Kitchen

Chef's Knife

What is it?

Mercer Culinary 8-Inch Chef's Knife. A classic.

Why is it in the kit?

You just can’t get much cooking done without a knife. A good knife. A knife you can get to know and love. Sure, your rental might have a set of knives. They might even be good knives. I bet they are so dull they would have a hard time cutting bananas.

This baby is made of X50 Cr Mo V15 steel. That means it is tough, durable, and stainless. It is softer than some alloys, so you will want to use the honing steel on it. But the softer steel is also easier to sharpen. A few swipes on the honing steel before each use will keep it at its best.

How do I use it?

You cut stuff with it! The eight inch knife is the most versatile one you can own. Use it to cut meat, chop vegetables, slice tomatoes, everything! Just don’t cut fingers with it.

Never put your chef’s knife in the kit without its cover! This cover will let you transport your knife safely.

How to use your knife cover

To open: hold the cover in your left hand, with the hinge side toward your palm. There are two clasps on the side of the cover toward your right hand. Use your right thumb to press the one closest to the tip of the knife until it clicks open. Now do the same to the clasp closer to the handle. Grab the handle of the knife in your right hand, and open the cover carefully with your left.

To close: open the cover and hold it in your left hand. Grab the handle knife with your right. Put the knife in the cover so the sharp side of the blade goes in first. The bolster of the knife should be close to the base of the cover. Press the cover firmly closed with your left hand. It will not snap shut. Now use your right hand to press the two clasps closed, so that they click. Verify that the clasps are fully closed before you put the knife in your kit.

How to hold your chef's knife

It is natural to hold your knife with five fingers wrapped around the handle, and that's fine. You can hold it that way. But that is not the way most professional chefs hold the knife.

An alternative way to hold your knife is by pinching the base of the blade, just beyond the handle, with your thumb and index finger. Then wrap your other three fingers around the handle. Now you have better control of the exact angle of the blade. It takes a bit of getting used to, but I have come to prefer this grip for most cutting chores. Give it a try!

Cutting board

What is it?

Folding cutting board with knife sharpener.

Why is it in the kit?

How do I use it?

How to use the knife sharpener

Vacation rentals nearly always have some knives for meal preparation. Sometimes they are even reasonably sharp. Sometimes. Other times they are so dull it’s hard to tell which side of the knife you are supposed to cut with. This little gadget can make those knives usable, or even a pleasure to use.

I don’t use this sharpener for the knife that comes in the Kit. I prefer to sharpen that knife at home when it needs it, using a stone. If the knife is sharp when you leave your home, it will stay plenty sharp by just using the honing steel during your trip.

To sharpen a knife

Put the sharpener flat on the kitchen counter, upside down. Fold up the edge of the board that has the sharpener on it. Notice that there are two slots. One is marked coarse. That one is made of carbide steel and is black. The other is marked fine. It is made of ceramic and is white. Unless the knife is already quite sharp you will want to start with the coarse slot. Always finish with the fine slot.

Hold the edge of the board firmly with one hand, making sure to keep your fingers away from where the action is. With the knife in the other hand, draw it through the slot toward you, starting with the part of the blade near the handle and drawing with gentle pressure the entire length of the blade. Once the knife is sharp move to the fine slot to finish your sharpening.

Once you have finished sharpening, give the knife a few passes on the honing steel.

Can opener

What is it?

Simple can opener

Why is it in the kit?

You can usually dig up a can opener in a rental kitchen. But what if you can't find one? Those cans are tough! Opening one without a can opener is nearly impossible (and maybe dangerous, depending on how you go at it).

This can opener weighs almost nothing, and will get you out of the "can't find a can opener" jam.

How do I use it?

See the little folding blade on the can opener? The pointy tip is what is going to cut open the metal lid of the can. Grab your can and hold it firmly on the counter. Now, there is a notch on the can opener at the base of the folding blade. That goes under the rim of the can. Get it under the rim, with the point of folding blade on the lid of the can, right near the rim. Now twist the opener, so that the point pierces the metal lid. Twist it all the way down, so that you have made your first cut. Now twist the opener so that the blade comes back up, nearly out of the can. Move the notch on the opener so the blade is at the edge of the cut you just made and twist it down again to make your next cut. Proceed in this way around the rim.

