​Basic Kitchen Skills The kitchen is the heart of every home. It is a place where great things can be created and also demolished, all in the same day. Your kitchen should be a fun and creative space. But if you don’t know what you are doing it could turn into a battlefield. So, I’m here to tell you the basic skills and rules that I picked up in my first cooking class here at SBP. These are things everyone should know when exploring the culinary playground. 1. Before you touch anything WASH YOUR HANDS. No one wants to taste the grit and grime on your hands! 2.If you are following a recipe you should always set out your ingredients and double check them. You don’t want to miss something and have your dish come out a disaster. 3.There are many different utensils that you might need in the kitchen. The main one is a knife. There are so many kinds of knives from bread knives to butter knives. One you might use the most is a chef’s knife, which can be used for chopping just about anything. When you use this knife you must pinch the bottom of the blade between your thumb and pointer finger. Then wrap the rest of your fingers around the handle. 4.You may also come across a recipe that calls for a double boiler.  Using a double boiler is a way to cook something without having it directly on the heat. To create one you would need a pot and a stainless steel bowl. Fill the pot with water but don’t let the bowl touch the water as you sit it on top of the pot. 5.Another easy skill is zesting a lemon/lime. All you would need is any citrus fruit and a lemon zester. Wash the fruit, then run the zester along the skin of the fruit. STOP when you hit the white part because it is bitter. I hope you enjoyed my helpful hints and the basics to being in the kitchen. If you master these skills, you are on your way to becoming the ultimate chef in your kitchen. Jalen Jones ’14  “The master of the double boiler and JJ Sr. Peace, love, and lemon pledge.