This had to be Alex's best video, he narrates his relationships with all his tools while also being informative and comedic. The cherry on top is that the video production is to notch!
Great list, but there are a few tools that I find essential missing - chopping board, whisk, kitchen scale, can opener and citrus juicer. EDIT: also sieve, honing rod, metal spatula, rolling pin.
@@brythonderoos6562 That is true, but at the same time how much variation is there when it comes to chopping board? This video mostly seems to me like Alex showing the particular types of various utensils he is using. Chopping boards tend to be relatively similar to one another, from what I know.
For the most I can remember him cutting he does it on his rolling countertop with an inox plating... That's why he needs that much sharpening 🤣 I mostly use a semi rigid plastic thing. Very light, doesn't blunt the knife, folds a bit witch is very useful to slide the cuts in the pan without messing the food. I also use a very big wooden cutting bord that is very nice to work on but not so easy when it comes to transfer food...
If you smash your lemon/citrus with the palm of your hand, roll it a little with force and then cut it in half - it's way easier to juice it with your hand, no juicer required. Also, zesting it prior is a good idea.
I use a Japanese surubachi: a ceramic mortar used with a wooden pestle. The inside surface is combed to make ridges that make grinding easier. It is also relatively inexpensive. You can reuse those bamboo skewers to make planting labels when you plant your seedlings. Just write on the flat handle with a marker.
Each culture came up with a mortar and pestle that fit their local needs. The surubachi is fine for breaking a root vegetable to a paste. I think basil would end up too coarse and peppercorns are a no go. Keep on crushing peppercorns and I bet it breaks.
I did not know that linen had such qualities, my admiration for this material has just increased and will change my habits when I go to purchase kitchen towels.
So the tools are covered lovely but how about pans, trays, baking sheets, whether you use silicone mats, cutting boards, dutch ovens, cast irons, sifter or mesh, food processor, mixer, yada yada yada? There is so much more to cover! Maybe a new series idea? Something like the perfect home cook kit for everyday user thingy?
If you cook you will figure out what you need. You honestly don’t need a UA-camr to tell you what you need in the kitchen. Just start cooking and you’ll figure it out.
they're probably decent, but when you add transport and production, they make a non-zero carbon footprint that's maybe worse than a metal reusable version (although you'd really need to do some lifespan analysis)
Bamboo grows somewhere, and that place could probably be growing food, or sequestered carbon. But you can resharpen them, they last a long time, and are certainly better than say, the use once paper.
@@CorwynGC No... You can't really repurpose bamboo farms. The roots are too deep. Bamboo will grow there whether we use the bamboo or not. There is a video of a street with a giant bamboo 'tree' right in the middle, they gave up trying to make it die and just split the road and let it be.
Exactly what I was going to say. Bamboo is extremely sustainable, and is why nobody in Asia has any problems with disposable chopsticks being everywhere. These token environmentalists acting on first world guilt about anything disposable. They apparently know way better than traditionally agrarian societies that're much closer to their food and materials.
Hi Alex! If I would have to grab only 2 Items in my kitchen and run, it would be my favourite chefs knife (a Global G2) and an iron pan similar to DeBryer Mineral B. Other than that there are some very useful things like a decent cutting board (wood/plastic, not too small), all kinds of strainers (Roesle makes superb ones, the regular ones and the chinois as well), a nice pepper mill (like Peugeot), a mandolin (Boerner is good), a wooden spatula, a garlic press (we use it for ginger as well), some pots (stainless steel is ok, but I love cast iron, something like Staub, LeCreuset), a saucepan gets some heavy usage as well. You've mentioned a thermometer in your video, Thermapen MK4 is super precise, quick and really well designed. I would also recommend tongs with silicone heads, you can use them on a non-stick pans as well. Would be cool to see a video on your favourite kitchen gear like blenders etc, and another one about sharpening serrated knives ^^ Take care!
The problem with Microplanes is that I inevitably end up adding my knuckles to whatever I'm preparing. Seriously, I now use a butchers chainmail glove when I grate stuff with them! X)
It's one of the scariest utensils in the world. In my opinion it shouldn't exist, it's not worth it. So horrific. At least it should be totally different than it is.
They should really have an adjustable attachment like a metal grate that clamps onto whatever you’re slicing. That way you always have something between you and the blade but you can still slice stuff
there's a chef here in Israel (that's where I'm from, hello! :D) who is famous for bringing Chinese cuisine to Israel, he's got a lot of knowledge when it comes to cooking of course, lots of cookbooks and TV shows, and a great personality. And during the coronavirus pandemic (still ongoing of course), he and a few other known chefs here agreed to make a live cook show, each from their own home, so that we the viewers, as a nation have lunch/cooking ideas every day during the lockdown. All of this to say - the man has a Chinese cleaver, that he has had for over 40 or was it even 50 years (he is in his 70s), which he brought back from Thailand where he studied Chinese cooking (because back then China was not allowing foreigners for culinary school), and during the live broadcast he showed his knife and it's amazing because he's been using it so much the blade is now half the size that it was originally, due to sharpening and use over the years. And I just thought that was incredibly cool, to have a knife be with you for such a long time. The used down appearance of the knife to me was just beautiful. and that's it ... had to share when I saw your Chinese cleaver. ALSO - your scissors look so GOOD! that's amazing aesthetic right there!
I use disposable bamboo skewers after us for labelling my pot plants/seedlings from all my leftover seeds and regrowable veg. I try to utilise every seed used to regrow so so have many many... These skewers are my life savers!!
Don’t be too hard on yourselves for the skewers. Bamboo is a super renewable material, and they’re biodegradable. As far as disposable things go, that’s about as good as you can get
Bamboo isn't really 'wood', at least it isn't tree wood that is harvested by deforestation. It is a grass. It is the material designed for disposal. One should never feel bad about using disposable bamboo anything...
@@rich1051414 Wood or bamboo fiber basically all cellulose, lignin, and trace stuff. The fact that it is grown in places that could otherwise be forest, mean that it is the same as cutting trees. You should feel bad about using disposable ANYTHING. If it isn't in a complete cycle, you are reducing the length of time we can live on this planet.
