A Fully Stocked Kitchen [Part Four - Essential Equipment]

"Here's some old mixing spoons." "And, some Pyrex that Grandma sent over, and her old coffee pot." For many of us, this is how our collection of kitchen items began. As we take flight from the comfort of home to our own first apartment or home, our family members clean out their drawers and cabinets, thankful and happy to be able to go shop for new stuff of their own  to help us fledglings on our way to independence. Surely, we add to the mix with odds and ends, picking them up as they're needed, but mostly we suffer through that potpourri of items until....cue the dramatic musical flair...we become engaged to be married. 

And, it is then, that the true floodgates of hell open up. Each and every store has a registry where you're faced with pages upon pages of fantastic items and, in the love induced fog that you're under, things like a Mocubo or roast cutting tongs begin to seem as essential as air.  So, where did these registry lists even come from? It seems that, as far back as 1901, the China Hall of Rochester decided that it would be a dandy idea for brides to list the items of china that they would like to receive as wedding gifts and then check them off as they were received. This method provided some order to the whole process since up until then, it was at the total whim of the guest as to what they would purchase - meaning you could end up with an awfully mismatched table. It wasn't until 1924, however, that the practice received a nod from the likes of the Marshall Field's department store and became the way to go for brides to select exactly what they liked. Since guests could purchase just one place setting, it became much more feasible for households to accumulate an entire service for 8 or 12. In the mid-1960's, Williams-Sonoma helped to widen the focus to include everyday items and tools, etc. in addition to the traditional fine china, crystal and silver flatware.

That brings us to the here and now where (as I previously said) every store has a registry and marketing is truly at its most powerful - the temptation to just take one of everything for good measure is strong. I mean , sure, this is your once (hopefully) in a lifetime chance to get other people to purchase things for you. Why the hell not pick the $300 margarita machine? or sure, you tell yourself, we're going to make fondue every Saturday night. Sign me up for the $700 Mauviel copper fondue set. However, I would suggest caution be your guide, and rather than plan for the elaborate dinner parties that require copious amounts of serve ware, that you, instead, plan for your true everyday life. My philosophy is one that embraces multi-tasking tools and rarely, will you find me recommending hyper-specialized uni-taskers. I find them to be wasteful of both money and storage space (which is a commodity even in the dreamiest of dream kitchens.) 

I began my  journey to being a competent home cook in a postage stamp of a kitchen in our first home in Massachusetts. (Seriously, I'm not even kidding when I tell you that if the oven door was opened, you couldn't come in the kitchen door.) Even in those 50 sq feet of space, I was able to host fairly elaborate Mexican fiestas and 4th of July bar-b-ques by using basic kitchen equipment and some pretty ambitious baking pan/dish stacking in the fridge. 

Sure, your kitchen tool/equipment inventory will be largely reflective of what type of cook you are and what your personal style is, but the following items make up what I feel is a good foundation of tools and equipment regardless of marital status.

Equipment:

• Pans - Contrary to what the cook's store would have you believe, you do not need an entire matched set of cookware. I recommend stainless steel (with a copper core) as the best choice. It is durable, non-reactive (which means you can cook anything in it without worry that it will impact the flavor of the food) and dishwasher safe (yes!) Straight up stainless isn't so great at conducting and transferring heat which is why I recommend a copper core. While my particular fave is All-Clad, it can be kind of pricey and there are good choices at all price points.
• Saucepan with lid (2-3 qt.): Use it for making sauces (hence the clever name), boiling or steaming vegetables and cooking grains and pastas.
• Saute pan with lid (around 12 in): the deep, straight sides of the saute pan make it a multi-tasking workhorse in your kitchen. The large surface area makes it perfect for reducing sauces. The deepish straight sides are helpful keeping things from sloshing out and it is a perfect pan for pan-frying as it helps contain splatters.
• Skillet(s) 8 in. & 10 in.: Use the 8 in for eggs and the 10 inch for everything else - including crepes, stir-frys etc. (I would recommend non-stick versions of these as well - however, do not spend a lot of money on the non-stick *and* toss and replace at the first signs of wear.)
• One big heavy pot/dutch oven with lid (6qt or larger): To be used for soups or pasta and can be used for roasting meats in the oven as well.
• Cast iron skillet (optional): big, heavy and a great retainer of heat, these pans will be non-stick once seasoned correctly. Since they are relatively inexpensive, you might want to add one to your cooking wardrobe. 

