Core Book: Gear For Your Kitchen

Image by Arnold Gatilao/inuyaki.com You've probably noticed the Core Books column in the left sidebar of the page. These are books that I consider to be important, in some way, to the kitchenhacking project. For the first of my Kitchenhacker Core Book reviews, I chose Alton Brown's Gear For Your Kitchen.

As you might expect from its title, Gear For Your Kitchen focuses upon the tools of the cook. It isn't a recipe book, though it has about twenty-five recipes throughout that highlight the use of different sorts of kitchen equipment.

If you like his television shows, you probably have a decent idea of what to expect. Brown takes an interesting perspective on kitchen equipment. It is obvious that he likes clever gadgets. At the same time, he objects to uni-taskers: tools that only do one thing. He prefers to find clever ways to achieve what a uni-tasker does using things that he already has around.

The book has six chapters:

1. Pots and Pans
   This chapter looks not only at pots and pans, but also muffin tins, baking sheets, and other largish things that are used to cook in. He talks about materials (various metals, ceramic, glass, silicone, etc.) and their cooking properties, as well as nonstick coatings, so that you can choose the right tool for the right job. He also tells you how to build the terra cotta smoker pictured above out of a flowerpot.
2. Sharp Things
   In addition to knives, this chapter looks at shears, mandoline, peelers, graters, skewers, and... well... other sharp things. It also touches upon cutting surfaces. I've seen a lot of different guides to knives, but Brown's is one of the better ones, balancing practicality with theory. He talks a bit about how knives are made, but he doesn't get as hung up on it as some authors. He gives you enough to understand the jargon.
3. Small Things with Plugs
   Everything from stand mixers and blenders to automatic coffee makers and electric griddles.
4. Kitchen Tools Unplugged
   Tongs, spoons, spatulas, scales, thermometers, and most of the things not listed above.
5. Storage and Containment
   You think storage is boring? Think again. It's all about temperature control, which is central to cooking. That said, this chapter is fairly short. It does has some interesting bits on aluminum foil and how thermoses work, though.
6. Safety and Sanitation
   While he talks about paring things down to the essentials, Brown still claims to use five different types of gloves in the kitchen.

In each chapter, Brown discusses the tools he finds to be essential, those he finds inessential but useful, and those he thinks are a waste of space. He makes recommendations as to specific brands and models, often discussing what he uses himself.

He also talks about how to use the various tools he presents. The chapter on knives has a section on the difference between various cutting methods. The section on pots and pans tells you why you might want to use a double-boiling technique... but why you can (and probably should) do without a dedicated double-boiler. The section on storage tells you the proper way to pack a cooler. The recipes each highlight the use of a particular tool, from martini vinaigrette (cocktail shaker) to baked meatballs (ice cream scoop).