@@CorwynGC You can't really repurpose bamboo forests. The roots are too deep. Bamboo will grow there whether we use the bamboo or not. It's a weed purposed more out of necessity than as a commodity. They aren't deforesting to grow bamboo. They have way too much bamboo as it is.
@@CorwynGC As if bamboo didn't grow in Asian forests for thousands of years? What do you think pandas eat? But hey, apparently the smart guy driven by first-world guilt and sweeping generalizations about disposable products knows better than agrarian societies that've sustainably used bamboo for all sorts of things for thousands of years and never needed to deforest huge swaths of land for it. Bamboo grows, we cut bamboo, make stuff out of bamboo, bamboo biodegrades, bamboo regrows faster than we can use it. What was that about disposable anything and complete cycles?
One bit of kit that all kitchens should have but hope NOT to use every day: A fire extinguisher. (Keeping some baking soda on hand for smaller grease fires is useful, too)
Love your videos, and thanks for all the ideas! Here is mine about those bamboo skewers... I have them too. I acquire them from when I order a big sandwich or burger at a restaurant, bring them home and wash them well. Keep washing them after each use and you can keep them forever- just like the chopsticks!
I'm curious about how "sustainable" it is to mine metal ore, then smelt and manufacture Ice Picks, considering all the fossil fuels needed, non-renewable energy sources and water consumed in the process.... Just curious.
@@allertschallenberg1857 I am genuinely interested to find out which is actually better for the environment though. True, you are certainly reducing waste on a personal level, but you might be supporting a manufacturer that generates way more waste than it offsets. 'Disposable' doesn't necessarily equate to 'unsustainable' at least in my current opinion. What's important, I think, is that the resources and materials used are renewable, and that the wastage created is bio-degradable. Similarly, although recycling plastics is sustainable, it might actually be doing more harm than good when you take into account the non-renewable energy utilised.
Very useful video Alex particularly for beginner chefs. A video on pots and pans would be amazing as there are many low quality items out there and making good choices is hard. Thanks for your dedication!
Cutting board, kitchen scale, clock/timer, colander, fine mesh strainer, cheese cloth, Fire Extinguisher (Never used, but always there). And thank you for including the first aid kit. If you use a knife, you will eventually cut yourself with it. Best to be ready for when it happens.
Bamboo is a very fast growing grass and it is compostable so don't feel bad about using it as a disposable item. What types of pots and pans are your most used?
Perfect timing, Alex! I have a tiny kitchen and yet I am ALWAYS cooking/fermenting/baking. JUST TODAY I decided I need to do a revamp and clear out the extraneous shit! Thank you for my every Saturday Alex inspiration! ❤️
I love that thermopop thermometer because if you stick it in something sideways, it can rotate the display orientation so you can read it easily. (I don't think I have ever actually USED this feature but I love that it is there, in case I am ever making a roast and I am upside-down because I am on the ISS or whatever.)
I switched to a Chinese chef’s knife a couple of years and it’s my go to probably about 80 percent of the time. Once you get used to a square tip, it’s great. Very easy to grind and hone too.
I think i'm wrong about it being Matstubs. I can't find it on their channel. Stupid youtube music layout, why can't i look chronologically at a list of music?!
Alex your channel is so inspiring and relatable because you're so honest about the good as well as the bad! thanks for the amazing content 😊 You're one of my heroes! and probably one of the few reasons I recently started to thoroughly enjoy cooking 😁
Best corkscrew i've seen and used is made by Tupperware. It doesn't have the same visual impact that yours does, but it works sooo much better. You just screw it in, and at some point it just starts pulling the cork out perfectly straight. Very good design.
9:42 "So in a nutshell I love everything about this knife, apart from the *lousy* finish." Lousy is a homophone for Laozi, a Chinese taoïst thinker, and within his thought, he made claims like every action towards beauty not being natural, and that things should just be as they are. If this pun was unintentional, Alex made one that is deep on many levels. Damn.
I worked as a wine steward in a french/canadian rest. in the usa...I know, its an oxy moron. but I learned so much about wine, and how to open old bottles. thats a great wine opener. I have two of them. and several table crumbers. I loved your meatball research! I tried some of your tips, and my meatballs were so much better. yes, soak the bread crumbs in milk! i did squeeze them out.
Love love LOVE that Sabatier! I happen to have that very same model. My father bought it some 20 plus years ago and somehow it ended up in my kitchen. The blade is a bit deformed after been sharpened numerous times, but I will keep sharpening it and using it, until it disappears. And then I'll go buy a new one.
I have been looking at old videos of Alex's. Having a trip down memory lane and other videos from other UA-camrs. (I am full of cold and feeling sorry for myself 🤧). The videos and Alex have so much improved in content and style. But most of all Alex got better with age he is almost unrecognisable from the early days. I look forward to the videos every week.
Hi Alex! Great video, as usual! I live in Paris too and I’ve been looking for a store like this one for ages, can you give us the name, please? :) Thanks in advance and thanks for always creating such great content!
If his love for paring knives is anything like mine, it's because you can use your thumb as a cutting board. Maybe that's why he keeps his first aid kit so handy!
I'd love to see more information about your towels, how you made them (materials and process), and how much better they are than your standard cotton dishtowel. Love the videos!
I sharpen old serrated knives with a Dremel (on fairly low speed) and a diamond 'burr' chosen to fit the scallops of the serrations. (A set of diamond coated burrs is quite cheap.) I hold the knife horizontally in a sink of shallow water at 45 degrees towards me edge-up and lightly touch each scallop in the blade. It works very very well.
I love this video idea, basically my edkc is the same but with the addition of my favorite whisks (two metal ones, one small and one large, and a silicone one for nonstick pans) and my favorite rice paddle.
Try putting so,e ting oil on the handle of the cleaver, Alex. It won’t make it more classy, but it will look and fell better in the hand....just sayin’
Some tools you didn't mention that I couldn't live without: The potato masher (the one with S curves) is great for mashing anything you can think off, the spiral/sauce whisk is perfect for getting into corners of a pot when you're making a roux, and a dough cutter is a must have for handeling dough. I also really like having a dedicated butter knife, and I also have a tasting spoon that use to be my grandmothers.
