What kitchen tool can't we live without?

All of us in the Life department are cooks in our own right, so when the subject turned to kitchen tool, we all had our own opinion about what was necessary for the kitchen.

So, we thought, in addition to asking some local chefs, we would toss in our own 2 cents' worth, too. Here are a few of our favorite kitchen tools.

Bamboo ... who knew?

When I got married I had just one bridal shower in Orlando, Fla., where one of my best friends gave me a set of bamboo cutting boards.

The three cutting boards are sort of Asian inspired and came in different sizes. I loved them from the first time I opened their packaging.

They look great on my baker's rack, they are easy to clean and the different sizes give me versatility, too; I use the largest for meat, the medium size for vegetables and if I need to chop just a onion or a lemon, I choose the smallest board.

It's been three years since I was introduced to my bamboo cutting boards, and they continue to make me happy, even as I chop up all the fixings for tacos tonight.

Ashley Bates

What's not to love about this chop shop?

When I registered for wedding gifts I threw in a food processor just for fun, really. I didn't quite know what it did, but my mom has one, so I must need one, too, right?

It came with a little booklet of recipes and instructions. When I first flipped the switch and saw the contents almost immediately chopped to the perfect size, I was in love. Throw in some old bread and in seconds you've got bread crumbs. Throw in some cold chicken and in seconds it's all chopped up for chicken salad. Throw in some peanuts, and it will make peanut butter - OK, that might take a minute or two versus seconds. And when strawberry season comes around, I always throw in some fresh strawberries to be sliced beautifully and perfectly for topping french toast or pancakes.

Shannon Casas

The perfect squeeze

You might be able to buy minced garlic in a jar, but for me, fresher is always better. A garlic press doesn't take up much room, it's easy to use and it provides freshly minced garlic in seconds. There's only one drawback to my garlic press - sometimes I have to ask my husband to mince the garlic because I'm a wimp, and, squeeze as a I might, that garlic doesn't seem to go anywhere. But hey, what's wrong with getting him to help out in the kitchen?

Shannon Casas

You can't beat a wooden spoon

I'm pretty simple when it comes to kitchen gadgets. For years I had one cupboard and one exposed shelf to hold my appliances and assorted cooking utensils, and I've learned to do a lot with just a few items. So, while I tried to love the silicone bowl scrapers that come in all sorts of fun colors, the moment one snapped while mid-mix made me realize I had gone astray.

I'm a sucker for a wooden spoon.

And I couldn't even tell you how long I've had my wooden spoons. They've survived the blades of a blender and many trips to the dish washer. Yet they continue to persevere, allowing me to mix butter and sugar, whip up a stir fry or even swirl my coffee in my French press. (Hint: those coffee presses work even better when you use a nonreactive utensil to stir up the coffee grounds, such as a wooden spoon.)

So, yes, they are simple and utilitarian. But they have also persevered for years, and I'm a better cook because of them. Bless you, wooden spoons!

Kristen Morales

It's more than smashing sea salt

My husband got a lot of interesting (albeit not necessarily useful) gadgets from his grandmother. But one I particularly love is her old wooden mortar and pestle.

The years have left it with a large crack running up the side, but we still use it to grind up sea salt and, on occasion, some herbs I've dried.

I love the old-world feel of it and like to think she brought it with her to Miami from Puerto Rico, where she met her husband, my husband's grandfather. It's moved to many states since then, but continues to serve its purpose proudly.

Kristen Morales