all sizes, from tiny to massive. They’re great for mixing, serving, holding hot mixtures that need to cool quickly (the metal transfers heat well), and functioning as a double boiler (just set the bowl over a pot of simmering water). Get them in a variety of sizes.

Parchment paper/Silpat:
Both parchment paper and Silpat provide a nonstick surface for baking cookies, preparing candies, or flash-freezing dollops of things like cookie dough. Parchment isn’t reusable, but the good thing about it is you can cut it to fit, making it just right for lining cake pans or fitting into pie shells for blind baking. Rolls of parchment can be quite pricey at the supermarket. If you find yourself using it a lot, order a box of precut sheets (in the half-sheet size) from a restaurant supply store. It might seem expensive at first, but you’ll end up with an almost lifetime supply. Silpats are reusable silicone sheets. You can find them at cookware stores. I love that they’re reusable and incredibly nonstick.

Pastry bag with tips:
You don’t have to go bananas getting every pastry tip under the sun (and, believe me, there are a lot of them). But you should have at least one or two pastry bags plus a round tip and a star tip, preferably in small, medium, and large widths. Use them to put a decorative border on cakes, fill cream puffs, or pipe ultrasoft doughs.

Pastry blender:
These are great for cutting butter into flour for biscuits and pie crusts, but a food processor does an even better job. If you have a processor, you can skip this.

Peeler:
Like your knives, your peeler should have a sharp blade to make removing peels fast, easy, and safe. Make sure the handle is comfortable and allows for a firm grip.

Pepper grinder:
Freshly ground pepper is so much more complex and aromatic than preground. It’s almost like they’re unrelated. You won’t use it much in desserts, but sometimes a crack of black pepper can add depth when you least expect it. And for the love of God, please use freshly ground pepper in your savory ingredients.

Rolling pin:
For rolling out pie dough, crushing cookies or crackers into crumbs, or beating butter to soften it up. Just get a plain wood one. Don’t be tempted by other materials at the kitchen store.

Scale (digital):
Everyone measures dry ingredients differently. Some spoon it into the cup, some use the cup as a scoop, and this can result in wildly different results. I prefer the “spoon-and-sweep” method, as do most professional chefs, and the recipes in this book were all made using that technique. Still, when in doubt, measuring these things by weight is the only way to ensure accuracy. Many cookbooks, especially newer ones, recognize this fact and offer weight measurements. So invest in a well-made digital scale that can measure both ounces and grams.

Spatula (rigid), a.k.a. pancake turner:
Whether you choose metal or plastic, be sure you get one thin enough to slip under your just-baked cookies without wrecking them.

Spatulas (offset metal):
A long, thin, metal spatula with an offset handle makes it easy to frost cakes or spread mixtures evenly and efficiently. Get a big one and a small one. I especially love my small offset and use it every chance I get.