Aprons Are An Absolute Savior in the Kitchen (and Beyond). Here's Why You Need One in Your Toolkit.
Ever been in the kitchen, diligently - yet hurriedly - working through a recipe, so you can get to other things on your task list? (Or, perhaps, sit down to a nice meal?) Everything feels like it’s in a rhythm…until you turn around and mis-assess how far away the pot is from you as you lean over to taste the sauce.
And now the sauce is on your soft, beautiful sweater. And you were dressed for the evening’s festivities.
Ever think about what could have prevented that stain? Almost feels like it would take magic. Or… maybe… something we’ve had access to but have forgotten over time. What item could possibly protect us from creating “creative issues” in the kitchen? (I’d say it’s a creative issue if the sauce doesn’t coordinate with the outfit.)
Enter: the apron.
In a past life, this item may have seemed superfluous. But one pandemic - and a whole lot of new recipes later - I have developed a rhythm in the kitchen that involves added hygienic practices. (And, probably everything short of laying out tarps to reduce any chances of a mess.) And my kitchen ritual prioritizes the apron.
Not only are you minimizing the chance of a mess for yourself, but you’re minimizing the amount of contact your clothing has with your food and the surfaces it rests on and in. Unless you’re wearing clothing fresh out of the washing machine 2 minutes ago - and sometimes, even then - you’re carrying bacteria and free radicals from the world around you. Wouldn’t it be a travesty if that ended up in your food?
Plus, an apron doubles as a dish towel, so you can feel free to dry your dishes in it (and prevent soap and water from getting all over you), or simply use it to wipe down a noticeable mess when you’re finished in the kitchen. Hedley & Bennett is my go-to for aprons, since they’re made with restaurant professionals in mind. Durable and multi-use, they leave room for the professional mind - artist, barber, waitress, chef, botanist, what have you - to have a little more fun. They’re stylish, they’re fun to dance around in, and I’ve created some insane flavor combinations while wearing one.