• Cutlery- Again, those big fancy sets are fabulous looking, but not necessarily practical. I mean, a boning knife? Unless you're planning on becoming a butcher (or a hunter) soon, it really just isn't necessary. People do get crazy about knives and if you search cooking sites, you'll find people waxing poetic about this knife brand or that knife brand. I do think it is nice to have a knife with a riveted handle  But, a plain plastic handle is just as serviceable. In fact, most cooks in most restaurants use decidedly unfancy knives similar to these.
• Chef's knife (at least 8 in): Probably the most essential part of your kitchen, this will be your go-to knife. The thinner the blade, the more precise you'll be able to be with your slicing. German knives are traditionally known as good quality, but in recent years have been eclipsed by Japanese made blades. Personally, I have a santoku -style knife and prefer it to the traditional chef's knife, but that is just a preference thing - you should go try out some knives at a shop to see how they feel in your hand. 
• Small paring knife : choose an inexpensive paring knife to use for small cutting tasks.
• Bread knife : the serrated edge of a bread knife is so useful when cutting through a crusty baguette and even though it is called a break knife, it can also be used on ripe tomatoes.
• Kitchen Shears (optional): Not truly essential, but I find that I use my shears to cut through a roasted chicken right in the pan rather than taking it to a cutting board and  cutting it up with the Chef's knife.

• Cutting Boards-  
• One Large Board - truly, the biggest you can get your hands on. When you are prepping ingredients for cooking, you need adequate space for the item you are cutting and the cut up pieces. If you have to keep stopping to clear your board, you lose some efficiency. Also, a large board is the perfect space for rolling out bread dough, crusts and pasta dough. Wood boards are aesthetically the nicest and they have "give"or cushion for your knife blade which will aid in keeping it sharp. However, wood is not dishwasher safe. If that is an issue for you, go with a nice heavy plastic one. Those thin color-coded cutting mats are not sufficient to provide the cushion your blade needs so they are useful for cutting meats etc only if put atop a regular cutting board.
• Additional small cutting board(s): one or more small cutting boards to use when you're slicing tomato for a sandwich, or lemon slices for addition to a dish etc.

• Bakeware- 
• 9x13" glass or ceramic pan: can be used to bake cakes, casseroles, roast vegetables, and braised meats. 
• Half-sheet pans (restaurant style): cannot say enough good things about these pans. I use them for Kick-Ass Brownies, as well as other baked goods. They are my go-to pan for roasting large quantities of vegetables. They also serve well as a tray for organizing ingredients in the fridge before you're going to cook.
• 9x13 metal pans (optional): I have a couple of these around and they are great for marinating meat in before it hits the grill. Of course, you could use the glass/ceramic one for this as well, but I like the durability of the metal for this particular task.
• Muffin pan (optional):  self-explanatory - add this to your stable if you're a muffin or cupcake baker.
• 9" round cake pan x 2 (optional): nice to have if you want to bake a round layer cake. I also use mine for making Crespelle.

Yes, there are lots of things that appear on registry lists that are missing here. You may find that there are other items that you consider essential that aren't listed here either. There are lots of things missing that I actually have in my own kitchen, but this list serves as a very good place to start. People cooked (and still do) all over the world with less than what's on this list even.

Next in the series, we'll discuss essential tools/gadgets and appliances...until then,

Happy Cooking!

 sld

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