Basic Kitchen : Equipment, Part I: Appliances, Stove-top Pots and Pans

I have been trying to sort out my kitchen- to remove those things I don't use very often, and are non essential. I am finding it difficult, as I am very lazy, a packrat, and sentimental to boot.I can spend most of an afternoon on this project, hauling what feels like enormous loads of stuff to the basement (for a hypothetical yard sale), or in some cases to the trash, and find that my kitchen appears unchanged, as crowded and messy as ever.

I thought I would try this different approach. I'm going to list what I believe to be the bare essentials for a working kitchen, and then get rid of everything else for which I cannot give a convincing excuse. I discussed this post with reader/friend Lynn D., way back when. Her son was setting up his first kitchen, and she suggested this topic. I said then that I planned to do it soon.

How often have I said I would post about something, fully intending to do so, and then just failed to follow through? When, for example, am I going to make the damn rootbeer? You may well despise me for a liar, but I swear I was sure I would do it- at the time. Lynn's son has probably cooked Thanksgiving dinner for his grandchildren by now. But I see another benefit here: I just love to make lists.

I thought I would divide this into sections on equipment, and on pantry. We begin with disclaimers and admissions, followed by appliances, and then, pots and pans. I invite you to point out items unmentioned, which you would not dream of living without. Later, I am going to add links for many of these items. But I have not shopped for the best deals-I just want you to see what they look like. Internet prices are always changing- so if you decide to get something- I'd google around. I believe if you buy something from Amazon, after linking, I get a pittance level reward.I ain't in this for the teensy money- I'd rather you look around and get yourself a bargain.

These will be low-tech lists. Though I have a Luddite side, I thought I'd better admit to the technology I have acquired over the years. Because I have been around for some time, I have accumulated the following items, from which I will not be parted. None of them are needed, but I love them, use them often, and am very fond of them. I cooked for many years without any of them- you don't need them, but they do the job well. The low tech substitute for each is indicated:

Non-essential Appliances dear to me:

Toaster oven: These are really great, and much more versatile than a toaster.If I could have only one small electric, this would be it. You can, of course, use a toaster instead, and your regular oven.

Bunn coffee machine: The kind that diners have, home version. A tank of hot water is always at the ready; it makes a full pot of extremely hot coffee in 4 minutes. You can use a french press, or an italian espresso pot.

Kitchenaid mixer: Mine is British racing green. I think this color is generally no longer available. I love it to bits. You can use a wooden spoon, fork, and whisk.

Food Processor: When my inherited Cuisinart died- I got a Kitchenaid. And it is very good. You can use a grater and a food mill or chinois.

Kitchenaid coffee/spice grinder, with removeable top part, so you can wash it out, and your coffee doesn't taste like cumin. You can use a mortar and pestle (though not for coffee- better buy your coffee preground.)

Crockpot with plain white removable ceramic liner and glass lid. Well, you can just slow cook on or in the stove. But you can leave the house all day with your slowcooker on "low", and be sure it will not burn the place down. Also they are very cheap.

Refurbished vintage waffle iron-just because.

On the borderline: My little icecream maker. I don't use it that often, but itis great to be able to make proper icecream. You need to have a freezer section that works well to freeze the cannister sufficiently. It takes a good 8 hours to freeze, but is too bulky to leave in the freezer, unless you have something beyond a fridge top space. It is a pain, but I'm not going to be getting rid of it.

Non-essential Appliances not dear to me:

Microwave which came with the apartment-used mainly for reheating stuff. I can't chuck it- it's not mine.

Electric tea kettle- a gift. I kept it and use it because it is fast, and frees up a burner. Obviously, you can boil water in anything.

Essential appliances:

A stove:
If you have a choice, gas burners all the way. They are more responsive, and you can see how much heat you've got. Gas or electric ovens are both fine.

A fridge: This probably came with your kitchen, too.

And, thanks to Julie's comment, an item I can't believe I forgot- the immersion blender. Maybe it's not strictly necessary, but it's close. I don't have a regular blender- between this one and the food processor and chinois, I'm covered.

Pots and Pans/ Top of Stove:

A large stainless steel pasta pot (8 qts) with strainer insert: This can be used for a stockpot, too. If you are making stock with bones from a chicken or roast- leave the strainer in, and pull up the mess of bones at the end to discard. You can make soup in here , too, as long as you do not need to brown anything in the pot- as is very lightweight, and not good for that sort of thing. Also you can steam stuff-especially if your pot comes with a short steamer accessory.

