To everyone who've responded with american stores that don't exist in Canada --- thanks anyway :P I do however live in Toronto and will check out some large chinese supermarkets for some wares. I don't even have a mixing bowl. 🙁
And to Julia -- you're right that I am probably making a lot of excuses, but at least I'm trying here. It may not seem like much to you but to me it's a pretty big step forward.
Let us know how it goes, and tell us about your first efforts. We've all shared tales of successes and failures. I've taught beginning cooking so I always like to hear about what works for people who are just getting started. (And though you probably don't need to hear this, if I know something about excuse-making, it is because I have an intimate familiarity with the subject.)
Y'know, the further I read in this thread, the more is started thinking that my very FIRST recommendation in the "what to buy"' department would be:
One (1) copy of Alton Brown's "Gear For Your Kitchen."
That HAS to be the best non-cookbook I have on my cookbook shelf; AB tells you what you need, why you need it, and what works just as well as the gadgets you THINK you want.
While I'm at it, I'm definitely enough of an AB fan to also recommend "I'm Just Here For The Food" and "I'm Just Here for More Food." Both of these are more "cookbooks" in the traditional sense than "Gear" is, in that they give you more recipes, but they're not just or even primarily recipe collections. These books are more aimed at teaching you the processes involved in various sorts of cooking (the first covers most sorts of "cooking" outside of baking; "More Food" concentrates on the various ways of making baked goods).
[snip] .... And btw, bread knives are not serrated, their blades are scalloped (big difference), and quite easy to sharpen, as easy as a chain saw... but if used properly a bread knife should never need sharpening. A bread knife is something typically used every day, many times every day... buy the best quality bread knife you can find, spare no cost... all your other knives can be inexpensive but not your bread knife... a cheapo bread knife won't cut well from day one. [snip]
Unless you get lucky. I bought a scalloped blade bread knife back in the days when Trader Joes specialized in finding odd lot bargains. They'd buy the whole bunch, sell them out, and you'd never see them again. So one day they had bread knives they had found in Europe from a company going out of business. I bought one for something like $10. It is still doing a beautiful job some twenty-plus years later. -aem
I have just turned my back on my video gaming life. Yes, it was a great 25 years of gaming and I don't regret it for a second.
There's two things I wanted to do with my time -- cooking and playing guitar. The thing I've noticed is every time I open up a recipe is that I am missing half the things that they require, and I'm not even talking about ingredients. Is there some sort of a list I could get of the "basic/essential" cooking equipment/pots/cups that I need to get me started?
Thanks
What kind of things do you want to cook? If you want to make Chow Fun, that is very different from wanting to make Pulled Pork, or homemade pretzels. Name a few dishes you'd like to learn to make, or a cookbook you are working from.
"aem" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Sheldon said:
[snip] .... And btw, bread knives are not serrated, their blades are scalloped (big difference), and quite easy to sharpen, as easy as a chain saw... but if used properly a bread knife should never need sharpening. A bread knife is something typically used every day, many times every day... buy the best quality bread knife you can find, spare no cost... all your other knives can be inexpensive but not your bread knife... a cheapo bread knife won't cut well from day one. [snip]
Unless you get lucky. I bought a scalloped blade bread knife back in the days when Trader Joes specialized in finding odd lot bargains. They'd buy the whole bunch, sell them out, and you'd never see them again. So one day they had bread knives they had found in Europe from a company going out of business. I bought one for something like $10. It is still doing a beautiful job some twenty-plus years later. -aem
Same here. $20, made in Portugal, and a thing of beauty.
Some computer games require an online subscription. Once the CD is registered, no one else can register it to play online. Thus, it cannot be sold to anyone who knows about the game, and selling to someone who doesn't is just a bit less than ethical.
One chef's knife. One serrated bread knife (and it doesn't have to be a fancy one). One small paring knife.
*Bread knives are not something you can sharpen easily yourself. Unless you know of a place to get them sharpened, you're better off going cheap, and just replacing the knife when it's too far gone. If you use it just for bread, it'll be a long time before you need to replace it.
Well, DUH, why would a normal brained person use a bread knife (especially an expensive one) for other than bread... would you use an expensive set of wood chisels to scrape paint. My 9" Commercial Sabatier bread knife cost I think $70, some 20 years ago... still in the same shape as the first time I used it, cuts only bread. And btw, bread knives are not serrated, their blades are scalloped (big difference), and quite easy to sharpen, as easy as a chain saw... but if used properly a bread knife should never need sharpening. A bread knife is something typically used every day, many times every day... buy the best quality bread knife you can find, spare no cost... all your other knives can be inexpensive but not your bread knife... a cheapo bread knife won't cut well from day one.
