We needed a functional kitchen in Brighton, so I spent a lot of time making lists of things that are essential to me in the kitchen. Here is the final list. The only things we haven't gotten yet are a toaster and a mandoline - we make toast under the broiler and haven't shredded anything so far.
What do you find essential? Is there anything you'd add to the list or take off the list?
Chef's knife
2 paring knives
Bread knife
mid sized Santoku knife
silicone spatula
microfile for cheese
garlic press
whisks
tongs
mandoline
measuring cups
measuring spoons
dishes of 8 (dinner plates, salad plates, bowls, pasta bowls)
8 mugs
cutlery for 8
8 water glasses
8 wine glasses
8 beer glasses
salt shaker
pepper grinder
pitchers large and small
tea pot
salad bowl and salad tongs
wooden spoons
mixing bowls
whisk
poultry shears
colander
strainer/sifter
potato masher
mortar and pestle
small, med, lg saucepan
soup pot
grill pan
teflon fry pan
hot pads,
cork trivets
sponges
tea towels
food storage containers
toaster
tea kettle
Melitta Coffee Filter, and filter paper
espresso maker / Bialetti Moka Express 6 cup
knife sharpener/whet stone
can opener
4 comments:
This is surprisingly close to the list of essentials that we bought for our kitchen in France. Our kitchen essentials list did NOT include
mid sized Santoku knife, garlic press, mandoline, mortar & pestle, strainer/sifter. We didn't have a potato masher at first and went to some trouble to get one so it should have been on the list. We also didn't have 8 of things. I think we were aiming at 2-4, but had we stayed longer, we would have gotten more.
Not on your list is a tray. Also a cork screw like the sommeliers use, with the double lift.
It was totally fun to do, equipping a kitchen in France.
The surprise is always how many things one needs in an "essential" kitchen. Of course, you could live off one pan, one wooden spoon, and utensils/dishes for 2.
The Oregonian had an article yesterday, in which cooks talked about the smartest/dumbest kitchen tools. Not necessarily for an "essential" kitchen.
On their list, but not included in yours (unless I missed it): an immersible blender, a measuring scale, a favorite vegetable peeler, and a cast iron skillet (which you may have listed as a "grill pan", which, by the way, one cook dismissed as something they were going to dump).
I have left off a few things I don't consider even close to essential (e.g. pressure cooker). Read the whole article here: http://www.oregonlive.com/foodday/index.ssf/2010/02/smart_stuff_for_your_kitchen.html
Yes, Peaceable, it was lots of fun to do.
We brought a cork screw from home and we bought a tray I really like at Ikea. The tray was on a different list as was the scale. We don't yet have the scale.
I'm not sure we'll ever get a mandoline there - we don't cook elaborate meals, but we have used eveerything else.
I use my immersible blender here at home, but I'm not sure it's a necessity.
I never use my cast iron frying pan, but I love my grill pan.
So it just goes to show you how different people are.
Yes, Peaceable, it was lots of fun to do.
We brought a cork screw from home and we bought a tray I really like at Ikea. The tray was on a different list as was the scale. We don't yet have the scale.
I'm not sure we'll ever get a mandoline there - we don't cook elaborate meals, but we have used eveerything else.
I use my immersible blender here at home, but I'm not sure it's a necessity.
I never use my cast iron frying pan, but I love my grill pan.
So it just goes to show you how different people are.
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