As with anything else in the kitchen, planning is key, so it’s time to talk Kitchen Essentials. Below are some of my favorite kitchen tools; the pots, pans and knives I reach for on a daily basis.
As you can see, I’m not hung up on matching — colors and like brands don’t mater to me, but what is important, is quality. Each one of these tools was a considerable investment, but I know that as long as I care for them properly, each one will last for a very long time.
If you don’t want to make the investment now, find just one pot and one pan and an all around knife, a silicone spoon or spatula and a pair of tongs along with a good cutting board and you’ve got the beginnings of a well-stocked kitchen.
Let’s take a look at what I’m showing you here:
Stainless Steel Pots & Pans
- 2 quart All Clad saucepan
- 10 inch All Clad nonstick skillet
- 4 quart All Clad sauté pan
- 8 quart All Clad stockpot
Cast Iron Pots & Pans
- 1.5 quart Le Creuset “bean pot” (I’m pretty sure this was a limited edition, but there are plenty of other options out there)
- 4 quart Staub cocotte
- 6 ” Staub round gratin
- 4 Staub quart braiser
Knives
- 3.5″ Global paring knife
- 5.5″ Global vegetable knife
- 8″ Global chef’s knife
- Shun Kaji cleaver
- Shun Kaji Boning Knife
- Shun Kaji Bread Knife
Check your local outlet stores. These manufacturers send “seconds” to the discounters and unless you can’t stand an almost imperceptible nick or scratch, these are as good as the much more expensive first quality pieces you’ll find in the retail stores.
And a note: I took a few years to pursue my hobby and worked at Williams-Sonoma. I loved learning about the products and sharing my knowledge and talking about food with customers. During my 3 years with the company I had the opportunity to teach numerous classes and although I never received product in exchange for blog posts, I did win prizes and make purchases at an incredible employee discount which gave me hands on experience with so many wonderful products.
Up Next … Potato – Truffle Gratin for just 5 points!