YES on having the first aid kit in the kitchen, and including gloves in that kit so you can keep cooking without getting your dressings wet. I like to think I don't injure myself _that_ often. But when I do injure myself, it's usually in the kitchen. And I've got cats. If I step out of the kitchen to go fetch a bandage from the bathroom, then my bread is going to be in pieces on the floor, whatever was simmering in my pot is going to have fur in it, and there will be wet paw prints on the countertop. I do also keep bandages in the bathroom. But more often than not, I'm using those to replace a bandage after taking a shower. I happen to have a little drawer in my kitchen that is the perfect size. I keep alcohol, bandages, butterfly closures, and nitrile gloves in it. (Black gloves in case I want to post something on Instagram because they look cool.)
The disposal bamboo skewers are the smart more eco friendly choice. They don’t waste water and soap from cleaning and they’re biodegradable. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
Chopsticks definitely, titanium with a squarish cross section at the grip end. I absolutely use my swivel peeler for much more than peeling too, but I find the vertical in-line design (rather than transverse) much faster and ergonomic. My personal preference is to get one with micro-serrations (like the Joseph Joseph). Linen rocks. I do 90% of my work with a Japanese santoku and yanagiba, but I totally agree with your international approach to knives. I prefer German (Solingen) steel and a D-cross section. Two small tools I use a lot are a quick access folding box-cutter (Gerber EAB) and my stainless steel Sharpie marker.
The only knives that I use are a deba (I love the weight that it has and the chisel edge is really great) and a Chinese cleaver. The deba can do the finest of tasks that I need while still working very well for more heavy duty things like butchering; and the cleaver works really well when preping a lot at once, like when making stir fries (which is something that I eat a lot).
Alex seems much nicer than AB. I'm not even sure AB is really relevant anymore. Most of the stuff he's doing now is either game shows and judging or perfect but boring recipes. Currently I prefer Alex's approach.
What you need, is a "lanskey knife sharpening kit". Multiple whetstone's, including one for serated blades, and a metal angled clamp to hold the blade as well as guide the stones at the perfect angle. They are the BEST handheld knife sharpening tools in the world. And they take all the guess work out of your angles. Also, "instant scab powder" it is a rust colored powder that you pour into a cut after cleaning it, before you bandage it, it almost instantly stops the bleeding, of even serious wounds.
Chinese cleaver I bought from Pearl of the Orient, Romford in the UK, about £14 I've had mine for about 30 years, practically never put it away, always in use !
Alex, my EDC essential is my scale...i use it every day and for everything cooking and non-cooking related! Also, I use the same pen you use everyday! Mine is mint green. Love the feel of it and it's easy to carry with my Rhodia wherever I go.
Using bamboo skewers is actually really good, when you're done with them you can compost them and they don't have to go into landfill waste like disposable plastic!
OMG, you are having the same guilt-trips about sustainability as I have! :) You are right about the spatula (my favourite kitchen tool): get one that is one piece of silicone. This will also prevent all kinds of gunk getting into the top of the spatula, this is not easy to clean out. On the band-aid set: Get yourself the band-aid professional chefs use, I think it is called water-resistant finger cohesive in English, it is often blue. You just wind it around your finger wound after cleaning the bleeding to close the cut. It is elastic and it will stay on the finger even if you wash your hands several times. I promise it is a game-changer as it will not deform your finger(s) too much and you can apply it so quickly. I will never go back to classic band-aids in the kitchen again. I really hope you still read this comment as the video is a bit older. :)
My oldest and best knife is an 8" Sabatier chef knife and although I use smaller knives more often for many things, I always enjoy picking up that Sabatier and recognizing the feel of it in my hand. BTW that coagulant is a totally new thing to me and I'm going to see if I can buy it in the US. Not even so much for the kitchen - I have a little farm and am always injuring my hands! Once working in the barn I cut my thumb with a saw - quickly sprayed it with the nearest thing: antibacterial stuff I use on the goats! :)
I call it an #EDC but it would be more accurate to call it a #KTK. I'd love to see how your #KTK by the way ! Please tag me in on socials so I can see them :) Also since you guys asked for them, here are links to get these tools (if you see one missing, please add it) - Cuisipro 12-Inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs : amzn.to/2Wz4als - Silicone Spatula 3-piece Set : amzn.to/2JJj43m - Sabatier Chef Knife 8 inch : www.sabatier-shop.com/cooking-knife-8-in-6.html - CCK Small Stainless Cleaver : www.chefknivestogo.com/ccksmstcl.html - Japanese Tojiro DP Petty/Utility Knife : amzn.to/2NF6rr0 - Microplane : amzn.to/33aToV5 - Tenn Well Red and White Twine : amzn.to/32b6OPe - Santoku Knife, 7-inch : amzn.to/2PHkxLp - Sharpening Stone-Dual Sided 400/1000 : amzn.to/2WCgzVC - Industrial Black Nitrile Gloves : amzn.to/33aTRGP - Burn Free Pain Relief : amzn.to/33b1CMB - 2-stage Corkscrew : amzn.to/2r7YN0W
I set up a bag like this when I took my job as a private chef. I used different color stuff bags and included a wok basket, some small strainers, a mandolin, and a small torch.
So, about the knife stuff. First, I'm glad you have taken an interest in sharpening your own knives- that is to be commended. But second, I see some hard work being spent on this that just isn't appropriate. the handheld belt sander is a knife *making* tool, and will remove far too much material in sharpening tasks- and it isn't enough better than the classical method, using a stone that has been soaked in some kind of fluid to increase the grain structure size and give it a bit more bite into the metal you are putting an edge on (my biggest tip here is: use windex to spray off the surface of the stone as you are grinding off the edge, after the stone has been soaked in water; I haven't used this with but don't recommend trying it with oil-stones), and second, I have had *MUCH BETTER* results using smooth unglazed ceramic tile, as these are actually a much harder material than steel and will bite much more aggressively into it, with a much finer grain structure- meaning, you get a finer edge, with less work. You can find this referred to as "the coffee cup trick" and when I've worked in production kitchens, I've typically grabbed the nearest plate or dish and put 20 strokes per side on my work knife, on the bottom unglazed edge of ceramic, as a day-to-day way to keep my edge aligned (the actual purpose of a 'sharpening steel'- but somewhat replaced by sharpening-in-the-direction-of-cutting) and sharp. BUT second, about sharpening your serated knives, there is a method to this madness, and it is as follows. First, you need a stone or tile that is quite flat, and a machined-flat stone or a stone that has been 'glass lapped" (basically "rubbed on a big plate of glass with sandpapper on it, to flatten it to a perfect machined flatness" ) for some specific kinds of this sharpening (like, sharpening wood plane or chisel blades), but in kitchen knives, you can probably use your average stone if you know what you're doing. And what you need to do is called "Lapping"- you grind a flat edge, flat again. On serrated knives, not universally but in almost every single case, there is a 1-sided edge bevel; on one side serations have been cut, and on the other they have not. and so what you do to sharpen these is you 'lap' the flat edge of the knife, so that you grind past any damaged point of the serration, back to where it's flat. The youtube channel "AvE" has a good tutorial about using this to fix electric hair clippers for his wife that had stopped working, and this is a good place to learn about the technique.