A 5qt heavy dutch oven or "cocotte", with nonreactive interior and a lid. There are topnotch, heirloom quality ones (Staub, Le Creuset, AllClad) but many lesser sorts are also fine, longlasting, and easier on the budget . This is perfect for small batch soups, and stews, and braises, and can fill in as an extra saute pan. You can bake your no-knead bread in here, too, and boil a mess of potatoes for mashing- and more.

A 2 or 3 quart heavy nonreactive saucepan with lid. Use it to cook rice, vegetables, casseroles. The little ones are cheaper than the big ones, and the fancy kind are often on sale- good place to splurge and see if the fancy pots are worth it to you. I love my little Staub one.

A wok- plain steel or thin cast iron, with a flat bottom and a handle. You've got to work at seasoning it. The Wokshop sells preseasoned ones- I imagine they are good, as the shop is totally classy, utterly reliable, and friendly. My personal favorite wok, however, is now the Vollrath one I got at a restaurant supply shop. It is the bomb-if you haven't got one, buy this one! Not only good for Chinese and Indian cooking...a wok is excellent for deep frying, too. A lid is good.

Cast iron frying pans, 9" and a 12" chicken fryer/saute pan with glass lid. Gotta season these, which is time consuming but worth it. Very cheap to buy, and when properly cared for, cannot be beat for all sorts of things, and virtually nonstick. Lodge now makes preseasoned cast iron. I have no personal experience with these, but hope they work, because the idea is brilliant. I would be nice to have a big fancy lidded saute pan of stainless steel lined copper or any All Clad variety. They cost the earth, however, so I haven't got one yet.

This is really all you need for stovetop cooking, though I also have a big old 12 qt pasta pot with strainer and steamer; it lives in the basement, but comes up for turkey carcass soup,steaming a whole stuffed cabbage, and canning ventures. And a copper jam pan- which is beautiful, and lives in the dining room when not in use. These stay too- but you obviously don't need them. Everything else must go here. Next will be pans for the oven and or utensils...coming soon.

Photo from Fanny Farmer Cookbook, 1936 edition.

Comments

[Nupur]

What a great post! I love my toaster oven and Kitchenaid so much, and use them on a daily basis. My spice grinder died yesterday :( and I will get a new one now. I really really have to go get some cast iron frying pans though...
I just started a sorting-out project myself, not the kitchen but the rest of my home. I am selling everything that I don't use (on Craigslist) and donating the money. It feels so therapeutic to get rid of "stuff"!

[zp]

When we moved out of Pittsburgh, we sold household items on Craigslist, rather than having a garage sale, and it went well - lots of responsible buyers who came with cash when they said they would.

A neighbor and I had had a garage a few years ago with little success . . . Plus, you're good at posting photos.

You might also think about joining the Pittsburgh Freecyclers - that's where I got my food processor and you can get rid of things that way too, but you do have to give them away for free. Still, picker-uppers are generally prompt. Of course there's the Vets, etc, too for that.

Happy sorting. I have a love/hate relationship with this kind of thing.

[Ann]

Love the photo! Just make sure you don't get rid of anything your siblings/friends/kids are attached to... I HATE it when my mother tosses kitchen stuff without asking me. :-)

[Lynn D.]

I think this is going to be fun. While I don't "love" my microwave, I can't imagine giving it up. I think it is very useful for reheating tea and coffee, much better than sludge that's kept on the burner too long. It reheats leftovers right on the plate you'll eat from with less energy than stovetop or oven and without dirtying another pan. A few seconds in the microwave will revive a less than fresh, muffin, donut or pita bread. I also make lemon curd, jam, hokey pokey (that airy sugar candy) and perfect basmati rice in it. In fact, I am urging my son to get one and no, I am not a great grandmother yet!

[Lindy]

Nupur and zp: I'm not sure that most of my stuff is Criagslist material- more little things, really. I sort of envision them on a table- being picked over. I've often found things like cake pans and ladles at yard sales.
Ann-I'll be sure to check carefully before I throw anything out! I do know what you mean- my mother was always throwing out things I couldn't believe she didn't cherish. But she was very tidy.
Lynn-Besides reheating stuff, I forgot that I actually also use a microwave for 2 other things- melting chocolate (at which it can't be beat) and steaming a whole cauliflower, without having it all fall apart. Funny- some veg, like asparagus, go all horrible in the MW, but others- like the cauliflower. taste fine. Also, I have been known to poach a salmon filet in it, on a plate. I do not know what hokey pokey is.

