Kitchen gadgets

I'm a bit of a minimalist when it comes to kitchen gadgets.  I've lived in homes where the kitchens are small and space is at a premium so to stay in my kitchen, a utensil or piece of equipment has to earn its keep or it's tossed out.  There are a few things I really don't think I can do without and what's odd about that is that I only started using them in the last ten years or so.

#1 - A good sharp pair of kitchen scissors.  You can cut up a raw chicken, trim fat off meat, cut veggies and fruit into little pieces, trim off little plastic fasteners, snip fresh herbs, and who knows what else!

#2 - A sturdy wire whisk.  I had two - a round one and a flat one but I only used the flat one so that's the one I kept.  With a whisk, you can mix batters quickly, use it to stir gravy and sauces in a pot (it cuts down on lumps) and it's easier to clean than beaters and is more sanitary than wooden spoons.

#3 - Digital kitchen scales.  Some recipes call for ingredients based on weight, not volume.  Scales make that easy and also convert weight into grams when needed.  If you're on a diet or controlling your food intake for whatever reason, you have to have digital scales!

#4 - This last item is for cleaning and I don't even know the name of it.  I'll call it a food scraper.  It's invaluable for getting hardened or baked on food from pots and pans and plates and counters and sinks and...  I never liked using scrubbies because they tend to get dirty real quick.  This little guy is just a flat piece of plastic (or whatever it is) and it doesn't get dirty or smelly and it won't scratch surfaces.  I think the brand of it is Norpro and I've seen it at Target and Walmart so it's still available.

My daughter is getting married in a month and I'm going to get her these things for a shower present. Shhhh, don't tell her!  :)