a chopping board, a good med to large fry pan, a medium sized pot, a sharpening stone or steel, for your one medium knife, a fork, a soup spoon, cooking spoon(wooden), grater, pealer, can opener, egg beater/whisk, good pare of scissors, baking paper, clear film. 8 other things i cant think of lol
Dude I have the Tojiro set and they are soooo good for utility. I know quite a few chefs who gift them to new guys in the kitchen because they are such a good value😎
I moved to a different country, brought 2 knives, 2 silicone spatulas, a microplane & a pair of silicone tongs with me. First thing I bought was a stainless steel pan & chopping board. I truly think that these are the bare minimum
You forgot a chopping board... just saying a thick wooden one are good as they have a natural anti bacteria properties, but you should have ones for each task you perform in the kitchen. One for raw meat, one for cooked meat, one for fish, one for vegetables, one for fruit, one for dairy and one for bread!!! This is important so you will not have any cross contamination. Chef of 7 and a half years. Love the channel have to say you and bingeing with Babbish are some of my favourite on this platform. Good luck for the future!!!
Those oxo peelers are hardcore. I'm a kitcen porter, I prep a lot of veg. Especially potatoes. With a brand new, sharp peeler i can easily peel about 60kg in potatos in an hour. When i first started working in a kitchen i pin pointed the job most people did slowly and found boring, thats peeling veg. I peeled so much god damn veg to prove i wanted that job, 2 years on i'm still there and slowly progressing up. seriously never underestermate the power of a peeler :D
I'll have to look into that corkscrew. Mine, purchased in Pau and seminental, is rickety and on its last legs. Yep, glad to see a cork screw as an essential cooking tool! Cheers. 🥂
For use a bit later after the blood collogues: "NEW SKIN LIQUID BANDAGE" which is great for finger tips, where traditional bandages like to fall off, especially when washing hands a lot. It's kind model paint glue. Several coats recommended. Can be a life saver.
I would add a whisk. Also, I recommend you get some cooking chopsticks because they are so much longer and you can use them to reach into large pots and avoid steam burns.
I'd love to see an episode about kitchen devices: pots, pans, blender and so on
Good idea!!
Yes yes
תומא אבוקיה חשבתי שאני הישראלי היחיד שרואה את הסרטונים שלו😂
@@yoavcooperberg4271 מסתבר שלא
After 30 years of cooking the basics are still basically the same. Love your fresh sense of humour .
This had to be Alex's best video, he narrates his relationships with all his tools while also being informative and comedic. The cherry on top is that the video production is to notch!
Great list, but there are a few tools that I find essential missing - chopping board, whisk, kitchen scale, can opener and citrus juicer.
EDIT: also sieve, honing rod, metal spatula, rolling pin.
I can live without a kitchen scale, but without my chopping board what would i be chopping on. my steel counter tops and making my knifes blunt.
@@brythonderoos6562 That is true, but at the same time how much variation is there when it comes to chopping board? This video mostly seems to me like Alex showing the particular types of various utensils he is using. Chopping boards tend to be relatively similar to one another, from what I know.
For the most I can remember him cutting he does it on his rolling countertop with an inox plating... That's why he needs that much sharpening 🤣
I mostly use a semi rigid plastic thing. Very light, doesn't blunt the knife, folds a bit witch is very useful to slide the cuts in the pan without messing the food. I also use a very big wooden cutting bord that is very nice to work on but not so easy when it comes to transfer food...
If you smash your lemon/citrus with the palm of your hand, roll it a little with force and then cut it in half - it's way easier to juice it with your hand, no juicer required. Also, zesting it prior is a good idea.
Tiny Whisky.
I use a Japanese surubachi: a ceramic mortar used with a wooden pestle. The inside surface is combed to make ridges that make grinding easier. It is also relatively inexpensive.
You can reuse those bamboo skewers to make planting labels when you plant your seedlings. Just write on the flat handle with a marker.
Nothing beats pure weight for crushing. Anything gets crushed in just a few strokes, but wooden one requires way more effort.
Each culture came up with a mortar and pestle that fit their local needs.
The surubachi is fine for breaking a root vegetable to a paste. I think basil would end up too coarse and peppercorns are a no go. Keep on crushing peppercorns and I bet it breaks.
I have one of these too for spices. I use it a lot more than my old heavy rock mortar and pestle. Very convenient.
I did not know that linen had such qualities, my admiration for this material has just increased and will change my habits when I go to purchase kitchen towels.
So the tools are covered lovely but how about pans, trays, baking sheets, whether you use silicone mats, cutting boards, dutch ovens, cast irons, sifter or mesh, food processor, mixer, yada yada yada? There is so much more to cover! Maybe a new series idea? Something like the perfect home cook kit for everyday user thingy?
If you cook you will figure out what you need. You honestly don’t need a UA-camr to tell you what you need in the kitchen. Just start cooking and you’ll figure it out.
A MAN THAT KNOWS HOW TO USE A SEWING MACHINE!!! OH I am so impressed with u dude! I salute you and your diy skills
Bamboo is grass though, and grows like a weed. Bamboo skewers are fine dude...
they're probably decent, but when you add transport and production, they make a non-zero carbon footprint that's maybe worse than a metal reusable version (although you'd really need to do some lifespan analysis)
Bamboo grows somewhere, and that place could probably be growing food, or sequestered carbon.
But you can resharpen them, they last a long time, and are certainly better than say, the use once paper.
