KITCHEN TOOLS - Bowls Part 2

The "shiny stainless" bowls

As if you weren't bowled over enough from our previous encounter with the things, here we are...back in the kitchen, bowling again.  And why not?  There's so much more to say on the subject.
 
Some folks are asking if I use anything other than stainless steel.
Yes, I do.  My bread making bowls are made of Pyrex, stoneware or other crockery-this for a very simple reason. When curing or raising, the dough bowl is set in a warm place for a couple of hours.  You'll  need a bowl that will "find" and maintain an even temperature throughout the process.

Crockery, stoneware or Pyrex will do that.  Stainless, not so much.  There are warm, cool and cold spots to be found in them, and this can adversely effect the rising.  Yeasties are living critters, and quite particular about their surroundings. They don't like to be chilly!

My yellow Pyrex mixing bowl is perfect for letting those critters rise in the warmth and comfort they deserve.

Memory Lane yellow Pyrex mixing bowl

I've had it for a number of years, a garage sale score.  I was drawn to it for strictly nostalgic reasons; Mom had one just like it back in the day.I remember it was part of a set she got with her Sunbeam table top mixer. I scarfed it up for $1.50  before anybody had a chance to think twice!

But once home, the bowl was instantly pressed into service.

Through the many changes life's brought, this bowl has,so far, remained intact and ready for action on the front lines of my cooking endeavors.  "Old Yeller" garnered the respect of every other vessel in the kitchen, including the stainless steel ones-who are not so easily impressed.

So although the "shiny stainless" are used for a great many culinary purposes, my yellow Pyrex will always hold a special place in my heart, and will remain on active duty in my kitchen.

Apple bowls

One of my other favorites is actually a set of apple bowls that I got as a gift from one of my dearest long-time friends.  Not only are they handy and practical, they're beautiful.

I use these apple bowls for mixing...and serving fruits, side dishes and snacks as well. They're great in any setting, formal or informal.
They sure brighten up a table!

So look around your kitchen....give those useful, often unsung heroes a nod of acknowledgement.
Bowls are an intrinsic part of the food preparation process. They've been with us since before recorded history. No matter what else happens with technology, they will always be part of our lives.

Feel free to share your thoughts and ideas!

KITCHEN TOOLS- Bowls

Mixing Bowls

One of the most used, least thought about tools in the kitchen sits there on the shelf, waiting to do your bidding....the mixing bowl.
Between garage sales, finding and inheriting, I've managed to assemble a nice variety of stainless steels....and to be honest, some of the large ones have an infamous past-as weigh room bowls at Dennis Peron's SFCBC and the San Francisco Patients' Cooperative. 

If those bowls could talk!

Having a variety makes a big difference; sometimes you need a high-walled flat bottom bowl, sometimes you need a shallow one....it all depends on what you're trying to do.

The most common mistake when it comes to these tools?  It seems to be choosing the wrong size for the job.

Stirring is very physical work...be it whisking, spooning or using a hand mixer.  Things are bound to splash over the sides-unless you took that into account when choosing your bowl.  Make sure it's big enough...and by that I mean bigger than what you're working with. Your bowl choice should be about two times larger.

That may sound like a lot, until you figure that you are adding other ingredients and will be mixing them all around a few times before you're done.

I like stainless steel...it doesn't break, it doesn't stain.  It's also great for chilling dough in a hurry.  The large ones make great salad servers, and are absolutely THE thing for mixing double and triple batches of cookie dough!  The uses are endless!

So make sure when setting up your kitchen you take a few moments and really select the right bowls...and enough of them.  1 extra large, 1 large or 2 large, an assortment of mid-size and a few small ones. They don't have to be stainless, that's my own personal preference.

If you have any suggestions or comments please feel free to send them along!