[Sca-cooks] Queston on Basic utensils

[Tara]

>       Things I have found useful: a decent food processor; and a kitchen
> timer with a handle.  The kitchen I cooked a Crown in had them, and I
> could wander out of the kitchen.  It was fantastic.  I found one on a
> heavy braided rope, that you can take apart to clean.  I paid $25.00 for
> the timer back in the mid-eighties and have never regretted it!

We have a really spiffy Cuisinart food processor that we got as a gift.
Never use it at home.  I suspect that next time I do a feast, it'll come
in handy.  Meanwhile, we're much happier with one of those little bitty
handi-chopper type things.  Ir'a kind of like a food processer, but
*much* smaller.  I've found it to be useful in a feast kitchen, too.  It
makes short work of a big handful of garlic, an entire small onion or
half a large one, handsful of herbs, etc.

The other gadget that I can't do without here at home is a veggie/rice
steamer.  I can throw a salmon steak and a bunch of veggies in it, and
only dirty one small pot for cous-cous, and have a quick, healthful,
easy meal for two.  Of course, I have no larger-scale use for it, but I
wouldn't do without it at home.

As for timers, I always use a digital one that clips to my clothing, at
home or in a feast kitchen.  That way, I'm *always* handy to hear it go
off, and I can never forget it and leave it sitting somewhere.

-Magdalena