@@CorwynGC No... You can't really repurpose bamboo farms. The roots are too deep. Bamboo will grow there whether we use the bamboo or not. There is a video of a street with a giant bamboo 'tree' right in the middle, they gave up trying to make it die and just split the road and let it be.
Exactly what I was going to say. Bamboo is extremely sustainable, and is why nobody in Asia has any problems with disposable chopsticks being everywhere. These token environmentalists acting on first world guilt about anything disposable. They apparently know way better than traditionally agrarian societies that're much closer to their food and materials.
@@Boyetto-san No kidding, if anything, bamboo is TOO sustainable. Making fertilizer out of them(by being disposable) sounds like a good idea to me.
Hi Alex!
If I would have to grab only 2 Items in my kitchen and run, it would be my favourite chefs knife (a Global G2) and an iron pan similar to DeBryer Mineral B.
Other than that there are some very useful things like a decent cutting board (wood/plastic, not too small), all kinds of strainers (Roesle makes superb ones, the regular ones and the chinois as well), a nice pepper mill (like Peugeot), a mandolin (Boerner is good), a wooden spatula, a garlic press (we use it for ginger as well), some pots (stainless steel is ok, but I love cast iron, something like Staub, LeCreuset), a saucepan gets some heavy usage as well.
You've mentioned a thermometer in your video, Thermapen MK4 is super precise, quick and really well designed.
I would also recommend tongs with silicone heads, you can use them on a non-stick pans as well.
Would be cool to see a video on your favourite kitchen gear like blenders etc,
and another one about sharpening serrated knives ^^
Take care!
The problem with Microplanes is that I inevitably end up adding my knuckles to whatever I'm preparing.
Seriously, I now use a butchers chainmail glove when I grate stuff with them! X)
EXACTLY! I also use those gloves when breaking down cuts or doing any 'sketchy' slicing and chopping.
James Ellsworth Mandolins.
It's one of the scariest utensils in the world. In my opinion it shouldn't exist, it's not worth it. So horrific. At least it should be totally different than it is.
@@A1BASE Same problem when working close to a blade.
They should really have an adjustable attachment like a metal grate that clamps onto whatever you’re slicing. That way you always have something between you and the blade but you can still slice stuff
there's a chef here in Israel (that's where I'm from, hello! :D) who is famous for bringing Chinese cuisine to Israel, he's got a lot of knowledge when it comes to cooking of course, lots of cookbooks and TV shows, and a great personality. And during the coronavirus pandemic (still ongoing of course), he and a few other known chefs here agreed to make a live cook show, each from their own home, so that we the viewers, as a nation have lunch/cooking ideas every day during the lockdown.
All of this to say - the man has a Chinese cleaver, that he has had for over 40 or was it even 50 years (he is in his 70s), which he brought back from Thailand where he studied Chinese cooking (because back then China was not allowing foreigners for culinary school), and during the live broadcast he showed his knife and it's amazing because he's been using it so much the blade is now half the size that it was originally, due to sharpening and use over the years. And I just thought that was incredibly cool, to have a knife be with you for such a long time. The used down appearance of the knife to me was just beautiful.
and that's it ... had to share when I saw your Chinese cleaver.
ALSO - your scissors look so GOOD! that's amazing aesthetic right there!
Alex, you're my favorite cooking tool. 😉
I use disposable bamboo skewers after us for labelling my pot plants/seedlings from all my leftover seeds and regrowable veg. I try to utilise every seed used to regrow so so have many many... These skewers are my life savers!!
Don’t be too hard on yourselves for the skewers. Bamboo is a super renewable material, and they’re biodegradable.
As far as disposable things go, that’s about as good as you can get
Bamboo isn't really 'wood', at least it isn't tree wood that is harvested by deforestation. It is a grass. It is the material designed for disposal. One should never feel bad about using disposable bamboo anything...
@@rich1051414 Wood or bamboo fiber basically all cellulose, lignin, and trace stuff. The fact that it is grown in places that could otherwise be forest, mean that it is the same as cutting trees. You should feel bad about using disposable ANYTHING. If it isn't in a complete cycle, you are reducing the length of time we can live on this planet.
@@CorwynGC You can't really repurpose bamboo forests. The roots are too deep. Bamboo will grow there whether we use the bamboo or not. It's a weed purposed more out of necessity than as a commodity. They aren't deforesting to grow bamboo. They have way too much bamboo as it is.
@@CorwynGC As if bamboo didn't grow in Asian forests for thousands of years? What do you think pandas eat? But hey, apparently the smart guy driven by first-world guilt and sweeping generalizations about disposable products knows better than agrarian societies that've sustainably used bamboo for all sorts of things for thousands of years and never needed to deforest huge swaths of land for it. Bamboo grows, we cut bamboo, make stuff out of bamboo, bamboo biodegrades, bamboo regrows faster than we can use it. What was that about disposable anything and complete cycles?
You can wash the bamboo and re-use them multiple times.
we love a man who can do anything
One bit of kit that all kitchens should have but hope NOT to use every day: A fire extinguisher.
(Keeping some baking soda on hand for smaller grease fires is useful, too)
Yes, and the kind rated for a grease fire, and/or electrical fire. Water is a no-no on both of those.
Best defense against a grease fire is the pan lid.
Love your videos, and thanks for all the ideas! Here is mine about those bamboo skewers... I have them too. I acquire them from when I order a big sandwich or burger at a restaurant, bring them home and wash them well. Keep washing them after each use and you can keep them forever- just like the chopsticks!
A DiResta Ice Pick sounds like a nice, sustainable replacement for the skewers 😁
I think so.
I'm curious about how "sustainable" it is to mine metal ore, then smelt and manufacture Ice Picks, considering all the fossil fuels needed, non-renewable energy sources and water consumed in the process.... Just curious.
@@chinacharltan I think if one person replaces a disposable tool with a single, preexisting, long-lasting item, we can use the term 'sustainable'. 😊
Nuclear is the future of power generation
@@allertschallenberg1857 I am genuinely interested to find out which is actually better for the environment though. True, you are certainly reducing waste on a personal level, but you might be supporting a manufacturer that generates way more waste than it offsets. 'Disposable' doesn't necessarily equate to 'unsustainable' at least in my current opinion. What's important, I think, is that the resources and materials used are renewable, and that the wastage created is bio-degradable. Similarly, although recycling plastics is sustainable, it might actually be doing more harm than good when you take into account the non-renewable energy utilised.