It takes a bit of time, but it sure is better than trying to open the can with a screwdriver and hammer you found in the garage.

Citrus reamer

What is it?

Citrus Juicer Reamer

Why is it in the kit?

I find that nothing can replace the taste of fresh citrus juice in cooking. I use fresh lemon and orange juice often in the kitchen. If you are vacationing in warm climes, you may be lucky enough to find a citrus tree in the back yard.

One item I can never seem to find in a rental kitchen is a citrus press. We don't include a press in the kit, because they tend to be large. Instead we provide this nice wooden reamer. It will get the job done just fine.

How do I use it?

Use your reamer in conjunction with your strainer. Put the strainer on a small bowl. Cut your fruit in half, at the equator if you consider the stem of the fruit to be the north pole. Now hold the fruit in one hand and twist the reamer right down into the fruit. Squeeze the fruit and turn the reamer, so that the juice runs through the strainer into the bowl.

Corkscrew

What is it?

Double Hinged Corkscrew

Why is it in the kit?

Ever pick up a nice bottle of wine for that special vacation dinner you are preparing? Bet you have. What if your rental kitchen does not have a corkscrew? You can make a real mess of that bottle trying to open it without one!

There are plenty of fancy corkscrews out there, but this one will open a bottle as well as any and better than most.

How do I use it?

Use the little knife blade to either cut the foil on the bottle around the rim, or just slice up on the foil and pull it off.

Twist the screw into the cork. All the way in. Try to keep it centered in the cork. Then use the shorter lever to begin pulling out the cork. Switch to the longer lever when you have the cork part way out. Voilà!

Dish brush

What is it?

Palm Pot Brush

Why is it in the kit?

Ever wonder where that nasty sponge you found in the kitchen sink of your rental has been? Don’t use it! Use this compact brush made of natural materials instead.

How do I use it?

This brush is stiff and sturdy enough to clean pots and pans. Its natural fibers will not scratch glass or plastic.

After use, wash the brush with dish soap and let it air dry.

Fish spatula

What is it?

Slotted Fish Spatula

Why is it in the kit?

There must be a secret store that all owners of vacation rentals shop for their cooking utensils. I can’t seem to find a rental kitchen that lacks a flimsy plastic spatula turner. I find them infuriating. Just try to turn that delicate sole filet with one of them. Bet you made a mess.

How do I use it?

While this is called a fish spatula, it is certainly not just for fish. It’s great for burgers, omelets, vegetables, anything! It is thin and flexible enough to let you slide it easily under whatever you are cooking. It’s sturdy enough to scrape up a seared chop, or to use on the grill. The slots let you easily drain the grease off your meat when moving to a serving plate.

When using the spatula on the grill make sure to keep your oven mitt handy. The handle of the spatula is short for grill work, but paired with an oven mitt your can get the job done without fear of burns.

Grill scraper

What is it?

BBQ Grill Scraper

Why is it in the kit?

There is nothing quite so off-putting as raising the lid of your grill to find the sticky dreck of the last renter’s barbequed ribs. If the grill has a brush you can use that to help clean it up. If not, or if the brush looks worse than the grill, this is what you need.

How do I use it?

Assess the situation. If the grill has sticky stuff on it, heat it up first and roast it down to charred residue then let the grill cool a bit. Now find the notch on the grill scraper that best fits the grill rods and have at it. You won’t get it perfectly clean, but it will be a lot better than when you started. Now heat up the grill and burn off the scrapings. If you want to get the grill really clean you can soak one of the towels in the kit with water and rub the grill with the wet towel. Be sure to use an oven mitt! Toss the towel in the old automatic right away to clean it up.

Hanger

What is it?

Hanger for your Kit

Why is it in the kit?

To hang your Kit for easy access.

How do I use it?

Hang the thing up by the top handle.

Honing steel

What is it?

