Cooking in a well-equipped kitchen is enjoyable and safe because every task is simplified by having certain gadgets within reach. When camping or staying where a poorly-equipped kitchen must be used to prepare meals, the importance of sharp knives, a cutting board, accurate measuring cups and spoons, a timer, and silicone food turner.
Sharp Knives - Meat, poultry, fish, and vegetables require precision cutting instruments that have very sharp edges that will cut without tearing or requiring the cook to apply force. Whether your preference is a knife for each purpose or one favorite knife for every use, keep the blades very sharp and cut only where you can see your fingers to prevent cuts.
Cutting board - When a cook attempts to substitute a plate or some other flat surface for a cutting board, safety is compromised. Plastic or wooden cutting boards hold food steady and receive the knife blade safely after it passes through the food. Portability is a very important feature of a cutting board for lifting food to a pan and then thoroughly washing the board prevents cross contamination.
Measuring cups and spoons - Only after attempting to complete a recipe without any way to measure quantities do you realize how essential measuring cups and spoons are to preparing good food. Even a simple task like cooking rice is difficult without some sort of quantitative measure. One of the best workhorses of the kitchen is the glass measuring cup that can handle hot and cold liquids and used for dry ingredients in a pinch.
Timer - Guessing at the passage of time when baking cookies and cakes may work once or twice, but smoke will rise from the oven when you get distracted by the phone and the oven continues to bake your food into oblivion. Dual-timers are great for busy cooks who prepare large quantities of multiple dishes concurrently and need to monitor precise cooking times.
Food turner - One of the simplest recipes is pancake batter until you pour your batter on a hot griddle and then discover you do not have a way to turn over your breakfast to cook the other side. You might make a few attempts with a table fork, but your true talent for perfect hotcakes will be hidden without a silicone food turner or spatula.
With these five gadgets your kitchen will be complete. If you have a timeshare property or a remote cabin, take these five essentials with you to make sure you can prepare your favorite recipes away from home.