Modernist Cooking Made Easy (4 page)

Plastic syringe and tubing, $8-12

Spherification syringe, $3-6

Rapid caviar maker, $50-60

Caviar / sphere strainer, $5-10

Chinois, $35-70

Big Ticket Equipment

Heat resistant whipping siphon, $100-120

Standing blender, $30-100

Sous vide machine, $150-800

Juicer, $50-350

Dehydrator, $30-90

Standing mixer, with whisk attachment $100-300

R
EQUIRED
E
QUIPMENT

The only equipment really needed for the majority of the recipes and techniques in this book are a gram scale, a kilogram scale, an immersion blender, and a whisk. Most everything else you probably already have on hand in your kitchen.

Scales

There are two types of scales needed for most modernist cooking. A gram scale, for weighing out small ingredients and a kilogram / pound scale, for measuring large amounts of an ingredient.

I recommend electronic versions of each scale, they tend to be much more accurate and allow you to easily tare (reset) the scale so you can just add ingredients into the same bowl.

The kilogram / pound scales typically increase in increments of 1 gram which works well. A maximum weight of at least 2,250 grams / 5 pounds is ideal, and I prefer one with at least 10 pounds so I can easily weigh larger amounts of food.

For the gram scale, an increment of 0.1 grams is normally good enough. Some scales increase by 0.01 grams, which is just fine, but probably a bit of overkill for most applications. The max weight is less important on the gram scale since most are above 100 grams.

Immersion Blenders

An immersion blender is one of those pieces of equipment that can seem silly and not very useful. However, once you own one you can’t imagine cooking without it. In modernist cooking an immersion blender is needed to blend in many of the ingredients to ensure they are evenly mixed. If you already own a standing blender it can be used instead in many applications but the immersion blender is often more convenient.

In traditional cooking I use my immersion blender to puree sauces and soups directly in the pot, without having to get my blender dirty. I also use it to create purees from fresh vegetables and to quickly make vinaigrettes and mayonnaise.

Almost any immersion blender will work fine and they all are pretty similar in power.

Whisks

Whisks aren’t used in any fancy ways but many ingredients need to be mixed together and whisks are a great way to do it. A set of decent whisks is very cheap and will come in handy in many situations.

H
ELPFUL
I
TEMS

There are many items that aren’t required for all modernist cooking but have specific uses or make some aspects of cooking easier.

Weighing Dishes

There are many types of dishes used in weighing, especially in weighing the small amounts of powder used in many recipes. They typically are anti-static and the powders don’t stick to them as much as some other containers. They come in a few sizes and I recommend getting a few of each size. They will make measuring a lot easier and they usually are less than a dollar apiece.

If you don’t want to get the dishes it can be useful to measure the powders on a piece of paper since they won’t stick to it as much.

Hemispherical or Spherical Molds

One of the interesting things about modernist cooking is the use of unusual shapes to present food. Hemispherical and spherical molds are an inexpensive way to shape your food. They work great with gels and make reverse spherification a breeze.

Plastic or Silicon Molds

Similar to the hemispherical molds, the silicon molds are a great way to create unusual shapes with your gels. They are inexpensive and come in a wide variety of shapes. You can also use many of the ice cube tray containers that are out there.

Acetate Sheets

Acetate sheets are commonly used to create films and thin gels, as well to line pans. They are very useful if you are planning on making films, otherwise they are not needed.

Plastic Syringe and Tubing

A plastic syringe has many uses in modernist cooking including making gel pearls and caviar. It can also be combined with food-grade plastic tubing to make gel noodles.

Spherification Tools

If you become interested in spherification there are several tools that can be very useful.

Rapid Caviar Maker

While using a plastic syringe to make caviar works well, it is a very slow process. If you commonly make caviar then it might be worth investing in a rapid caviar maker. It is a small box that drips liquid out, enabling you to make 50 to 100 caviar at once.

Caviar / Sphere Strainer

Getting the caviar and spheres out of the setting bath can be made easier with a proper spoon or strainer. Some traditional slotted spoons have holes that are too big. If that’s the case then spending a few dollars on one designed for the smaller caviar can be a good idea.

Chinois

A chinois is a fine, metal strainer. It is great for removing pulp from purees and other liquids. You can use something like cheesecloth for many preparations but a chinois makes the process easier in many cases.

B
IG
T
ICKET
E
QUIPMENT

This equipment can be very useful both in modernist and traditional cooking. They are worth investing in if you find yourself commonly working with techniques that use them. We tried to focus on equipment that was easily accessible to home cooks and chefs on a budget, eschewing the very high-tech items like rotary evaporators.

Heat Resistant Whipping Siphon