Tools of the Trade

When I first started raw food, I had a really jank hand-me-down dehydrator - one of those circular ones with the stacking trays that had been around since the 80’s.  It worked great for dehydrating banana slices, but once I began to experiment with raw “breads”, the doughnut shaped trays just weren’t cutting it.  Thus I put it out to the universe that I needed a new rectangular dehydrator and, fast forward to Christmas, my wish came true!  Moreover, Old Roundy found a brand new home and to this day is still happily making banana chips.

Equipment can make or break your raw food experience depending upon what you want that experience to be.  Plenty of raw dishes, like salads, slaws, and my Thai spring rolls don’t require any special paraphernalia.  But if you want to make bars, “breads”, “meats”, most desserts, and other simulated un-raw foods, than you’ve got to get serious about your tools.  Since raw food on this level parallels science, it pays to invest in top-of-the-line, high quality gear.  The cheap stuff will only cause headaches, wasted food, and lacerated or gouged fingers (speaking from experience!).

Thus a well stocked raw kitchen should include the following equipment:

• Dehydrator - rectangular with heating device mounted on the back instead of the bottom
• Blender – any run-of-the-mill blender will do, but a Vitamix blender is highly recommended.  It’s pricy, but for good reason!  Universe, it’s what’s next on my list!
• Food Processor – used mostly for making “meats”, flours, and desserts; you can’t raw without it
• Mandolin Slicer – essential for thin, even vegetable slices.  Again, quality is key

Other helpful tools one would be sensible to pick up along the way may include:

• Juicer – smoothies can be made out of veggie and fruit bits left over from recipes!
• Citrus Juicer – if you have weak hands like I do, this one’s a must
• Zester – many recipes just wouldn’t be the same without fresh zest!
• Coffee Grinder – used for grinding flax or spices, and for making small batches of fine, powdery flour
• Mortar and Pestle – for grinding herbs and mashing seeds or other accents
• Spiralizer – I don’t use one, but if you want spirals, why not?
• Cheesecloth or Micro Sieve – essential for making “milks” and doing other heavy-duty straining
• Wide-mouth Mason Jars – I keep all of my dry ingredients and most of my leftovers in these.  Plastic containers tend to absorb the odor and sometimes flavor of what was stored in them and worse yet, can sometimes leave a plastic aftertaste to foods.  Mason jars are also really handy in making sun teas
• Ice Cream Maker and Popsicle Molds – I would never expect anyone to go raw without providing them with sunny, summer day alternatives
• Stationary Bike Power Generator – crafty earth-conscious folks have found a way to rig stationary bikes for generating some serious wattage.  You can thus run your kitchen appliances off the grid, while getting your exercise!  Kits can be found on-line or in some bike shops.  Again, I hope to acquire one of these at some point!

And there you have it: the tool shack of raw!  If these two lists seem overwhelming, you needn’t worry – there is no reason to go into debt on a raw tool shopping spree.  Simply gather one piece of equipment at a time as you try out various recipes.  Start perhaps, with a dehydrator and work up from there.  I call this the 'one meal at a time' approach.  If you go gung-ho at the get-go, you may quickly burnt out or worse yet, decide you don’t like the raw lifestyle and thus have wasted much time and money.  Be sensible, and as with all things, seek balance.

Look for upcoming posts on keeping a raw kitchen stocked, seasoned and spiced!