[Lindy]

Oh yes, and in further retraction of my rude dismissal of the microwave, I make microwave potato crusts. You spray a round plate with olive oil, spread a single layer of slightly overlapping, incredibly thinly sliced potatoes on it, spray it again, sprinkle with salt, and nuke until crispy and brown- about 9 minutes in my microwave. Then you can top it with cheese, or other fast cooking, pizza like toppings (tiny bits of pancetta), and finish in the oven. This is a very good snacky thing- or supper.

[Rachael]

I'd have a hard time living without a little saucepan (1 qt? 1/2 qt? I'm not sure.) I make my oatmeal and little bits of soup in it, and melt butter and/or chocolate. I guess it would be less essential for someone who has a microwave.

[Lynn D.]

Hokey pokey is also called honeycombe candy; it's popular in England and is the center of the Australian Violet Crumble. Am I just getting more and more obscure? Have you ever made oatmeal in a crockpot overnight. It's great if you have to feed breakfast to an oatmeal-loving crowd and good for the less-refined types of oatmeal.

[Lindy]

If you are obscure, I'm right there with you, Lynn. I LOVE Violet Crumble. Do you really know how to make this? Please tell. Yes on the oatmeal, too. It works very well.

[baking soda]

How I love this post! It's about lists (and I'm known to make lists of almost anything) and kitchen items...the big plus here is that it gives insight in other kitchen cultures (crockpot? microwave and fridge with the apartment?) and the comparing.

Apartments come with nothing here, if you like appliances...buy them! (And take them with you when you move) I know the crockpot/slow cooker phenomenon but they are unknown here.

[lobstersquad]

I keep cluttering up my kitchen with things I love but don´t use. I guess I should toss a few pots and pans, but it´s more the jars of chutney and tins of partridge in escabeche that fill up my space, I think

[Julie]

These kind of lists are always fun.

I live in a microwaveless household. They seem like a handy thing but we don't have a good place to put one and I've never gotten around to making a place for one. Somehow they've just never seemed that essential to me. I notice that blenders weren't on your list and I know I'd miss my blender if I didn't have it. If I had to choose between a blender and a microwave, I'd choose a blender.

In our household the most used pan is a 12" cast iron skillet. Next in line would be the six quart pot which we use for pasta, soups, stews, cooking down a batch of greens, etc., and a 1 1/2 quart pot that we use for rice. But I'd hate not to have the 3 1/2 quart pot because that's a good size for potatoes. And we use the 8 quart pot a lot, and the 1 quart pot. BTW, the pots (pans?) I like the most are All Clad stainless. They're ridiculously expensive but I've collected them at the rate of about one per year over the years. All Clad generally runs some sort of special each year around the holidays where some sizes are offered at a discount, and I have made at least one excellent buy on ebay. I love how solid and permanent they feel and they give me great pleasure. The skillets I like the most are cast iron and though we have never been too loving in our care of the seasoning they still they have managed to acquire a silky finish and food sticking to them is almost never a problem.

I like the idea of a crockpot and I'm very seduced by that whole "dinner cooks while you're at work" thing where you arrive home from work to a house filled with the smell of dinner. It's on my wishlist. So is a rice cooker. And an ice cream maker. But this is where I begin worrying about all these little appliances that are used only occassionally getting out of hand. I see myself suddenly having a whole herd of them.

[Lindy]

Karen-It is so interesting to see these differences in things we take for granted. I'm pretty sure that in Pennsylvania, a landlord is required by law to provide a functioning stove in any rental unit. and mostly, if you purchase a house, the seller leaves the stove and fridge.
Ximena-My biggest problems are in the food area, too. You'll see how bad they are when I get to the pantry, and discuss what I'm eliminating!
Julie-I can't believe I forgot to mention my immersion blender- thank you! It's hanging on the wall next to the stove- and I use it all the time!

[Cara]

I agree with you!! These things are essential for a kitchen...

[Edgar]

If you are completely redoing your kitchen you should also upgrade your appliances even with new appliance parts . The new appliances are better designed. The new designs and features actually make life a little easier for you. They are also more energy efficient so they will save you on your monthly utility bills.

[veins]

I make microwave potato crusts. You spray a round plate with olive oil, spread a single layer of slightly overlapping, brilliantly thinly sliced potatoes on it, spray it again, sprinkle with salt, and nuke until crispy and brown- about 9 minutes in my microwave.