I admit to stealing this idea from Oprah, but I love it when someone suggests great products or tried and true ways to save time and money. Here is a list of items or ideas that have proven their worth to me over the years.
Kitchen tools I can’t live without:
1.A few good knives and a sharpener are at the top of my list. You don’t need to spend tons of money or have a bunch of different sizes taking up all your space. An 8” chef’s knife, a boning knife, a serrated bread knife and several sharp paring knives are a great start. If you cook a lot you may consider a good quality cleaver. Using a wall mounted magnetic knife rack clears counter and drawer space.
2. A large wooden cutting board. Forget the fancy plastic and Lucite boards, they dull your knives and make a horrible scraping sound when you cut on them. A wooden board will last forever, is easy to clean and sanitize and just may need a little mineral oil rubbed in once in awhile if it starts to dry out. I’ve had mine for about 15 years, and have never had to oil it.
3. I suggest using whisks, spatulas, and spoons made of a material that is heat resistant to avoid scratching your pots and pans, especially if they are coated. Oxo, Chef’n, and Le Creuset are some good brands.
4. I could go on forever rhapsodizing about different cookware, but that can be very overwhelming for a beginner. Just try to have a decent set that is not too light in weight or scratched up. Checking the internet for consumer ratings is a good idea to avoid poor choices. I do not like coated (like Teflon) pans, I prefer non coated.
5. A selection of Pyrex casserole dishes, pie plate and mixing bowls. Can’t go wrong with Pyrex, I love it and it is very inexpensive. Some of mine are from my mom, over 30 years old.
6. Cookie sheets, muffin pans, cooling racks and cake pans. Cuisinart and Analon are good brands.
7. I am going to throw this idea out there and you can make your own decision based on how much you bake. A counter top Kitchen Aid mixer is invaluable if you bake often. I don’t even use a hand held one anymore, I use my counter top mixer for everything. Cakes, dense cookie mixes, mashed potatoes, frostings..the list is endless. I do use an immersion blender quite a bit, but that certainly is not necessary right away. If you don’t do a lot of “thick”mixing, then a good quality hand held mixer is adequate. Kitchen Aid or Cuisinart are my favorites.
That’s a start, maybe next time I’ll tackle suggestion some good kitchen appliances!
Hiring a Personal Attache for a few hours can help you immensely. We can do the research for you, find the best prices and bring the items to your home. We can organize your kitchen and weed out the clutter. You will be amazed how much more you will love your kitchen.
Peggy Sparks
Personal Attache