Kitchen ladle: varieties, selection tips

A bucket is called any container with a handle. This item of kitchen utensils is used for drinking, it serves drinks on the table, with it you can scoop and pour various liquids, pour bulk products. Nowadays, a small pan with a straight handle, such as a turk, is also called a bucket.

Back in the 10th – 19th centuries, the population of Russia used special bowls - rooks - for drinking and for serving drinks on the table. They had a sharp edge on the one hand, and on the other, a flattened, leaf-shaped handle. Wooden ladles were decorated with exquisite paintings or carvings. Instead of a sharp edge, some buckets had another handle (bracket) - this was the so-called bracket. His handles were often made by craftsmen in the shape of a bird's head or tail, they could represent a horse or a dragon.

A large wooden bucket - the groom, was also popular among Russian people. It had a capacity of about 24 liters and served to serve alcoholic drinks: beer, mead, mash, kvass. To pour drinks from a large capacity into cups, we used special scoops - lefties. They were hung by hook-shaped handles along the edges of the groom.

Modern housewives use kitchen ladles in order to warm up the soup, prepare a sauce or cook porridge, boil vegetables, warm milk, make coffee or tea. Some people confuse a ladle with a stewpan, which combines the functions of a pot and pan.

In order to choose the right bucket suitable for certain purposes, you should first of all pay attention to the material from which it is made.

• Aluminum bucket. As you know, aluminum utensils tend to heat up quickly, but it should be remembered that this metal oxidizes and interacts with acids and alkalis and is harmful to health. Therefore, do not put tomatoes, sorrel, fruit juice in such a bucket and prepare borsch and puddings in it. Modern quality cookware may contain a durable film to protect aluminum from corrosion when in contact with acids. The non-stick aluminum bucket is ideal for cooking porridge. The disadvantage of this option is that such dishes are unstable, since they have a small weight.

• Cast iron. Cast iron is a guarantee of uniform heating, good heat capacity and stability on the stove. It tolerates heat well. However, it should be borne in mind that the cast iron bucket is prone to corrosion and is not very durable. In addition, the taste of food noticeably deteriorates from long storage in such a container.

• Bucket made of copper. Copper ware has antibacterial properties, excellent thermal conductivity and heat capacity. But copper oxidizes upon contact with an acidic medium, it is easily deformed, and is also expensive. Copper ladles are mainly used for making coffee and making sauces.

• Stainless steel bucket. When choosing a kitchen ladle from this material, pay attention to the bottom and walls. It is best to choose dishes with thick walls and a four-layer bottom “sandwich”. In such a bottom there is an aluminum layer, and the bucket will warm up evenly. Stainless steel utensils are heat-accumulating, the food in it “languishes” as in an oven and acquires a unique taste. Such a ladle with a lid and a measuring scale is perfect for cooking porridge and for heating milk.

• Enamelled. In such a bucket, you can store prepared food for a long time without fear for your health, since the oxidation process does not occur. But we must remember that enamel is sensitive to shock, such a bucket should be handled very carefully.

• Ceramic bucket. Ceramics is a safe material with an attractive appearance, resistance to mechanical damage and high temperatures. But keep in mind that ceramic buckets must be protected from shock and sudden changes in temperature.

• Plastic bucket. It is convenient in the kitchen for pouring water or storing bulk products. Plastic buckets are lightweight, easy to clean and are presented in a wide assortment both in volume and in color.

• Birch bark bucket. It will serve as a wonderful decoration for the festive table. Especially effective for serving wine and other drinks. Now very popular painted buckets with a handle in the form of a sail, which are made in the city of Khotkovo near Moscow.

Kitchen ladle handles can be removable and non-removable. If the handle is made of plastic, it has high strength and low thermal conductivity, it is easy to clean. The metal handle is sturdy and fireproof, resistant to high temperaturesbut remember that it can get very hot. Combined handles are made of cast iron, aluminum or steel base and are coated with thermal insulation, such handles are durable and do not cause burns to the hands. The wooden handle of the bucket is aesthetically pleasing, has low thermal conductivity, but gets dirty quickly, also avoid damage and high temperature.

The non-stick coating of the bucket is stronger, the more layers in it. It significantly increases the life of the kitchen bucket. If such a coating is represented by one layer, then its thickness should not be less than twenty microns. Most often, the non-stick bottom coating in the buckets is Teflon, ceramic, marble or enamel. Such dishes are not recommended to be washed with abrasive products, and also can not be used for cooking in it metal blades and knives.

When selecting a bucket, carefully think, depending on the purpose of use, what size and volume it should be. The diameter (size) of the buckets is from 12 to 25 centimeters, the most common option is 16 centimeters. The volume of kitchen ladles can be from 600 milliliters to 5 liters or more. It is practical to have several buckets with different volumes on the farm, for example 1 liter and 3 liters.

In order to properly choose and use a kitchen ladle, you should carefully read the advice of experienced chefs.

• In a ladle with thin walls and a bottom, food burns easily.
• Marking 18/10 (chromium and nickel content) on stainless steel buckets indicates a quality product.
• For induction cookers, steel, cast iron and stainless steel buckets with a thick bottom are suitable, since these metals have magnetic properties.
• When choosing a lid for a ladle, consider the fact that although glass is a convenient material for controlling food preparation, it is much inferior in strength to metal lids.
• The bottom, consisting of three to four layers, ensures uniform heating and slow cooling of the bucket.
• The bucket with a removable handle is very good for transportation.

A ladle is the most convenient type of cookware. It quickly and easily cook porridge for a child, prepare aromatic coffee for breakfast, warm soup for lunch.

See how to make coffee in the bucket in the video below.