Okay, I'm the first to admit that working in a kitchen means not being afraid to get your hands dirty, but there are times when I want to keep your hands clean to do other prep or to take notes while I'm developing or testing a recipe. In times like these, I turn to my handy kitchen essentials for help. Many of us get a lot of satisfaction out of crushing tomatoes using nothing but our bare hands. It feels great, but when you want to keep your hands clean, try using a potato masher instead! This is a great lifesaver - but one note of caution - do not mash too quickly to start, otherwise the juice that has collected in the tomatoes may come squirting out.  Photography by Irene Fong