Knife honing steel

Why is it in the kit?

A good sharp knife is a pleasure to use. You honing steel will keep your chef's knife ready for action. I like to use the honing steel each time I get ready to cook.

Sharpening a knife is different than honing a knife. Sharpening removes metal, and needs to be done much less frequently than honing. Honing straightens the delicate edge of the knife blade. Honing does not wear down the knife, and can and should be done frequently.

How do I use it?

The best way to hone your knife is to put the tip of the honing steel on your cutting board, with the steel vertical. You want to run the edge of the knife blade down the honing steel at about a 15 to 20 degree angle. Start with the edge of the blade closest to the knife handle at the top of the honing steel, just below the handle of the steel. Push the blade down the steel as you pull the knife toward you, so that the entire blade runs along the steel. Alternate sides of the blade so that you hone each side an equal number of times.

Yes, you can just hold the honing steel in one hand and push the blade along the steel with the other, sliding the knife so that the entire edge swipes along the steel. I find it a bit faster this way, but it is more difficult to get that 15 to 20 degree angle right.

Kitchen shears

What is it?

Kitchen Scissors

Why is it in the kit?

Shears are great for all sorts of tasks like trimming green beans or cutting twine. They are indispensable when you want to spatchcock a chicken for grilling (which I highly recommend). Use them to cut excess skin off poultry, trim herbs, or cut small filets.

How do I use it?

Well, they are just scissors after all, so use them like scissors. Your shears are dishwasher safe, but I try to run mine through the dishwasher only when I can’t clean them well with the brush. The dishwasher will eventually dull the blades.

How to spatchcock a chicken

Dry a whole chicken with a towel and place it on your cutting board, back up (breasts down)
Cut along each side of the backbone with your shears
Turn the chicken over and pull it open like a book
Press firmly on the breastbone to flatten the chicken out

Your spatchcocked chicken will cook much faster and more evenly than a whole chicken.

Marker

What is it?

Dry erase marker

Why is it in the kit?

How do I use it?

Measuring spoons

What is it?

Why is it in the kit?

How do I use it?

Oven mitts

What is it?

Extra Long Silicone Oven Mitts

Why is it in the kit?

You must have a pair of oven mitts you can rely on. I’ve been burned using a worn oven mitt in a rental, and it’s no fun. These mitts are fabric lined silicone. They are safe to 500℉. The silicone part of the mitt is waterproof.

How do I use it?

I find that silicone mitts are a bit more cumbersome than an all-fabric mitt, but this is offset by the non-slip texture of the mitt. If you don’t like the feel of these please give them a try for a while. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

These mitts are extra long, protecting you well up your wrists. This is nice in the oven, but REALLY nice on the grill. With these you can safely use your fish spatula on the grill. And speaking of the grill, since these mitts are waterproof you can safely use them if you want to clean off a hot grill with a wet towel.

A big advantage of silicone is how easy it is to clean. You can just put them on and swish them around in soapy water to clean them up.

Peeler

What is it?

Y-peeler

Why is it in the kit?

You can peel some vegetables with a knife. I’ve peeled carrots by scraping them with a knife blade. But a peeler is faster. And try peeling a potato with a knife. Not easy.

This peeler is sharp, and the carbon steel will stay sharp for a long time.

How do I use it?

You may not have used a Y-peeler before, but I think you will really like it after you get used to it. It peels a thinner layer off than most straight peelers. The wide handle gives you a good grip, with a lot of flexibility about how you use it.

For example, to peel carrots try holding the fat end of the carrot in your fingers and resting the other end of the carrot on the cutting board. Pull the peeler down the carrot with your other hand. After each stroke, spin the carrot slightly. Fast!

Try to clean the peeler right after use. It’s easier than when some food dries on the blade, and it will stay sharp longer. You can put the peeler in the dishwasher, but I don’t. The blade gets dull faster.

Pepper grinder

What is it?

Adjustable Pepper Grinder

Why is it in the kit?