Very useful video Alex particularly for beginner chefs. A video on pots and pans would be amazing as there are many low quality items out there and making good choices is hard. Thanks for your dedication!
The Band-aids are mostly for after cooking. When you wash your hands and suddenly all the little cuts you didn't recognize start to burn as hell. 😁
As a retired nurse I am used to wearing gloves so I often use them in cooking, less shredded knuckles.:)
Helli and Leeni, your names could be Finnish.
@@tomahoks Helli is the short of my first name. I'm Bavarian😁
@@tomahoks I am Finnish in USA
Your last name sounds like it was originally Finnish Ahokas that someone just dropped last "a" off.
Cutting board, kitchen scale, clock/timer, colander, fine mesh strainer, cheese cloth, Fire Extinguisher (Never used, but always there).
And thank you for including the first aid kit. If you use a knife, you will eventually cut yourself with it. Best to be ready for when it happens.
Bamboo is a very fast growing grass and it is compostable so don't feel bad about using it as a disposable item. What types of pots and pans are your most used?
alex you are French. you obviously could never live without a proper whisk. I've been on the search for the new "perfect" one for me for months now
3:30 I think both the pestle and mortar should be made out of stoneware. For example like granite or marble. It's the best.
The word "stoneware" doesn't actually refer to things made of stone. It's a term for a general category of ceramics.
Perfect timing, Alex! I have a tiny kitchen and yet I am ALWAYS cooking/fermenting/baking. JUST TODAY I decided I need to do a revamp and clear out the extraneous shit! Thank you for my every Saturday Alex inspiration! ❤️
“Smells like vomit”
*sniffs it a few more times*
Maybe he likes smelling vomit
I love that thermopop thermometer because if you stick it in something sideways, it can rotate the display orientation so you can read it easily. (I don't think I have ever actually USED this feature but I love that it is there, in case I am ever making a roast and I am upside-down because I am on the ISS or whatever.)
You asked about sharpening serrated knives: DMT Diafold Serrated Knife Sharpener, or the Warthog Serrated sharpener.
I switched to a Chinese chef’s knife a couple of years and it’s my go to probably about 80 percent of the time. Once you get used to a square tip, it’s great. Very easy to grind and hone too.
That soundeffect that keeps playing in the background is just like the song remix released by Matstubs the other day. 12:47
I think i'm wrong about it being Matstubs. I can't find it on their channel. Stupid youtube music layout, why can't i look chronologically at a list of music?!
Alex your channel is so inspiring and relatable because you're so honest about the good as well as the bad! thanks for the amazing content 😊 You're one of my heroes! and probably one of the few reasons I recently started to thoroughly enjoy cooking 😁
your writing has the same finesse as your cooking and accent.
Until you realize his accent is extremely exaggerated
yep, totally forced.
Yap
@@EatWthMeera I don't know about him but I'm french Canadian and people think I am Russian when I speak english. :/
@@troubl3gum I don't think it is. There is a lot worse.
Nothing more, nothing less.
Just the basic's and the absolute essentials.
Nice work Alex.
6:07 how about knitting needles? They‘re washable and you can get them out of metal
Glad to see you included a laser thermometer, those things are so useful in cooking and baking
Title: no avocado slicer
Video: this is the state of the art, banana case.
Best corkscrew i've seen and used is made by Tupperware. It doesn't have the same visual impact that yours does, but it works sooo much better. You just screw it in, and at some point it just starts pulling the cork out perfectly straight. Very good design.
i also have that problem about my hand bumping on the table, so I just move the chopping board on the edge of the table to avoid it.
I also add a silicone matt under the board so it does not slip.
Really surprised and impressed that you included first aid supplies. Big kudos!
9:42 "So in a nutshell I love everything about this knife, apart from the *lousy* finish."
Lousy is a homophone for Laozi, a Chinese taoïst thinker, and within his thought, he made claims like every action towards beauty not being natural, and that things should just be as they are.
If this pun was unintentional, Alex made one that is deep on many levels. Damn.
I worked as a wine steward in a french/canadian rest. in the usa...I know, its an oxy moron. but I learned so much about wine, and how to open old bottles. thats a great wine opener. I have two of them. and several table crumbers. I loved your meatball research! I tried some of your tips, and my meatballs were so much better. yes, soak the bread crumbs in milk! i did squeeze them out.
I’d love to see a video about cutting boards!!
Love love LOVE that Sabatier! I happen to have that very same model. My father bought it some 20 plus years ago and somehow it ended up in my kitchen. The blade is a bit deformed after been sharpened numerous times, but I will keep sharpening it and using it, until it disappears. And then I'll go buy a new one.
Ahhh. That statement, "I don't know how to sharpen a bread knife." hint hint hint
I have been looking at old videos of Alex's. Having a trip down memory lane and other videos from other UA-camrs. (I am full of cold and feeling sorry for myself 🤧). The videos and Alex have so much improved in content and style. But most of all Alex got better with age he is almost unrecognisable from the early days. I look forward to the videos every week.
Can you do more of the cheap food series? Uni student asking humbly
this is the most enjoyable YT video I've seen in ages
Hi Alex! Great video, as usual! I live in Paris too and I’ve been looking for a store like this one for ages, can you give us the name, please? :)
Thanks in advance and thanks for always creating such great content!
I found a SABATIER knife in a thrift store, $1.50 for that thing.
I love it. Thank you for the reassurance that it is high quality.
I feel you should’ve included a proper cutting board XD I like this EDCC XD
If his love for paring knives is anything like mine, it's because you can use your thumb as a cutting board. Maybe that's why he keeps his first aid kit so handy!
I'd love to see more information about your towels, how you made them (materials and process), and how much better they are than your standard cotton dishtowel. Love the videos!
So, your next two videos are learning to sharpen a serrated knife and making a handle for your Chinese cleaver that you like, right?
I sharpen old serrated knives with a Dremel (on fairly low speed) and a diamond 'burr' chosen to fit the scallops of the serrations. (A set of diamond coated burrs is quite cheap.) I hold the knife horizontally in a sink of shallow water at 45 degrees towards me edge-up and lightly touch each scallop in the blade. It works very very well.
