Walking into a kitchen supply store might leave you a bit frazzled, especially if you are new to cooking. It can feel overwhelming and intimidating to look at all of the gadgets and gizmos they have available in some of these places. If you are a novice chef who just needs the basics to get started, this article is for you. Below you will find a few tools to get your journey started without spending a fortune on tools you may never use.
A large sauté pan, sauce-pan and stock pot: These three pots and pans are the bare essentials for anyone starting to cook. The saute pan and sauce-pan will be used most frequently with the stock pot in at a close third. Have a few different sizes of each variety is nice, but it’s not necessary while you are still learning.
3 different sized mixing bowls: Mixing bowls are a must! Whether you are tossing a salad, marinading meat, or mixing up a pizza crust, having a variety of sizes of mixing bowls is helpful. They can be glass or plastic, just make sure they are durable and microwave safe.
3 high quality knives: A paring knife a butchers knife and something serrated are definitely helpful in the kitchen when you are getting started. If there is anything tool you want to spend your money on, knives are probably at the top of the list.
Whisk: Some will tell you that a fork is suitable for whisking some ingredients together, but truth is they typically don’t incorporate enough air into the food. Plus, they speed up mixing when you are trying to multi-task on a recipe. Having more than one size is helpful, but not required.
Several cutting boards: At least two if you are a minimalist. As long as you keep it clean and dry, a cutting board should last you a long time. A wooden board is good for fruits and veggies, but you will probably want to use a plastic one for your meats, fish and poultry. The plastic is less porous and easier to disinfect.
Tongs with long handle: Keep your hands safe while flipping food in the pan or moving things around in the oven. Any good cook will keep these on hand at all times.
Spatula: Find one that is heat-resistant so you can scrap all of that rice out of the hot sauce pan or gravy out of the pot.
Grater: Cheese, garlic, ginger, you name it. There are a lot of things that can be grated in recipes! A simple box grater is sturdy and usually gets the job done.
Wooden spoons: You have got to stir your food. Wood is nice because it doesn’t transfer heat to your hands (ouch!) and they won’t scratch the surface of pans. Best part of all, they are inexpensive!
Measuring cups and spoons: Eye-balling ingredients is something it can take a chef months or years to learn. Start out right and get some plastic or glass measuring cups to start learning the proportions.
Blender: A MUST-have for someone on a quest to eat healthy while keeping the gadgets to a minimum. There are several on the market that can do everything to include making a smoothie, blending up dough, preparing salsa and even making soup! After knives, this is definitely one gadget you may want to invest in.
Happy Cooking!