A person who holds themself out as a cook should own no serrated knives... a serrated knife in the kitchen is an absolute sign that no kind of cook lives here... even steak knives should not be serrated, those ruin a steak. Even a good grapefruit knife is scalloped, not serrated.
Sheldon
All this talk of knives - my sister-in-law brought me back a knife from Germany...I have NO idea what sort of knife it is. It small, like a paring knife but it has a wavy blade...but the blade is wavy side to side - so if you use it to peel an apple (which it does poorly) it leaves ridges. I have used it to slice cheese - it does a fairly good job at that, but not good enough to think that that is it's purpose....
"Roberta" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:Szyzf.75246$4l5.31022@dukeread05...
Quoted message said:
Sheldon said:
Doug Kanter said:
One chef's knife. One serrated bread knife (and it doesn't have to be a fancy one). One small paring knife.
*Bread knives are not something you can sharpen easily yourself. Unless you know of a place to get them sharpened, you're better off going cheap, and just replacing the knife when it's too far gone. If you use it just for bread, it'll be a long time before you need to replace it.
Well, DUH, why would a normal brained person use a bread knife (especially an expensive one) for other than bread... would you use an expensive set of wood chisels to scrape paint. My 9" Commercial Sabatier bread knife cost I think $70, some 20 years ago... still in the same shape as the first time I used it, cuts only bread. And btw, bread knives are not serrated, their blades are scalloped (big difference), and quite easy to sharpen, as easy as a chain saw... but if used properly a bread knife should never need sharpening. A bread knife is something typically used every day, many times every day... buy the best quality bread knife you can find, spare no cost... all your other knives can be inexpensive but not your bread knife... a cheapo bread knife won't cut well from day one.
A person who holds themself out as a cook should own no serrated knives... a serrated knife in the kitchen is an absolute sign that no kind of cook lives here... even steak knives should not be serrated, those ruin a steak. Even a good grapefruit knife is scalloped, not serrated. Sheldon
All this talk of knives - my sister-in-law brought me back a knife from Germany...I have NO idea what sort of knife it is. It small, like a paring knife but it has a wavy blade...but the blade is wavy side to side - so if you use it to peel an apple (which it does poorly) it leaves ridges. I have used it to slice cheese - it does a fairly good job at that, but not good enough to think that that is it's purpose....
Any ideas about it?
Roberta (in VA)
Sounds like it's designed to make ripply sliced vegetables, such as carrots & zucchini. Just cut straight down through them in a chopping motion. For cheese, it sounds wrong.
On 18 Jan 2006 13:20:57 -0800, "Dean G." <[email hidden]>
Quoted message said:
Steve,
Some computer games require an online subscription. Once the CD is registered, no one else can register it to play online. Thus, it cannot be sold to anyone who knows about the game, and selling to someone who doesn't is just a bit less than ethical.
Understood now.
It sounds like the poor guy has been playing the same game for 25 years now.
[snip] .... And btw, bread knives are not serrated, their blades are scalloped (big difference), and quite easy to sharpen, as easy as a chain saw... but if used properly a bread knife should never need sharpening. A bread knife is something typically used every day, many times every day... buy the best quality bread knife you can find, spare no cost... all your other knives can be inexpensive but not your bread knife... a cheapo bread knife won't cut well from day one. [snip]
Unless you get lucky. I bought a scalloped blade bread knife back in the days when Trader Joes specialized in finding odd lot bargains. They'd buy the whole bunch, sell them out, and you'd never see them again. So one day they had bread knives they had found in Europe from a company going out of business. I bought one for something like $10. It is still doing a beautiful job some twenty-plus years later. -aem
Yeah, well... most times people don't get lucky... you coulda just as easily ended up with something wouldn't even scale fish.
To everyone who've responded with american stores that don't exist in Canada --- thanks anyway :P I do however live in Toronto and will check out some large chinese supermarkets for some wares. I don't
even
Quoted message said:
Quoted message said:
have a mixing bowl. 🙁
And to Julia -- you're right that I am probably making a lot of excuses, but at least I'm trying here. It may not seem like much to you but to me it's a pretty big step forward.
--Lia
that hudson bay home centre place(I forget it's actual name) ....zellers...linnen and things, sears, Superstore and Costco are common places to shop form kitchen stuff in Winnipeg...So are you saying toronto isn't the center of the universe or what? Check in the yellow pages under kitchen or resturant supplies... 3 or 4 of the kitchen supply specialities stores here...Can't be fewer there.
Also find a good bulk food store, a kinda scoop and weigh type place.
-- The eyes are the mirrors.... But the ears...Ah the ears. The ears keep the hat up.
It sounds like the poor guy has been playing the same game for 25 years now.
The same one would probably get boring after 25 years. However, some of the online games are fairly addictive.