I love your sense of humour
Alex: “chinese cleaver”
Me: *stares at drawer of 3 cleavers*
I love this video idea, basically my edkc is the same but with the addition of my favorite whisks (two metal ones, one small and one large, and a silicone one for nonstick pans) and my favorite rice paddle.
Try putting so,e ting oil on the handle of the cleaver, Alex. It won’t make it more classy, but it will look and fell better in the hand....just sayin’
Some tools you didn't mention that I couldn't live without: The potato masher (the one with S curves) is great for mashing anything you can think off, the spiral/sauce whisk is perfect for getting into corners of a pot when you're making a roux, and a dough cutter is a must have for handeling dough. I also really like having a dedicated butter knife, and I also have a tasting spoon that use to be my grandmothers.
video: here are my kitchen equipment
me: ohh nice
video: i also use a kaweco sport
me, a fountain pen nerd: WRYYYYYY
YES on having the first aid kit in the kitchen, and including gloves in that kit so you can keep cooking without getting your dressings wet. I like to think I don't injure myself _that_ often. But when I do injure myself, it's usually in the kitchen. And I've got cats. If I step out of the kitchen to go fetch a bandage from the bathroom, then my bread is going to be in pieces on the floor, whatever was simmering in my pot is going to have fur in it, and there will be wet paw prints on the countertop. I do also keep bandages in the bathroom. But more often than not, I'm using those to replace a bandage after taking a shower. I happen to have a little drawer in my kitchen that is the perfect size. I keep alcohol, bandages, butterfly closures, and nitrile gloves in it. (Black gloves in case I want to post something on Instagram because they look cool.)
The disposal bamboo skewers are the smart more eco friendly choice. They don’t waste water and soap from cleaning and they’re biodegradable. Don’t be so hard on yourself.
They're still disposable, manufacturing them come with a large carbon footprint even if disposing them doesn't pollute.
The music and sound editing of this video is so good Alex
6:07 a non-disposable alternative might be knitting needles :)
Chopsticks definitely, titanium with a squarish cross section at the grip end.
I absolutely use my swivel peeler for much more than peeling too, but I find the vertical in-line design (rather than transverse) much faster and ergonomic. My personal preference is to get one with micro-serrations (like the Joseph Joseph).
Linen rocks.
I do 90% of my work with a Japanese santoku and yanagiba, but I totally agree with your international approach to knives. I prefer German (Solingen) steel and a D-cross section.
Two small tools I use a lot are a quick access folding box-cutter (Gerber EAB) and my stainless steel Sharpie marker.
"If it works, it works"
Ça sent l'ingénieur....
Toothpicks work well for getting in the nooks and crannies to clean utensils. Gets into tighter corners as well. Less unnecessary waste. :)
"Métro" pour ne pas les citer est inaccessible aux particuliers il me semble ?! Comment faire ?
Je serais curieux de le savoir également
The only knives that I use are a deba (I love the weight that it has and the chisel edge is really great) and a Chinese cleaver. The deba can do the finest of tasks that I need while still working very well for more heavy duty things like butchering; and the cleaver works really well when preping a lot at once, like when making stir fries (which is something that I eat a lot).
The Frensh casey neistat of cooking
Moundhir Moundhirs except Alex is talented and interesting.
@@joesantamaria5874 if u say so
If it makes my life easier I'll buy it. Spoken like a true tool connoisseur.
Basically the French Alton Brown imo
Better
Alex seems much nicer than AB. I'm not even sure AB is really relevant anymore. Most of the stuff he's doing now is either game shows and judging or perfect but boring recipes. Currently I prefer Alex's approach.
@@puggirl415 AB has restarted Good Eats just recently! Season out soon
puggirl415 puggirl a new season of good eats just got done premiering. And I’ve heard that he is a very nice guy.
What you need, is a "lanskey knife sharpening kit". Multiple whetstone's, including one for serated blades, and a metal angled clamp to hold the blade as well as guide the stones at the perfect angle.
They are the BEST handheld knife sharpening tools in the world. And they take all the guess work out of your angles.
Also, "instant scab powder" it is a rust colored powder that you pour into a cut after cleaning it, before you bandage it, it almost instantly stops the bleeding, of even serious wounds.
French Adam Ragusea?
Chinese cleaver I bought from Pearl of the Orient, Romford in the UK, about £14 I've had mine for about 30 years, practically never put it away, always in use !
This alec steele ending music really confused me during this video 😅
I love the scissors! Where can I get a pair?
Alex, my EDC essential is my scale...i use it every day and for everything cooking and non-cooking related! Also, I use the same pen you use everyday! Mine is mint green. Love the feel of it and it's easy to carry with my Rhodia wherever I go.
Using bamboo skewers is actually really good, when you're done with them you can compost them and they don't have to go into landfill waste like disposable plastic!
OMG, you are having the same guilt-trips about sustainability as I have! :) You are right about the spatula (my favourite kitchen tool): get one that is one piece of silicone. This will also prevent all kinds of gunk getting into the top of the spatula, this is not easy to clean out.
On the band-aid set: Get yourself the band-aid professional chefs use, I think it is called water-resistant finger cohesive in English, it is often blue. You just wind it around your finger wound after cleaning the bleeding to close the cut. It is elastic and it will stay on the finger even if you wash your hands several times. I promise it is a game-changer as it will not deform your finger(s) too much and you can apply it so quickly. I will never go back to classic band-aids in the kitchen again. I really hope you still read this comment as the video is a bit older. :)
My oldest and best knife is an 8" Sabatier chef knife and although I use smaller knives more often for many things, I always enjoy picking up that Sabatier and recognizing the feel of it in my hand.
