Tool-Basics
Every good cook must have good equipment as a part of his or her kitchen. There are so many wonderful manufacturers of all kinds of good kitchen equipment so variety is not a problem. As a chef and home cook I cannot stress the importance of making an investment in good tools for your kitchen however. In your research you will find that prices will range from the very cheap to over the top. Your goal then should be to get the best quality at the lowest price.
One thing I have done over the years is to shop outlets, on-line and retail closeouts. My highest recommendations for quality at a good price are William Sonoma (wait for the sales if you have a small budget and check their on-line specials) and believe it or not Ikea also has a nice selection of fairly decent knives, whisks and measuring cups/spoons. I have also found very expensive kitchen tools at TJ Maxx and Marshalls for a fraction of the regular retail cost; so be sure to shop around. On another note, I also like William Sonoma because the sales associates are knowledgeable and can help to educate you on the different brands of equipment.
For pots and pans, buy good quality. You will save many kitchen disasters and your food will taste a lot better when you use good quality cookware. It is best to buy one at a time than to buy poor quality and ruin good food. So here are the basics for equipping your kitchen.
Knives basic 4
- 1 large chopping or chef’s knife
- Medium for slicing cooked meats
- Small paring knife for peeling
- Thin boning for separate raw meat from bones as in chicken
- Kitchen scissors are also recommended
Pots/Pans
- Stockpot
- Sauce pan
- Sauce pots — 4“–8“
- Sautee pans — 2
- Roasting pan (rectangular)
- Sheet pans
Other
- Muffin tins
- Metal tongs
- Wooden spoons for stirring
- Metal or glass mixing bowls — 1 qt.–8 qt. — metal bowls are preferable as they as non-breakable and can withstand temperatures of varying degrees.
- Wire whisks
- Measuring cups 1, 2, 4 cup measures
- Measuring spoons, metal — 1/8 teaspoon through 1 tablespoon
- Rolling pin, French and regular
- Wooden spoons, bamboo or olive wood
- Cutting boards, plastic (color coded) and wooden