Knowing how to equip your kitchen is not for the faint of heart! There are so MANY super, dandy, and colored types that often we get overwhelmed. We are told we need SETS of pots and pans and that you MUST have a ton, so you are left holding your head thinking what DO I really need to have a good basically amount ans types of pans, pots and cookware to have an adequately equipped kitchen to get started? Where to most home makers start? Ah! Gift registries for Target, Bed, Bath and Beyond ? Yeah! They will help me list what I want and and need! Right? And then there is Williams and Sonoma, and Nordstrom's for the higher priced stuff. Sometimes folks have a tendency to focus on brands or color coordinating rather than prioritizing what you need for the core foundational pieces. Even more importantly knowing the amount of of TIME you have to devote to cooking and the assessing the level of cooking knowledge or proficiency can make a big difference in your choice and budget.
Do you want to learn to be a great cook or baker? Then your equipment needs to be specific. Wouldn't it be great for someone to create a beginner, moderate and experienced cooking packages like a "kitchen in a box"? Or perhaps " beginning baker in a box". Depending on how you would rate your level of experience? Kind of like "bed in a bag".
Maybe you want to keep it simple, use a crock-pot, and forget the rest? I am here to tell you it does not take a lot, just good basics. Beginners should consider having the following:
Beginner's Kitchen ( If Some Had Only Told Me 35 years Ago!)
1. Measuring tools-cups,spoons,metal and plastic and some extra large wooden stir spoons, and extra separate tablespoons and teaspoons.
2. Spatulas, that are silicone heat resistant, at least 4-6. Some small little skinny ones to get in small places.
3. Bowls- lots of nested ones from small to extra large one. Some plastic, metal and ceramic. Pick up a bunch of cheep ones at discount stores like TJ Max, Marshall's and Dollar stores. Always go white or clear and stainless and you won't have to try to match anything. Shallow, deep,oval, round and square shapes dishes you can use for anything. You can prepare food in them and serve in them as well. 8-12 of everything at a minimum.
3. Flatware- a set for at least 12-24. I know it sounds like a lot but you will never regret having lots. Buy extra forks and teaspoons and soup spoons. Done. Stay super simple not real stylized.
4. Dishes- Plane white or cream ROUND dinner plates, ROUND desert plates and soup/salad bowls. Three finger handled coffee mugs. All plane, solid white or cream. Trust me, this is like a canvas for everything else. Really, trust me, you may tire of any solid colored ones you get, they chip and show a white ceramic core and look tacky fast. You can add some accent pieces later!
5. Table linens- Get lots of white table cloths and napkins. Hand the table cloths on a hanger in a closet so they are always ready for use. You can add rich color in a lot of other ways with place mats and fabric table runners and napkins. Most importantly you can bleach the heck out of them, iron them up, use them over and over and they will always feel like you are ready for company, they are elegant and environmentally friendly. You also need to gather over time a few colors that will take you through most seasons and holidays: Black, Red or Burgundy and Green.
6. Cookware- I am not a huge fan of set of pans but you will need 1 small fry, 1 medium fry, 1 large fry skillet, 1 dutch oven, 1 large soup pot, 1 small pot, 1, & 2 & 3 quart sauce pans, and 1 medium non-stick Teflon type. One cast iron medium to large skillet.
TIP: Try Tramontina Cookware which you can get at Walmart or Target for darn good prices. But be aware price has it advantages and disadvantages. You will have to really watch your temperatures more carefully with lower priced pots and pans.
DO NOT BUY ALL ALUMINUM PANS~It is generally agreed they leech too much metal into the food you make and it is unknown what that does to folks over time. Better to stick with stainless steel.
7. Baking Dishes- Stick with basic white, or cream, stainless or clear glass with lids. 1- 6x6 size,
2-9x13, rectangle 1-8x9 square 2- 9 inch round all about 2 1/2 inch tall.
8.Cookie Sheet, Muffin Tins and a pizza pan- Two good quality cookie sheets, and one regular muffin tin and a jelly roll pan ( a cookie sheet with sides).
9. Knives- All knives need to be sharpened! Don't believe anyone who says differently! Get a middle of the road chopping knife, a bread knife, a carving knife and fillet knife and two really good paring knives and a set (yes this is a set exception, of steak knives 8. Use the knives as they are intended for and don't just grab any knife to do any job. You will wear them out quicker, bend them or ruin them. Get a sharpener of some sort and keep them sharpened!
10. Misc-You will want to get a peeler, grater, and a strainer as well and you should be set to cook a ton of stuff without getting any thing else.
There are so many choices that it can make you feel as if picking up take-out may not be such a bad idea! But don't succumb to that notion. You can do it just keep it simple and think sturdy and functional more than style an you will do great.Though buying SETS is not my favorite thing, this is definitely one you won't go wrong with. They are called Tramolina. Though All Clad is my favorite and will last your life time they come at a premium price. All high end kitchen stores carry All Clad.
You will find another brand called Tramolina at Walmart, Target, and online Amazon.com which are great places to take a look at them quickly, and if you want to touch them and feel the weight of them you can find them usually in stock. They offer a variety of different affordable cookware that looks really nice, but often are really crappy. So hopefully this will shorten your failure to land on a good set without going through a bunch of losers One consideration is you also need to think about the handles.
They are not covered so most often you will need a hot pad or silicone glove to handle lids. Since the handles have some length to them you can handle them most often without. The use of aluminum pans is now not recommended but because aluminum is such a great heat conductor it is still used as a light weight metal in the core of most cookware. Most boast of double or triple- layer some-thing or another, which may use copper as well .
The biggest problem with most inexpensive cookware I have experienced is uneven cooking or "hot spots" when using certain pans. There is also the issue of whether you cook with gas or electric. Most pro's prefer gas. It's easier to control the temp and turn off the heat without having to move the whole pan off the burner. But I have cooked on a pretty modest electric range tops most of my life and done fine. Well, those are my suggestions for stocking a basic kitchen. Hope it was helpful. Tell me what you would add, delete or think I am crazy for suggesting! Happy cooking!
