THE KITCHEN: IT’S STRUCTURE USE AND CARE

I. Three Main Activities Centers

1. Storage and Preparation Center
2. The Cooking Center
3. Clean-up or Washing Center

II. The Work Triangle

➔ Situating the three main activity centers in a convenient work tri- angle is essential to
achieve a workable kitchen.
1. The U-shaped Kitchen
● the most effi - cient arrangement
2. The L-shaped Kitchen
● the work centers are placed along two adjacent walls
3. The Island Kitchen
● a modifi ed U-shaped or L- shaped arrangement of activity centers
4. The Corridor kitchen
● the simplest and most economical arrangement

III. The Kitchen Equipment

➔ The necessary large equipment for the proper preparation of food includes a range, a
refrigerator, and a sink.

1. The Range - provides the necessary heat in cooking food

★ Use and Care of the Range

➢ Use large enough utensils to avoid spilling.
➢ Keep the dish on the range for the spoon that you use in stirring food.
➢ Avoid putting anything hot on porcelain enameled surfaces.
➢ Arrange pans in the oven
➢ Wipe the chromium trimming
★ Cleaning top of a Gas Range
➢ Remove the burners and the rack, and scrub them with warm, soapy
water and scouring pad.
➢ Clean the holes with a hairpin or wire.
➢ Rinse with clear, hot water, and dry the rack
➢ Return
★ Cleaning the Units of an Electric Range
➢ Turn on the high heat
➢ Cool, and then brush each unit with a soft non-metallic brush.
➢ Use steel wool or a cloth
 ★ Cleaning the Oven
➢ Use a pancake turner to remove food immediately after it has spilled on
the oven.
➢ Clean the oven thoroughly with a special cleaner
➢ Wipe with soapy water.
➢ Turn on the oven for a few minutes to dry all parts
★ Cleaning the Broilers
➢ Remove fat from the broiler pan.
➢ Wash the broiler rack and the pan with hot soapy water
➢ Rinse and dry
➢ Wipe the walls of the broiler
★ Proper Use and Care of Microwave Oven
➢ Close the oven door properly.
➢ The microwave oven has no temperature control.
➢ Microwave oven should be cleaned
➢ Do not use utensils with metal bands, clips, screws, delicate glasswares
and dishes.
➢ Metal material should not be used in MO
➢ Don’t be afraid to watch your food through the oven door.
➢ If food is ready to boil over, stop the cooking immediately
➢ Use dry paper towel to cover
➢ Round shape of casserole dishes
➢ The oven should not be adjusted or repaired by anyone

2. The Refrigerator
➔ Every food preparation area should be equipped with a refrigerator so that perishable
foods may be quickly cooled and spoilage prevented.

★ Care of the Refrigerator

➢ Refrigerators with automatic defrost should be thoroughly cleaned every
week by wiping off food containers and removing all unneeded foods.
Whereas, refrigerators without automatic defrost should be de- frosted
whenever the frost is over 1/4 inch thick.
★ Defrosting the Refrigerator
➢ Turn off the electric current.
➢ Remove all ice
➢ Wrap frozen foods in a newspaper
➢ Put the drip tray in the proper place
➢ Never use a sharp or pointed object to remove the ice.
➢ Remove the food
➢ Wipe the inside portion of the freezing unit
➢ Turn on the current and return the food to the refrigerator.
 ★ Proper Use of Refrigerator
➢ Study the booklet supplied
➢ Temperature between 35°F and 45°F.
➢ Open the door as short time as possible.
➢ Avoid overcrowding the refrigerator.
➢ Remove food from paper bags before storing.
➢ Do not store unopened cans.
➢ Store foods in covered dishes.
➢ Avoid getting grease.
➢ Place the food properly

3. The Sink
★ Care of the Sink
➔ Put only a few dishes into the sink at one time.
➔ Pour the dishwashing through a sink strainer.
➔ Use soapy water to clean the sink, rubbing it hard

IV. Equipment and Tools

A. Cooking Utensils
● tea kettle
● saucepan
● native carajay or frying pan
● small skillet
● double boiler
● large casserole

B. Oven Utensils
● muffin pan
● pie pan
● layer-cake pans
● square cake pan
● tube pan
● loaf pan
● baking sheet

C. Tools
● paring knife
● large knife
● mixing spoons
● long-handled cooking spoons
● long-handled cooking fork
 ● spatula
● can opener
● kneading board
● chopping boards
● rotary egg beater or white beater measuring spoons and cups mixing bowls (1 qt,
2 qts, 3 qts, 4 qts) strainer or sieve colander
D. Suggested Additions
● a pressure cooker
● meat grinder
● juice extractor
● pancake griddle kitchen shears
● Dutch oven with cover
● tongs for hot foods and ice cubes
● 1 dozen dishtowels
● 4 pot holders
● omelet pan
● ice pick

V. SMALL EQUIPMENT FOR FOOD PREPARATION

❏ Equipment for cooking on the range

● sauce pan
● heavy skillet or carajay
● sauce pot
● skillet or frying pan
● kettle
● pressure cooker
● double boiler
● tea kettle
● Dutch oven
● coffeemaker

❏ Cutting and chopping equipment

● butcher knife
● scissors
● french or chopping knife
● meat grinders
● bread knife
● pastry blender
● cutting board
● biscuit cutter
● paring knife
● grater peeler
● can opener
 ● mallet mashes
❏ Mixing and preparation equipment
● mixing bowls
● blending fork
● sifter
● rubber scrapper
● wire whip
● strainer
● wooden spoon
● tongs
● mixing spoon
● chopping board
● slotted spoon