“Like cookbooks, kitchen equipment is a talisman; people believe that buying the right kind will make them good cooks.” ~ Mark Bittman, New York Times, May 9
But do you need to splurge on it? That’s the question Mark Bittman of The New York Times explored yesterday. His theory: You can adequately stock a kitchen for $300. He accomplished that by shopping mostly at restaurant supply stores. Ah, restaurant supply stores. In my culinary school days in Houston, I frequented these places quite a bit. I could spend hours there. The great thing is they’re inexpensive and you can buy good quality items. Maybe they don’t come branded with celebrity chef names, and maybe they don�t look as pretty, but they do the job well. The truth is, when it comes to kitchen equipment, I think little of what I buy in addition to my basics is the result of legitimate need. So Bittman has a point.
I�ve had to cook in poorly stocked kitchens. Don’t get me wrong, mine is very humble. By poorly stocked, I mean no kitchen knife (only those serrated steak knives), no colander, only one pot … The colander I can do without. There�s always turning the pot over the sink with the lid still on. My best friend is a master at that. But what in my kitchen can�t I live without (aside from pots and pans)?
Absolutely can’t do without:
- A knife. One that actually cuts. And for that, you don’t need to spend $100. Bittman paid $10. I paid $9 for an Ikea knife, which works very well. It’s light and the right size for me (the knife I have from culinary school is great, but it’s almost the size of my forearm, which doesn’t help my still-in-need-of-perfecting knife skills).
- Tongs. OK, they might not be a must, or maybe they are, but they are by far one of my favorite kitchen utensils.
- Colander. Even if I can do the pot trick, I need one.
- Cutting board. The absolute need for this one is debatable, but cutting on a counter or plate is annoying.
- Measuring cups
- Can opener. Not that I care much for canned goods, but you just need this one.
- Grater. I find that I use graters mainly for cheese, so I love hand graters.
Can survive without if needed, but would rather not:
- Kitchen scissors. My mom uses them to cut chives to sprinkle on salads. I know a knife will do, but they’re a pretty handy tool.
- Strainer. This one might seem really necessary, but I did without one for a while and survived. Keep in mind that I cook simple dishes.
- Measuring spoons
- Some sort of spoon. Whether slotted or not, you need spoons.
- Ladle
- Spatula
There are obviously other items, aside from the pots and pans, which are nice to have or you’ll eventually need. From Bittman’s shopping list, I could forgo the mandolin, the food processor, the coffee grinder. Things I’ve done without, but really should buy from his list: a salad spinner and a loaf pan (so I don’t have to make zucchini bread into muffins.)
Ahhh…since I am in the process of equipping my kitchen…this post is coming in handy…
Saw that article too! There’s a restaurant supply store a block away from the hotel I ususally stay in NYC, and I have bought many cheap, useful utensils from them.
I owned many cheap knifes that worked well, but required lots of sharpening and I’m lazy. Then I splurged for a nice 8″ chef’s. Now I inherited my wife’s Custcos, and they are great for me because I like a heavy knife. Serrated bread knife also a must.
I think a filleting knife is essential for fish, to remove the skin.
What you don’t need is a collection of knifes you won’t use.
I use a mortar and pestle a lot.
Cutting board is a must (see knife sharpening above) I like the plastic ones because they are easy to clean.
I like cheese graters, but I also have a slicer (not the kind with the wire, the one that looks like a wood planer) which i use instead of a grater for salads. The thinnest, filmy slices of parmesan. Yum.
The slicers are great. You can slice cucumbers and carrots and add those filmy slices to salads. It looks nice.
I agree with the plastic cutting board. The wood looks nice but it’s not as convenient.
Your comment on a filleting knife reminded me of the slicing knife I have. It is the sharpest knife I own and it came in very handy during the holidays to slice the ham I made. The hollow edge doesn’t allow the knife to stick to the meat, which makes slicing a breeze.
I have to find a good kitchen supplies store here in Miami. Maybe a topic for a future post.