Your rental kitchen probably has salt and pepper shakers. Unless you are really picky about your salt, what you find in the kitchen is probably just fine to use. But the pepper? Not so much. It has probably lost all its taste long ago. And pre-ground pepper is not as good as freshly ground, even on the day you buy it.

This grinder is easy to use, sturdy, and mess-free. The ceramic grinder blades will last a long time, and will not absorb flavors or odors.

How do I use it?

Adjust the grinder to the grind size you prefer. The smaller dots mean a finer grind. Twist the base of the grinder to grind the pepper.

Refill the grinder by removing the cap from the base.

The grinder is dishwasher safe.

Scraper

What is it?

Food scraper

Why is it in the kit?

I always keep my scraper nearby when I am slicing or dicing food. It lets me scoop up what I have cut an drop it in a pan or bowl. It is way better than using the blade of your chef's knife for that purpose. Using your knife as a scraper is hard on the blade and certainly not as safe as using this.

Apparently my love of the scraper is not shared by most vacation rental owners. I can never seem to find one in a rental kitchen. I like this one because it is all metal and very sturdy.

How do I use it?

Well, you just scrape up food with it.

But I use it for more than just scraping. I use it for cutting as well. No, I don't mean cutting with the edge of scraper. I mean using it to hold the food in place while I am cutting. Take for example cutting bacon into pieces. Sure, you can hold several slices of bacon in one hand against the board and slice them into pieces. But you end up with your hand covered in bacon grease. Try putting the bacon on the board and placing the scraper vertically on the far side of the bacon. Now hold the blade of the knife against the side edge of the scraper, and push the knife away from you to cut the bacon. You get nice clean cuts, and no greasy mess!

Serrated knife (bread knife)

What is it?

Bread slicer

Why is it in the kit?

The chef’s knife in the Kit is incredibly versatile, but there is one job it does not do well: cut bread. The chef’s knife can get gummed up on the soft crumb of a nice loaf of fresh bread. This knife will do a much better job. You can also use it to cut really soft vegetables, like ripe tomatoes.

How do I use it?

Try to resist the temptation to use this knife for things other than bread, soft vegetables, and the like. If you reserve it for those purposes the blade will stay sharp for a long time.

If the blade gets dull you can use the knife sharpener on it, but you will probably never get it back to its original sharpness. That serrated edge is hard to sharpen.

Spatula

What is it?

Silicone Spatula

Why is it in the kit?

Unlike your fish spatula, this one is for scraping, stirring, and mixing. It is heat resistant to 550℉, so you can use it to stir those potatoes you are roasting in the oven, or flip an omelet in a non-stick pan. And of course it is your go-to tool for scraping batter or sauce from a pan.

How do I use it?

This spatula is sturdy enough to mix thick batters. Its shape lets you get into the corners of a pot or blender. Use it for mixing and scraping, and for scrambling or flipping eggs.

Strainer

What is it?

Fine mesh strainer

Why is it in the kit?

How do I use it?

Thermometer

What is it?

Instant Read Thermometer

Why is it in the kit?

An instant read thermometer is useful in any kitchen, but it is essential for rental kitchens. Why? Because you are unfamiliar with the equipment. You may know just how long to cook those burgers on your grill at home, but just how fast will they cook on the grill at your rental?

How do I use it?

First off, this thing is for measuring the internal temperature of food. Don’t use it to check the temperature of the oven itself, or of cooking fat.

You need to get enough of the thermometer embedded in your meat to get an accurate reading. For thin meat you may need to stick it in at an angle.

Although they call this an “instant read” thermometer, it is not really instant, it’s fast. You need to give it some time for the tip to heat up to the same temperature as the food. Watch the needle on the dial. When it stops moving you have your reading.

Tongs

What is it?

Stainless Steel Locking Tongs

Why is it in the kit?

In a drawer of your rental kitchen you may find plastic tongs right next to that flimsy nylon turning spatula. I hate those things. When turning food on the grill or on the stove you need to get a good grip on it. These tongs are metal right to the tip. The tip is the key to the grip.

How do I use it?

Your tongs have a tab at the top of the handle that locks the tongs closed for packing. The tongs are dishwasher safe.