Miracle tools: I've got a plastic contraption that my family only started using in the last few years, and it's been great to have. It's a two-inch high plastic cover about the size of a dinner plate for putting over things in the microwave. It has saved a lot of effort in second plates or paper towels used over food to prevent spatter, is easy to clean if ever needed, and ha made reheating serving-for-one meals much more convenient.
A good knife is a joy to own. My mom has a knife shared a lot in common with mythic thousand-year-old blades forged in ancient times; it was of blackened steel, thin as a paring knife, strong, flexible, amazingly sharp, and never dulled. It was the culinary equivalent of the Green Destiny from Crouching Tiger. It was lost by being discarded with the bones during cooking, and we have never again found its equal. They do not make knives like it, but it has made me always long for knives as thin as possible.
Pots & pans:What I cook is of three types: conventional, non-stick, and glass
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Continued: StylewagemageNovember 20 2007, 09:05:38 UTC
One thing to bear in mind that there is a difference between feeding yourself, learning to cook, cooking well, cooking healthy, cooking cheaply, and cooking for show
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Re: Continued: StylexanthvampNovember 26 2007, 23:33:01 UTC
Andy, you are a god. Serious, this was above and beyond and SO helpful! Thank you SOOO much! Especially the dishes you normally cook, that's awesome.
Oh, and the tomato comment - I survive ;). It's amazing how many dishes out there DON'T use it, hehe. And I also TOTALLY get the dish vs meal comment - I have a problem with that, and ESPECIALLY now that I'm nursing I need to up my veggie intake.
I've got edible food down - tuna, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, hot dogs. I'm onto recipes now.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou. We need to get together at some point. I miss you.
Hi! I followed this thread over from geekcooks and, even though everyone else has pretty much covered everything I could've said, I do have one addition:
This is the absolute best kitchen piece I've ever bought. It can be used for anything from grilling meat to making casseroles to doubling as a wok to just about everything in between. And as long as you never ever wash it in the dishwasher, it'll be your friend for life. I use it *all* the time. Probably one of the best purchases I've ever made.
As a side note, I'm also a huge Pampered Chef fan. I don't spend tons of money there, but their knives kick ass, their hand chopper works better than most food processors I've used, and their bamboo tongs are the most awesome things since my Everyday Pan. =P
I think I had a Pampered Chef catalog once, I'll have to look for it again. I know I have Tastefully Simple. But people keep mentioning Pampered Chef, so it's definitely worth a look.
On the subject of knives: It is more than worth the money to buy one very, very good general-purpose knife (7-8" chef or santoku). I'm using a Henckels Twin Cuisine 7" santoku right now, and I loves it dearly. The rest of my set - bread knife, boning knife, paring knife, steak knives, and shears - was a $50 block from Target. They're important to have around from time to time, but you really can use a good chef knife or santoku for almost anything. Plan to spend around $100 on your big knife, or don't bother getting one yet.
Pots'n'Pans:
A good 14" wok, stainless steel with a flat bottom, will be your new best friend. You can cook just about anything in it - sure, teh size is a bit much for many things, but hey, it's handy, and better to have too much room than too little. You should also have a decent-sized dutch oven or stockpot - think 6-7 quarts - and a smallish saucepot for, well, sauces.
Cast iron rules, but you have got to take care of it properly. Stainless steel is almost as good, as long as it has a nice, thick
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Thank you for all the info, it is wonderfully helpful. As I pack for the move I plan on taking stock of what I have now, then adding/adjusting as needed. :D
Seconding several other comments: We can do much better to help if you let us know what sort of cooking you like most. I know you've got a freakish aversion to tomatoes, but other than that: what do you want to cook?
7. Cooking utensils. Pearing Knife, Butcher Knife, Bread knife. Potato peeler. Mixing spoons. Ladel(s). Noodle Spoon. Spatulas. Meat fork. Tongs. I'm personally not a fan of the rubber mixing spatulas. Whisks are great, but most of the time can be done with a fork with a bit more effort.
Comments 33
I've got a plastic contraption that my family only started using in the last few years, and it's been great to have. It's a two-inch high plastic cover about the size of a dinner plate for putting over things in the microwave. It has saved a lot of effort in second plates or paper towels used over food to prevent spatter, is easy to clean if ever needed, and ha made reheating serving-for-one meals much more convenient.
A good knife is a joy to own. My mom has a knife shared a lot in common with mythic thousand-year-old blades forged in ancient times; it was of blackened steel, thin as a paring knife, strong, flexible, amazingly sharp, and never dulled. It was the culinary equivalent of the Green Destiny from Crouching Tiger. It was lost by being discarded with the bones during cooking, and we have never again found its equal. They do not make knives like it, but it has made me always long for knives as thin as possible.
Pots & pans:What I cook is of three types: conventional, non-stick, and glass ( ... )
Reply
Reply
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Oh, and the tomato comment - I survive ;). It's amazing how many dishes out there DON'T use it, hehe. And I also TOTALLY get the dish vs meal comment - I have a problem with that, and ESPECIALLY now that I'm nursing I need to up my veggie intake.
I've got edible food down - tuna, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, hot dogs. I'm onto recipes now.
Thankyouthankyouthankyou. We need to get together at some point. I miss you.
Reply
Reply
Thanks hon! :D
Reply
This is the absolute best kitchen piece I've ever bought. It can be used for anything from grilling meat to making casseroles to doubling as a wok to just about everything in between. And as long as you never ever wash it in the dishwasher, it'll be your friend for life. I use it *all* the time. Probably one of the best purchases I've ever made.
As a side note, I'm also a huge Pampered Chef fan. I don't spend tons of money there, but their knives kick ass, their hand chopper works better than most food processors I've used, and their bamboo tongs are the most awesome things since my Everyday Pan. =P
Good luck!
~Megan
Reply
I think I had a Pampered Chef catalog once, I'll have to look for it again. I know I have Tastefully Simple. But people keep mentioning Pampered Chef, so it's definitely worth a look.
Reply
Pots'n'Pans:
A good 14" wok, stainless steel with a flat bottom, will be your new best friend. You can cook just about anything in it - sure, teh size is a bit much for many things, but hey, it's handy, and better to have too much room than too little. You should also have a decent-sized dutch oven or stockpot - think 6-7 quarts - and a smallish saucepot for, well, sauces.
Cast iron rules, but you have got to take care of it properly. Stainless steel is almost as good, as long as it has a nice, thick ( ... )
Reply
Thank you for all the info, it is wonderfully helpful. As I pack for the move I plan on taking stock of what I have now, then adding/adjusting as needed. :D
Reply
Reply
Reply
Reply
7. Cooking utensils. Pearing Knife, Butcher Knife, Bread knife. Potato peeler. Mixing spoons. Ladel(s). Noodle Spoon. Spatulas. Meat fork. Tongs. I'm personally not a fan of the rubber mixing spatulas. Whisks are great, but most of the time can be done with a fork with a bit more effort.
Reply
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