Uncommon Uses For Steaming Pitchers That Will Make Life Easier

A lot of chefs agree that you don't need kitchen gadgets to cook. Alton Brown takes it a step further and is waging a bit of a war against single-use gadgets, which he calls "unitaskers" (per NPR). Brown's argument against any device that only does one thing in the kitchen is that they are a waste of precious kitchen space as well as money, and says that you can make almost anything as long as you have the basics.

SLATE takes the argument against unitaskers a step further by pointing out that they make it seem as though cooking is hard and requires tons of special tools in order for you to succeed. In fact, not only is the opposite true, good chefs pride themselves on finding ways to use kitchen tools in multiple useful ways. A good chef's knife, cookware, and a thermometer can go a long way in a home kitchen (per Atlanta Journal-Constitution).

So before you plunk down some hard-earned cash on the next shiny new kitchen thing you saw on Instagram, think about whether you already have something in your kitchen that will do the job. Take for instance the stainless steel steamer pitchers used for making lattes and cappuccinos. These little pitchers do one job and do it very well — preventing your hands from getting burned when you steam milk for your coffee. There are a lot of other ways that you can use them, however, so put them to work!

If you are invested enough in drinking lattes and cappuccinos and have the machine and all the gear for making them at home, you should already have at least one stainless steel milk frothing pitcher. If more than one person in your house drinks your fancy coffees, you might even have more than one in multiple sizes. The milk is ideally steamed to temperatures of 140 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit (per Coffeedrift) which is definitely hot enough to burn your skin — hence the handy handles on your pitcher for holding the liquid away from your skin.

Because they are made from stainless steel and designed to heat liquids, and they have handles, frothing pitchers are naturally useful for heating up other hot liquids on the fly, and you can put them right on a hot burner on the stove and not worry about ruining them. If you don't have a microwave, they're perfect for warming up coffee or tea. Another good use is for melting butter for movie-theater style popcorn with the bonus that they have pouring spouts for easy drizzling. You can also use your little pitchers for warming maple syrup for making classic pancakes or waffles, or for keeping a small amount of tomato sauce warm for dinner. 

Look at your milk pitchers as the tiny cookware that they are. If you live alone or with one person, they are a secret weapon for making small meals for one or two. Anytime you need a small pan to cook something, go for the pitcher. A lot of pitchers also have measurement markings so you can know exactly how much liquid you're working with.

Try poaching a single egg in simmering water in one of your pitchers, or use it to heat up and hold stock to add while you're making the perfect creamy mushroom risotto. You can also use a pitcher to heat up a cup of oil on the stovetop for infusing with garlic, herbs, chiles, and spices, or for heating ingredients for a specific recipe like blooming spices.

Frothing pitchers are also useful away from the heat for their aforementioned pouring spouts, like for storing and pouring eggs and other liquids in a bit at a time into a cake batter, or for slowly adding stock or to a roux while you whisk for making a gumbo or a white sauce.

Lastly, try making use of your pitchers when you're making cocktails at home. You can use one to make a small amount of simple syrup on the stove, for steeping herbs or tea for extracting interesting flavors, or for making a classic Hot Toddy.