Appliances

Stove and Oven

• Stove: The top part of the appliance. Contains burners that heat foods in pots and pans from below. Used for boiling, steaming, sautéing, braising, and stir-frying.
• Oven: The bottom portion of the appliance. Surrounds food with heat on all sides. Used for baking, broiling, roasting, and stewing.

Gas vs. Electric

• Gas stoves and ovens: Gas appliances have open flames that you can adjust instantly to any level of heat. Gas stoves and ovens are usually more powerful than electric varieties.
• Electric stoves and ovens: Electric appliances use electric coils and are considerably slower to heat than their gas counterparts. Electric stoves are less flexible than gas stoves, because the heating coils respond more slowly to heat adjustments. Electric ovens, though, tend to measure heat more accurately than gas ovens. Electric stoves are typically easier to clean than gas stoves because they tend to have fewer parts and crevices.

Oven Accuracy

1. Place an oven-safe thermometer (that reads up to 500°F) inside your oven. You can purchase one at any kitchen supply store.
2. Set the oven to a specific temperature and let it preheat for 20 minutes.
3. Open the oven and check the reading on the oven-safe thermometer. If you find that it reads hotter or cooler than the temperature setting you’ve selected, compensate accordingly when following recipes.

Refrigerator and Freezer

Refrigerator Guidelines

• Temperature: Your refrigerator should always maintain a temperature of about 35–39°F. Do not eat food that’s been stored in a refrigerator exceeding 40°F, because these temperatures increase the likelihood of food-borne illness. Use a refrigerator thermometer, available at kitchen supply stores, to make sure your refrigerator is at the proper temperature.
   
  
• Space: In general, a family of four should have a refrigerator with a capacity of 18–25 cubic feet. Larger families should consider 30 cubic feet or more. Always organize the items in your unit to maximize the amount of free space: the air in refrigerators and freezers must circulate, which can’t happen in an overcrowded unit.
• Fruits and vegetables: Store fruits and vegetables in the crisper bins in the bottom of your unit. Leafy vegetables should be washed, dried, and wrapped in paper towels before being stored in the refrigerator.
• Pungent items: Strong-smelling foods, such as chopped garlic or onions, should be wrapped tightly to prevent their odors from penetrating other foods.
• Raw meat, poultry, and fish: Store all meat on the refrigerator’s lowest shelf (usually just above the crisper bins) in sealed containers or wrapped tightly. That way, if any raw meat juice leaks, it won’t drip down and contaminate other food. (See How to Cook Safely for more about safe handling of food.)

Dishwasher

What Not to Put in the Dishwasher

• Chef’s knives
• Paring knives
• Bread knives
• Wooden cutting boards
• Cast-iron pots and pans