Google : Wow Addiction to see how bad it can get. Also Everquest has also had quite a bit written about it an addiction. I'm not sure how many such games have been around for 25 years, though.
that hudson bay home centre place(I forget it's actual name) ...zellers...linnen and things, sears, Superstore and Costco are common places to shop form kitchen stuff in Winnipeg...So are you saying toronto isn't the center of the universe or what? Check in the yellow pages under kitchen or resturant supplies... 3 or 4 of the kitchen supply specialities stores here...Can't be fewer there.
Heh, I was thinking, ha will say they have stores up there. Not just Canadian Tire, either.
To everyone who've responded with american stores that don't exist in Canada --- thanks anyway :P I do however live in Toronto and will check out some large chinese supermarkets for some wares. I don't even have a mixing bowl. 🙁
And to Julia -- you're right that I am probably making a lot of excuses, but at least I'm trying here. It may not seem like much to you but to me it's a pretty big step forward.
Check out your local garage sales and charity stores if money is an issue. I still have some great mixing bowls andother things I picked up that way when I was in college.
"Sheldon" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
aem said:
Sheldon said:
[snip] .... And btw, bread knives are not serrated, their blades are scalloped (big difference), and quite easy to sharpen, as easy as a chain saw... but if used properly a bread knife should never need sharpening. A bread knife is something typically used every day, many times every day... buy the best quality bread knife you can find, spare no cost... all your other knives can be inexpensive but not your bread knife... a cheapo bread knife won't cut well from day one. [snip]
Unless you get lucky. I bought a scalloped blade bread knife back in the days when Trader Joes specialized in finding odd lot bargains. They'd buy the whole bunch, sell them out, and you'd never see them again. So one day they had bread knives they had found in Europe from a company going out of business. I bought one for something like $10. It is still doing a beautiful job some twenty-plus years later. -aem
Yeah, well... most times people don't get lucky... you coulda just as easily ended up with something wouldn't even scale fish.
Sheldon
Sheldon, could you please lay off the crank until later in the evening?
I have just turned my back on my video gaming life. Yes, it was a great 25 years of gaming and I don't regret it for a second.
There's two things I wanted to do with my time -- cooking and playing guitar. The thing I've noticed is every time I open up a recipe is that I am missing half the things that they require, and I'm not even talking about ingredients. Is there some sort of a list I could get of the "basic/essential" cooking equipment/pots/cups that I need to get me started?
Thanks
My feeling on this might be different than other people's. I say you start cooking or reading cookbooks are whatever and you will quickly figure out what you need. I have an overstocked kitchen, I have tools and gadgets and appliances and a hefty portion of that are things I thought I needed, things that were gifted to me or things that satisfied my urge to support the american economy by tossing my money at merchants.
If you start small (as I did in my first apartment 12 years ago) you quickly learn to improvise and you tend to focus on buying what is necessary.
Of course once I got out of college and had more disposable money, i got to focus on the shiney things.
-- ..:Heather:. www.velvet-c.com Step off, beyotches, I'm the roflpimp!
Nancy Young wrote on 18 Jan 2006 in rec.food.cooking
Quoted message said:
"Mr Libido Incognito" <[email hidden]> wrote
Quoted message said:
that hudson bay home centre place(I forget it's actual name) ...zellers...linnen and things, sears, Superstore and Costco are common places to shop form kitchen stuff in Winnipeg...So are you saying toronto isn't the center of the universe or what? Check in the yellow pages under kitchen or resturant supplies... 3 or 4 of the kitchen supply specialities stores here...Can't be fewer there.
Heh, I was thinking, ha will say they have stores up there. Not just Canadian Tire, either.
(smile) nancy
That"s Ukranian tire...I'll have you know!!
-- The eyes are the mirrors.... But the ears...Ah the ears. The ears keep the hat up.
Some computer games require an online subscription. Once the CD is registered, no one else can register it to play online. Thus, it cannot be sold to anyone who knows about the game, and selling to someone who doesn't is just a bit less than ethical.
Dean G.
Although with some of the online games, you can sell your characters and their equipment.
Go to yard sales to get your basics until you figure out what you like to use. Or try ebay or the thrift store to stock up. Eventually you'll know if you prefer heavy bottomed or nonstick, glass or silicone, etc.
Yard sales? Be careful with that. Much of the time, the pots & pans sold there are junk, which is why they're being sold. If a new cook doesn't know the difference between [censored] and decent utensils, it could be a very discouraging experience.
If you don't have any pots and pans, and you don't have $1000 to get new Paderno stuff, go to yard sales or a thrift store.
Spend $10 and figure out what you like or don't like.
My absolute favourite cooking utensil in the world is a very large Dutch cast iron casserole that I got at a yard sale for ~$3.00.
