One can spend as much money as one’s got buying copper pots, rice cookers, hand-made samurai chef’s knives and the like. And I suppose if you’ve got the cupboard space and/or the funds go for it. But there is something really satisfying in seeing a kitchen that is stripped down to the bare essentials. It’s simple and efficient. I’m not saying you should only have a corkscrew and a pair of chopsticks in the drawer. Creating a four course feast using naught but a plastic spoon and hot plate would be a challenge to say the least. And not much fun either. And we’ve all got unnecessary equipage hanging from the pot rack. My sin, if you must know, is a copper sugar pot from France; its sole purpose to boil sugar.
So what follows is a list of items the well-dressed kitchen should be wearing. Don’t feel pressured to rush out and buy everything immediately; you can add items as the need arises. A warning: Don’t go to Williams-Sonoma. Yes, the free apple cider that they serve up warms the bones and it is true that the the heart shaped waffle iron will make that next Valentine’s Day the best one yet, but the prices are through the roof. And rather than spend $1000 on the Skybar Wine Preservation and Serving System, just put that bottle of chardonnay in the fridge and the result will be the same. Here is a list of places you should visit:
the TOOL BOX
THE MUST HAVE LIST
KNIVES & SUCH
POTS & PANS
SPOONS & UTENSILS
APPLIANCES
MISCELLANEOUS
Forschner Fibrox knives are inexpensive and reliable. This brand is used in practically every restaurant in America, from the greasy spoons to the 5-star places. Find them at restaurant supply stores or online. Dexter Russell knives are similar to the Forschners and an 8-inch chef’s knife will run you about $10. With these three knives you’ll be able to do just about everything you’ll need to do with a knife. You should get your knives sharpened (or sharpen them yourself) every few months. If you use them a lot, you might want to sharpen them every few weeks.
a 3 or 4-inch paring knife ($5-6)
an 8-inch chef's knife (I just found one online for as low as $19)
a serrated bread knife (about $19 online)
a sharpening steel (for honing the blade between sharpenings)
a sharpening stone (learn how to sharpen your own knives)
a pair kitchen shears (for cutting chicken into parts, cracking lobster shells, etc.)
one more paring knife (they are cheap and handy; having a couple is a good idea)
a slicing or carving knife (a thin blade, very sharp blade is handy for slicing meat thin)
a boning knife (for skinning fish, de-boning larger cuts of meat, etc.)
No need to get fancy copper or stainless pans. Aluminum pans work fine (Lincoln Wear-Ever is a solid, affordable brand). Again, they’re inexpensive and can be found in almost every pro kitchen. Get pots and pans that are oven safe. Plastic handles are pointless. They don’t stay cool and you can’t brown a steak on the stove and then throw the pan in the oven if it’s got plastic handles. You’ll be able to find a glass (Pyrex or Anchor) 13x9 inch casserole at Target or even your local grocery store.
an 8 or 10-inch non-stick frying pan (for omelets, seared scallops, etc.)
an 8-inch frying pan ($12-15)
a 12-inch frying pan ($30 or so)
an 8-quart pot or pan (for boiling pasta, making soups and stocks, deep frying, etc.)
a 3-quart pot or pan (for heating smaller amounts)
a small lid (to fit your smaller frying pans and pots)
a large lid (to fit the bigger pans and pots)
a rimmed baking sheet (use them to roast meat and fish, make cookies, etc.)
a glass 13x9x2-inch casserole dish (for roasting, casseroles, lasagna, etc.)
a cooling rack (get one that fits nicely inside the rimmed baking sheet)
a colander (for draining pasta, washing vegetables, etc.)
three of four stainless steel mixing bowls (variously sized; glass or ceramic ones work too)
a pie plate (metal or glass; for quiche, pies, tarts, etc.)
a muffin tin (good for making cupcakes, muffins, etc.)
a Bundt pan (for pound cake, coffee cake, etc.)
two 9-inch cake pans
another rimmed baking sheet
a 4-quart pot or pan
an 8- or 9-inch square Pyrex dish
another 10-inch frying pan
another glass 13x9x2-inch casserole dish
For stirring, peeling, measuring, uncorking, etc.
two wooden spoons
a balloon whisk (for mixing sauces, whipping cream or egg whites, etc.)
a heat-proof rubber spatula
a pair of metal tongs
a metal spatula (for getting cookies off the sheet, lifting fish, frosting cakes, etc.)
a vegetable peeler
a box grater (four sided, with different sized holes)
a sieve (for sifting flour, straining sauces, etc.)
a set of dry measures (metal ones are best)
a set of measuring spoons (again, metal)
a 2-cup liquid measuring cup
a can opener
a waiter’s cork screw (the kind with a bottle opener and a little knife too)
two more wooden spoons
another heat-proof rubber spatula
a Chinois or china cap strainer (an incredibly fine-meshed strainer)
This is where people can start spending a lot of money, unnecessarily. The equipment discussed thus far handles the most common jobs but sometimes an appliance can help. Most of these can all be had for under $20 (except for the pasta maker, food processor, ice cream maker, and Kitchen-Aid mixer).
an immersion blender (for salad dressing, whipped cream, puréeing soups, etc.)
a coffee grinder (for grinding spices; get two if you grind your coffee)
a pepper mill (never, ever, in a million years use pre-ground pepper)
a instant-read meat thermometer (the best way to tell if meat and fish is cooked)
a pastry bag and assorted tips (useful if you’ll be decorating a lot of cakes, but not necessary)
a ricer (for perfect, fluffy mashed potatoes)
a manual pasta maker (fresh pasta is easy to make and inexpensive)
a Japanese V-Slicer (great for slicing things super thin, or making french fries)
a food processor (go with a Cuisinart; great for pie and pasta dough, pesto, paté, mousses, etc.)
a hand mixer (for whipping cream, making batters and dough, etc.)
an electric ice cream maker (home-made ice cream is amazing; and you’ll wow your guests)
a Kitchen-Aid standing mixer (great for whipping cream, mixing batters and bread dough)
Parchment paper will keep cookies from sticking and can be fashioned into cones for drizzling chocolate or icing; foil and plastic wrap are essential; tupperware containers are great for left overs, storing extra stock or tomato sauce, etc.; zip lock bags are good for marinating meat and storing left-overs.
aluminum foil
plastic wrap
parchment paper
a various selection of tupperware-esque containers
zip-lock bags (for left overs, marinating meat, and if you cut of a corner you’ve got a pastry bag)
A brief note on tableware: You should have six full place settings of silverware (knife, fork, spoon, salad fork, teaspoon); a few big spoons for serving (wooden spoons can be drafted from the kitchen); six large plates, six small plates, and six soup bowls; and a few bowls to use for serving (ceramic or glass mixing bowls can serve double duty for serving and cooking). This should get you started. Having twelve small plates is nice if you’re going to serve an appetizer and a desert, which at some point you probably will. But you can always just wash the plates between courses. I talk about glassware and barware elsewhere.
So here’s the list:
A RESTAURANT SUPPLY STORE
TARGET
TJ MAXX, HOME GOODS, & MARSHALL’S
THE SALVATION ARMY & GOODWILL
Great prices, huge selection, and free shipping if you spend $25.
An online restaurant supply store.
Most larger towns have at least one restaurant supply store. The quality is high and the prices low.
Good for Pyrex casseroles, wine glasses, etc.
I’ve gotten lucky at these places. You might too.
I just bought a $30 Bundt pan at the Goodwill for $1.99. I’ve also found martini glasses, copper pots, and cast iron skillets at rock-bottom prices.
IT’D BE NICE
MAYBE LATER
