Using Small-ware

“Use the right tool for the job. For a chef, this can make all the difference. The right spoon, the right whip, the right pan-

you depend on these tools every day.”Prem Kumar

Hand Tools

• Hand tools, pots, and pans are often called smallware

• Type of smallware used by a chef depends on the types of tasks the chef performs in the kitchen

• Five general categories• Cutting and slicing• Shredding and grating• Mixing and cooking• Straining, draining, and processing• Measuring

Cutting and Slicing Tools

• Peeler• Melon baller• Pizza Cutter/pastry

wheel• Channel knife• Olive pitter• Zester• Kitchen shears• corer

Mixing and Cooking Tools

• Mixing bowls• Whisk• Palette knife• Turners• Rubber spatula• Skimmers• Spoons• Tongs• Kitchen fork

Straining, draining, and Processing Tools

• Food mill• Colander• Ricer• Drum sieve• Conical sieve• Funnel

Measuring Tools

• Measuring Weight• Portion Scale• Balance Scale• Digital Scale• Measuring tools

measure one of the following:

• Weight• Volume; temperature

• Measuring is essential in every recipe not only so a dish is prepared correctly, but also to help control the size and cost of a single portion.

Measuring Volume

• Measuring cups• Measuring spoons• Volume and liquid

measures• Ladle• Measuring

Temperature• thermometer

Cookware

• Pots and pans are often referred to as cookware

• Heat transfer-how efficiently heat passes from the cookware to the food inside

• Gauge or the thickness of the material

• Copper-transfer heat rapidly and evenly

• Cast iron-holds heat well and transmits it very evenly

Cookware

• Stainless steel-a poor and uneven heat conductor, stainless steel is often used for cookware because it is easy to clean.

• Cooper and aluminum is sandwiched in the bottom of the pan or pot to improve heat conductivity

• Steel-transmit heat very rapidly

• Aluminum • Nonstick coatings

Stovetop Cooking

• Stockpot• Saucepot• Saucepan• Saute pans• Wok• Omelet pan or crepe• Double boiler• Steamer• Fish poacher

Oven Cooking• Roasting pan• Sheet pan• Terrine mold• Souffle dish• Braising pans and

casseroles• Pate’ mold• Gratin dish

Cleaning and Sanitizing Small-ware

• Washing by hand• Use the three

compartment sink• Clean • Rinse• sanitize

• Dishwashers• Under-counter• Single-rack• Conveyer belt

Knife Construction

• In order to know which knife to use for a specific task you must have a working knowledge of the different parts of a knife.

• The blade of a high-quality, professional knife is made of a single piece of metal that has been cut, stamped, or forged into it’s desired shape.

Knife Construction

• Most often used metals are stainless steel and high carbon stainless steel

• Tang is the part of the blade that continues into the knife’s handle

• Handle can be made of several types of material including hard woods such as rosewood and walnut

• Rivet the tang is attached to the knife handle with rivets

• Bolster-shank in the spot where the blade and handle come together

TYPES OF KNIVES

• CHEF’S KNIFE most important knife in the chef’s tool kit

• All purpose knife-peeling, slicing, trimming, chopping, slicing, dicing

• Slicer has a long, thin blade that is ideal for cutting large foods such as meat and poultry

• Utility knife-smaller but similar in shape to a chef’s knife

• All purpose-peeling, slicing

• Boning knife-a small knife with a thin, angled blade, the boning knife is used to remove bones from meat, fish, and poultry

TYPES OF KNIVES

• Paring knife-to pare or trim off a thin outer layer or peel from fruits and vegetables

• Fillet knife-used to fillet fish

• Tournee knife-has a curved blade that looks like a bird’s beak. Used to trim potatoes and vegetables into shapes that resemble footballs

• Butcher knife-sometimes called a scimitar

• Used to cut meat, poultry, and fish

Knife Skills

• One of the most important skills you’ll learn is how to use a knife properly

• Grip-as a general rule grip the knife firmly but not so tightly that your hand gets tired.

• Control-guide the knife with one hand while you hold the food firmly in place with the other hand

Knife cuts

• Slicing-when slicing food you will use a chef’s knife to cut it into large, thin pieces

• Make sure the flat side of the food is down so it won’t slip

• Chiffonade-finely slice or shred leafy vegetables or herbs

• Rondelle or round is another slice, these disk-shaped slicers are made from cylindrical fruits or vegetables

Knife cuts

• Diagonal cuts oval or elongated slice of a cylindrical fruit or vegetable

• Mincing• Dicing• Juliene• Batonnet• Brunoise

• Link to the past:• Knives are the oldest

known manmade tool

Knife Safety & Care

• Sharpening knives• Sharpening stone• whetstone

• Sanitizing knives-hot soapy water after every cutting task and before storing them

• Trueing knives-process used to keep the blade straight and to smooth out irregularities

• Storing knives• Slotted knife holder• Knife kit• Custom built drawer