| Frequently I receive Email from someone asking what they need to buy to "do OAMC". The answer I give is "probably nothing!"
If you have a kitchen already stocked with basic cooking equipment, you more than likely already have what you need! Go overboard and buy a battery-operated whoozit, a gold-plated gizmat and so on, and you'll end up spending all the precious dollars you've saved in grocery bills. Most of these items can be found on the "Uncommon Market" (aka Garage Sales).
Please use this list as a guide, remembering that no two cooks manage a big cooking day the same way. What you consider "essential" I might see as only being fluff.
 I've divided kitchen equipment into four categories:
MUST HAVE:
If you don't have these, you probably don't cook much anyway. But in no particular order, I'd suggest you have on hand:
- Three saucepans, one stockpot, and one skillet, all with lids. Gauge the sizes to meet your family's needs. Yes, more would be nice - but - then you have twice as many pots and pans to wash. I'd rather wash more frequently than have a depressing sinkful!!
- Two cutting boards, one for meat and one for veggies/fruits. My plastic ones go in the dishwasher.
- A carving knife, a paring knife and a serrated edge ("bread") knife. More than one paring knife is a plus! Don't skimp on knives or they won't hold an edge. However, don't go crazy and buy those TV knives that do everything except balance your checkbook. They'll only empty it. (Actually, my favorite knives are some passed down to me from my grandmas. Great steel blades that really hold an edge!)
- A collander
- Cooking spoons (I prefer wooden over metal or plastic. YMMV)
- A no-scratch spatula or pancake flipper
- Casserole dishes in the size your family needs for one meal (at least 4, more is helpful). Decide on what you need based on how often you eat casseroles!
- Foil, freezer bags (generic work just fine), plastic wrap or waxed paper. Depending on what you are freezing, some items will do better in one kind of wrap than others.
- A vegetable peeler, a grater, and a set of wire whisks and rubber spatulas (various sizes).
- Various sizes of mixing bowls.
- Two or three large baking sheets, bread pans, and one pizza pan
- TWO complete sets of measuring cups and spoons (one for wet ingredients, one for dry.)
KITCHEN ASSISTANTS:
In this time of conspicuous consumption, I hesitate to suggest specific kitchen small appliances. I've lived in places where they weren't practical and managed just fine; food preparation just took more time. Nevertheless, I have a few that I like to have on hand. If you wouldn't use these on an almost-daily basis, I wouldn't invest in them right away. Anyway, here are a few 'worthy assistants'.
- A microwave. I learned to cook with one. Could I live without one? Well, yes, but I'd rather not. And before you ask - YES - they are safe to use. See the Microwave Safety page and the Food Science Australia Information Services for more info.
- A large stand mixer. My Kitchen Aid whirs away kneading bread, beating cake batter and whipping eggs. Sunbeam, GE and other companies make them too. I don't sell them, so I won't give you a big sales ptich! Just don't buy an industrial-sized one unless you have an industria-sized family!
- A food processor. Again, a humble one will do. Three blades: one to chop, one to slice and one to shred. Anything is else is, well, "gravy". (Nice but just adds poundage.)
- A crockpot. What a lifesaver!
- An electric skillet. I have my grandma's, and it is great for setting something to simmer for a while, freeing up a burner for another dish.
- A blender. For some things, a food processor just doesn't cut it. Like that well-deserved fruit "smoothie" at the end of a long day of cooking.
NICE TO HAVE:
I probably won't make a lot of friends in the home product sales industry by saying this, BUT - you don't need to spend a lot of money and buy the latest kitchen gizmos! Go to the gourmet kitchen accessory parties if you'd like. Get ideas on short-cuts and learn new techniques. Browse the catalogues - - and then go to Wal-Mart or patronize a yard sale and buy the same thing for a song, instead of the whole opera. Gizmos worth owning:
- A knife sharpener. I hate a dull knife!
- A bread machine. I don't bake bread in it as often as I just use it to knead and rise a small batch of dough.
- A wok (not electric).
- A grain mill.
- A vegetable steamer.
- A dehydrator. Don't go crazy on this one. The cheapo model I use works nicely!
- Freezer containers in the sizes you need for frequent use. Remember that you can recycle commercial containers from dairy products and the deli for short-term storage. Just don't microwave food in them. Something you are going to keep longer than a month, get the real thing; the food quality will suffer otherwise. You can use and re-use freezer bags at your discretion.
NON-ESSENTIALS, BUT NICE:
Probably not worth it, unless you would use it every week:
- A garlic press, peeler or squeezer.
- A rice cooker.
- Anything that you"can't buy in stores". As my parents always say, "If it sounds to good to be true, it probably is!"
If you are just building your kitchen "essentials", remember to start slow and buy carefully. Borrow first to "try before you buy". Ask older and experienced cooks their opinions. And above all, don't blow your budget!
Happy cooking!
Deb | |
by Deb Vaughn