BTW that coagulant is a totally new thing to me and I'm going to see if I can buy it in the US. Not even so much for the kitchen - I have a little farm and am always injuring my hands! Once working in the barn I cut my thumb with a saw - quickly sprayed it with the nearest thing: antibacterial stuff I use on the goats! :)
I call it an #EDC but it would be more accurate to call it a #KTK. I'd love to see how your #KTK by the way ! Please tag me in on socials so I can see them :) Also since you guys asked for them, here are links to get these tools (if you see one missing, please add it)
- Cuisipro 12-Inch Stainless Steel Locking Tongs : amzn.to/2Wz4als
- Silicone Spatula 3-piece Set : amzn.to/2JJj43m
- Sabatier Chef Knife 8 inch : www.sabatier-shop.com/cooking-knife-8-in-6.html
- CCK Small Stainless Cleaver : www.chefknivestogo.com/ccksmstcl.html
- Japanese Tojiro DP Petty/Utility Knife : amzn.to/2NF6rr0
- Microplane : amzn.to/33aToV5
- Tenn Well Red and White Twine : amzn.to/32b6OPe
- Santoku Knife, 7-inch : amzn.to/2PHkxLp
- Sharpening Stone-Dual Sided 400/1000 : amzn.to/2WCgzVC
- Industrial Black Nitrile Gloves : amzn.to/33aTRGP
- Burn Free Pain Relief : amzn.to/33b1CMB
- 2-stage Corkscrew : amzn.to/2r7YN0W
What are those scissors?
That's interesting . Love all your cooking tools.
I set up a bag like this when I took my job as a private chef. I used different color stuff bags and included a wok basket, some small strainers, a mandolin, and a small torch.
So, about the knife stuff. First, I'm glad you have taken an interest in sharpening your own knives- that is to be commended. But second, I see some hard work being spent on this that just isn't appropriate. the handheld belt sander is a knife *making* tool, and will remove far too much material in sharpening tasks- and it isn't enough better than the classical method, using a stone that has been soaked in some kind of fluid to increase the grain structure size and give it a bit more bite into the metal you are putting an edge on (my biggest tip here is: use windex to spray off the surface of the stone as you are grinding off the edge, after the stone has been soaked in water; I haven't used this with but don't recommend trying it with oil-stones), and second, I have had *MUCH BETTER* results using smooth unglazed ceramic tile, as these are actually a much harder material than steel and will bite much more aggressively into it, with a much finer grain structure- meaning, you get a finer edge, with less work. You can find this referred to as "the coffee cup trick" and when I've worked in production kitchens, I've typically grabbed the nearest plate or dish and put 20 strokes per side on my work knife, on the bottom unglazed edge of ceramic, as a day-to-day way to keep my edge aligned (the actual purpose of a 'sharpening steel'- but somewhat replaced by sharpening-in-the-direction-of-cutting) and sharp.
BUT second, about sharpening your serated knives, there is a method to this madness, and it is as follows. First, you need a stone or tile that is quite flat, and a machined-flat stone or a stone that has been 'glass lapped" (basically "rubbed on a big plate of glass with sandpapper on it, to flatten it to a perfect machined flatness" ) for some specific kinds of this sharpening (like, sharpening wood plane or chisel blades), but in kitchen knives, you can probably use your average stone if you know what you're doing. And what you need to do is called "Lapping"- you grind a flat edge, flat again. On serrated knives, not universally but in almost every single case, there is a 1-sided edge bevel; on one side serations have been cut, and on the other they have not. and so what you do to sharpen these is you 'lap' the flat edge of the knife, so that you grind past any damaged point of the serration, back to where it's flat. The youtube channel "AvE" has a good tutorial about using this to fix electric hair clippers for his wife that had stopped working, and this is a good place to learn about the technique.
You could also lap the serrations with a buffing compound on a small wooden dowel.
a chopping board, a good med to large fry pan, a medium sized pot, a sharpening stone or steel, for your one medium knife, a fork, a soup spoon, cooking spoon(wooden), grater, pealer, can opener, egg beater/whisk, good pare of scissors, baking paper, clear film.
8 other things i cant think of lol
I'm reminded that my second - maybe third - favorite thing about Alex's videos was the casual Parisian street views.
Dude I have the Tojiro set and they are soooo good for utility. I know quite a few chefs who gift them to new guys in the kitchen because they are such a good value😎
"It can't pop out, which is SO annoying when it happens". True words, Alex ;-)
I moved to a different country, brought 2 knives, 2 silicone spatulas, a microplane & a pair of silicone tongs with me. First thing I bought was a stainless steel pan & chopping board. I truly think that these are the bare minimum
very basic, very utilitarian, very sensible, very nice
you can use bicycle wheel spokes as a skewer. because it's made of metal, it transfer heat to the inside of the meat. which is a good thing
I love to bake and my stand mixer is in my kitchen essentials kit as well as my favorite whisk!
You forgot a chopping board... just saying a thick wooden one are good as they have a natural anti bacteria properties, but you should have ones for each task you perform in the kitchen. One for raw meat, one for cooked meat, one for fish, one for vegetables, one for fruit, one for dairy and one for bread!!! This is important so you will not have any cross contamination. Chef of 7 and a half years. Love the channel have to say you and bingeing with Babbish are some of my favourite on this platform. Good luck for the future!!!
Alex, great content thanks! Spyderco sharp maker for the bread knife, and Israeli bandage for med kit!
I'd add in a mandolin and chain mail glove as well as tootpicks, cloth flour sacks for towels work amazing too or sometimes called tea towels.
I love that there's a first-aid kit involved in this EDCC!
Those oxo peelers are hardcore. I'm a kitcen porter, I prep a lot of veg. Especially potatoes. With a brand new, sharp peeler i can easily peel about 60kg in potatos in an hour.
When i first started working in a kitchen i pin pointed the job most people did slowly and found boring, thats peeling veg. I peeled so much god damn veg to prove i wanted that job, 2 years on i'm still there and slowly progressing up. seriously never underestermate the power of a peeler :D
I'll have to look into that corkscrew. Mine, purchased in Pau and seminental, is rickety and on its last legs. Yep, glad to see a cork screw as an essential cooking tool! Cheers. 🥂
Does anyone know the name of the store Alex went to in the beginning of the video? I'm visiting Paris in a few weeks and would love to buy some tools.
For use a bit later after the blood collogues: "NEW SKIN LIQUID BANDAGE" which is great for finger tips, where traditional bandages like to fall off, especially when washing hands a lot. It's kind model paint glue. Several coats recommended. Can be a life saver.
I would add a whisk. Also, I recommend you get some cooking chopsticks because they are so much longer and you can use them to reach into large pots and avoid steam burns.