These Are Andrew Zimmern's Favorite Kitchen Tools
The average home cook more than likely has a plethora of fun (and unnecessary) gadgets laying around their kitchen, like automatic pan stirrers, popcorn machines, sandwich makers, egg cookers, electric openers, tray organizers, and so forth. If you find yourself nodding along, then you know how easy it is to succumb to those persuasive television and social media ads.
This isn't the case for celebrity chef and TV personality Andrew Zimmern, who believes, "Ninety-nine percent [of kitchen gadgets] are a waste of money." In an interview with "Today." the "Bizarre Foods" star revealed that he prefers to keep things "old school," with only the bare necessities, like a cutting board, a good knife set, and cooking pans. However, being a renowned chef, Zimmern does have a few kitchen gadgets he can't live without, which he divulged in the interview. According to Zimmern, the best way to up your cooking game is by keeping a mortar and pestle, fat separator, and immersion circulator in your kitchen.
Andrew Zimmern can't live without his mortar and pestle
Andrew Zimmern can't get enough of his mortar and pestle that he picked up while vacationing in China (though you can purchase them fairly easily in the U.S. as well). "I use [my mortar and pestle] for grinding spices, making chili pastes and pounding garlic, basil, pine nuts, cheese and oil for pesto," he told "Today." Per Epicurious, a mortar and pestle — basically, a sturdy bowl and heavy club — can be made in different sizes from a range of materials suitable for those tasks.
Fat separators are great for Thanksgiving, obviously, as well as "pouring any liquids without dribbles, adding measured liquid to rice for risotto and basting," Zimmern explained. This easy-to-use and inexpensive tool can be found at any store that sells cookware.
Although immersion circulators are the most expensive of the three items, Zimmern strongly believes "every kitchen in America should have one." Once placed into a pot of water, the immersion circulator will begin to heat the water to whichever precise temperature you select (via Serious Eats). At the same time, it will also circulate that hot water around the food, to ensure an evenly cooked meal. Zimmern says it's "ideal" for home chefs and sous vide cooking.