10 Things No Kitchen Needs

10 things you really don’t need (But I’ll admit to owning)

1. The slap chopper. Or whatever it’s being called in the latest infomercial. I do own a slap chopper. I’ve used it twice. The one application I can see it performing really well at is soft nuts like walnuts. Beyond that it’s just a mess. I tried to chop an onion. It took me more time to clean the chopper than it would have to get the knife and the cutting board, dice the onion really fine, sauté it, and clean everything.

2. Waffle maker. Who doesn’t own a waffle maker? If you don’t think you do it’s time to take an inventory of your cabinet and cupboards, if you don’t find one there check the attic or the basement. I do love waffles, so I’m not bashing the machine. I just don’t eat waffles enough to really warrant mastering the use of the particular model I have so sadly it sits in the back of my appliance cabinet collecting dust.

3. Champagne flutes. I was so exited that I actually got to use my champagne flutes on New Years this year. I have a whole set of flutes that sit in the top cabinet and look pretty, that is their only function.

4. Shaped cake pans. Unless you have a lot of children in your family you probably won’t use these too often. I do have 2 different shaped pans. I have a fire truck and a teddy bear. The novelty of each of these pans wore off after the first time I baked them. These are very time consuming to decorate. I loved how they turned out but they took forever.

5. Cookie cutters in every shape and size. I love cookies and I love to bake. But once the cookies are all baked you still need to frost them. This is a lot of work just for cookies. I have so many types of cookie cutters I’m not sure I’ve even used them all. Really drop cookies are so good that most of the time I’ll opt for making drop cookies over rolled cookies anyway. Rolled cookies make a great presentation but people are afraid to mess up the design you took so much time making to enjoy the flavor of the cookies. If that’s the case why didn’t we just decorate cardboard cutouts instead of baking cookies in the first place?

6. Crème Brule torch. I love the reactions of my guests when I light the crème brule torch but I don’t think I really use it often enough to warrant owning one. This is another time consuming desert item that people are afraid to eat because of all the time you put into it.

7. Cruet. I usually use a vinaigrette when I eat salad, however I never make enough of it at a time to warrant the use of my cruet. It’s nice to have around when you’re hosting a dinner and want to put your own vinaigrette on the table (flaunting your amazing culinary skills with the little details) but you could easily use a bowl with a spoon. If you’re going to use this method put a plate under the bowl to protect from spillage.

8. Double boiler. There are many chocolate recipes that ‘require’ you to melt the chocolate in a double boiler. If you don’t own a double boiler not to worry. You can boil water in your 1 or 2 qt sauce pan (see the list of 10 thing every kitchen should have) and put a metal bowl over the boiling water, it will do the exact same thing as a double boiler. It’s the same method with out the cost!

9. An oil sprayer or special oil bottle. The special bottles are great for putting herbs into your oil but how often do you plan on actually doing it? Probably not all that often. The sprayer serves the same function as my no stick spray, and I don’t need to refill the no stick spray.

10. Wax paper. This may seem a little out of place but trust me. Parchment paper is really the way to go. It is a little more expensive but if it’s going into your oven it’s the best bet. Wax paper is coated in wax (I know I was shocked too) which melts when it gets hot (think crayons on the dashboard of your car). All that wax seeps into your food. I know I love the taste of wax in my chicken (not!). Parchment paper is coated with silicon which has a much higher melting temperature making it the better option for lining baking pans.