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Quoted message said:rokdog said:Hey Everyone,
I'm not new to this group but this is the firt time I've ever posted
so bear with me here. I have wanted to learn to cook for a long time
and know a few dishes to keep me from starving to death. But now I
want to spread my wings a bit and dive into this a little further.
What are some things that I need to have in my kitchen (food,
utensils, ingredients..etc ) for a basic functional kitchen. In other
word, what are some of the things that I need basically all the time.
I don't have time for a college class on cooking. I'm reading
"Cooking for Dummies" which is a big help. And have another cookbook
with basic recipes which also helps. Any help that any one could give
would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Cash
There are a ton of things in my kitchen all types of pots and pans
knives, tools and spices. However when I go camping I only take a
small cooking kit and I am able to make just about anything from it.
The same thing occurred to me. Here's my list, somewhat expanded over the
camping scenario:
Plain, heavy cast iron frying pan (Lodge is a good brand), about 9 inches
(this can double as something to crush ice or pound meat with)
Big (cheap is fine) pot with lid for boiling pasta, potatoes, et al
3 decent, heavy-bottomed saucepans with tight-fitting lids: 2 @ about 1 1/2
quart size, one big enough to make a pot of soup (3 or 4 quart?)
Another skillet would be nice, probably stainless with heavy aluminum core
bottom, 10 inches with lid
If you plan to make omelets or the like, a non-stick smaller sloping-side
skillet would not go amiss.
Baking items: one 8 or 9 inch bread pan, one 8 or 9 inch square pan, one
13x9 inch pan, possibly a larger roasting pan. (Check to see how big a pan
will fit in your oven. Wall ovens and apartment stoves are aften too small
for big pans.)
One decent chef's knife, about 13 inches dpending on your comfort, one
serrated bread knife, two decent small paring/utility knives (Caveat: I
cooked ambitiously for many years using only one knife, an old carbon steel
Sabatier boning knife. But that's unusual.) Personally, I would get the
chef's and small knives in carbon steel, if you can still find it, and buy a
Chef's Choice manual sharpener and USE IT! <G>
1 or 2 medium whisks, a couple of high-temperature plastic spatulas, a
good-quality wide metal flipper, a couple of wooden spoons, and a big metal
slotted spoon. 1 or 2 sets of metal measuring spoons and a set of metal
measuring cups. 3 pyrex measuring cups for liquids and microwaving: 1-, 2-,
and 4-cup sizes. A nutmeg grater, a garlic press, and a fine-ish
carpenter's-rasp style grater, as well as one of those 4-sized types. A
metal colander. One fairly fine hand-held strainer. A few mixing bowls,
plain metal: one small, two medium, one large. An instant-read thermometer.
For years, I rolled out crusts with a wine bottle, but if you are going to
get a rolling pin, I'd make it marble. They are really great. A pepper
grinder. One or two cutting boards.
I'd get a few plain white oval shallow baking dishes in various sizes, and a
plain white 6 or 8 cup souffle dish. (Think Apilco or the like.) With those,
you can make almost any gratin or casserole, and attractively serve other
things you make.
As far as gadgetry is concerned, a hand-held stick blender will accomplish a
lot in the way of pureeing soups and sauces, making mayonnaise, smoothies,
and the like.
Things NOT to get: anything non-stick, except for that one omelet pan;
spices mixes like "Italian Spices" or "Apple Pie Spices" with few exceptions
(Bell's Poultry, for example); any kind of flavored salt, such as "garlic
salt" or "onion salt" (You can easily add them separately and control the
amounts!); el-cheapo baking pans with sloping sides like those sold in the
supermarket--always look for straight sides; dried parsley or chives (you
might as well use grass clippings); powdered onion; ground pepper (you'll be
using your grinder); ground nutmeg (you'll be using your grater); and
probably a host of other pseudo-ingredients. Everyone draws their "willing
to compromise for convenience" line in a different place. <G>
Keep your leafy dried herbs (tarragon, oregano, thyme, sage, bay leaves,
maybe basil and dill if you don't use fresh) in a dark cabinet or on the
door of the fridge, not over the stove. Keep your spices (ground chipotle
pepper, cloves, nutmeg, whole black peppercorns, cumin, coriander, fennel,
cinnamon) in a dark cabinet, not over the stove.
