What do I need?
My completely unhelpful answer is: It depends. Kitchen needs change as you move through life; the needs of someone fresh out of school and setting up an apartment are much different from an empty-nester whose five kids have flown the coop. But there are a few things that everyone needs.
- A heavy-bottomed pot. Two is better – a two-quart pot and a larger one. The two-quart is a good size for everyday tasks: making rice or mac-n-cheese, say; the larger pot will be handy for making larger amounts of soups, stews, and sauces, as well as cooking up pasta for a crowd or mashing potatoes.
- A heavy-bottomed frying pan. This may be called a skillet or sauté pan, depending on the brand, but this is a pan you can make almost anything in – even sauces in a pinch.
- A non-stick frying pan. Sometimes manufacturers will call this an omelet pan, and it really is indispensible for eggs and anything with cheese.
- A whisk.
- Tongs.
- A spatula. Some people call them flippers or turners – not little rubber spatulas (though those are also handy), this is a flat utensil for flipping meats or fish.
- Rubber spatulas. It's good to have a few different sizes of these, for different applications. Also good if you spring for the heat-resistant ones.
- A plastic cutting board, for meats.
- A wooden cutting board, for everything else.
10. A decent knife set. Frankly, I've done well with Farberware, which is cheap and available at big-box stores. You can get away with fairly inexpensive knives, especially if you learn how to hone and sharpen them yourself, and keep honing/sharpening tools in your kitchen.
11. Kitchen towels. Some people call them tea-towels or hand-towels. They can be used for just about everything – as pot holders, as towels, as strainers, as non-slip surfaces.
There are a lot of specialty items out there, but Alton Brown and I agree: there is no need for uni-taskers! Do you really need a meat mallet? Or can you maybe buy a hammer instead? Just a toaster? Why not spring for a toaster/oven combo? Just a food processor? Look into blenders with processor attachments instead.
I got my tools. Now what?
Now that you have "hardware" covered, it's time to look at "software": your pantry. And by pantry I don't simply mean the food on your shelves; it can also mean the food in your fridge and the food you make sure to buy on every shopping trip because you know you'll use it up.
A good pantry is made up of things you like to eat often, and ingredients that can keep for a while, can be very versatile, and can help you whip something up without having to run to the store everyday. Most people's pantries have canned goods, dried pastas, spices, common vegetables (onions, carrots, garlic, tomatoes), salt and pepper, baking needs (flour, sugar, butter), and cooking/flavoring media (different oils, vinegars, rubs, and pastes for cooking, marinades, and dressings).
Your pantry will be as unique as you are. Mine, for example, skews heavily to Italian, Mexican, and old-fashioned American cooking, as those are my go-to culinary genres. Some people's pantries will be Asian-influenced, or Vegan, or diabetic, or low-carb.
To get started, think about your favorite foods. What flavors go into them? Look up the recipes and see what sorts of ingredients they use. Write down ones that appear in multiple recipes. Those will be the ingredients with which you start your pantry. Keep your grocery lists for a month or two, and see what you keep buying. These items are your pantry, and you may be able to buy them in bulk to save money. Consult your friends and family, as well; they may have the best-stocked kitchen on the block!
Fresh, frozen, or canned: The Great Vegetable Debate
You may have heard that fresh vegetables are where it's at, nutritionally speaking, and I won't dispute that. Fresh veggies are the best if you plan to use them immediately, eat them raw or slightly cooked, or throw them in a salad.
But if veggies are out of season or you plan to use them in a soup, stew, or otherwise cook the hell out of them, frozen and canned are the way to go. If you can find a veggie frozen, that's always preferable in terms of nutritional content and texture, so spring for those frozen green beans or edamame.
Very few veggies survive canning well. Tomatoes are about the only really great canned vegetable out there, followed up by beans, which, of course, aren't really vegetables! It's perfectly acceptable (and easier on both pocketbook and your time) to use canned tomatoes and beans when making a sauce, soup, or stew. Look for organic and all-natural brands – and check the ingredients list – to make sure you're getting only the ingredient you're looking for.
So how do I know how to cook this stuff?!
With the rise of the Food Network and the celebrity chef, it may seem like there are entirely too many recipes to choose from these days. But don't be intimidated by this bounty! Realize that you can try making things in several different ways until you find the recipe you like best.
But first, start with the basics. I recommend every home cook own a copy of the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook. It comes in a red checkered cover, and it has sections on how to choose a cheese or a bread, how to bake a cake, which cuts of meat are best for which applications, and dozens of other tips for beginners (and those of us who can always learn something new!). Almost every edition of the BH&G is different, so if you find one at a thrift store or used bookstore, snap it up!
The Joy Of Cooking is a slightly more advanced resource. It's much larger than the BH&G, and gives many more far-ranging tips, but it is also an invaluable resource in the kitchen.
Once you have these basics, you can fill out your collection with whatever books catch your eye or your taste buds. There is a cookbook out there for any taste and any skill level, not to mention all the recipes available for download at sites like AllRecipes.com, Epicurious.com, and FoodNetwork.com.
Once you've found a few recipes that sound good to you, try them! Don't be surprised if they don't work exactly right the first time, or if you want to add or subtract something. Every recipe is merely a starting point: you can put your own personal spin on any dish, and in trying new things, you'll be reinforcing the basic skills necessary to make the recipe.
Now that you have a few recipes in your repertoire, call your friends!
Entertaining doesn't have to be fancy
What do you remember most about the last time you got together with your friends? The food? The plates on which it was served? The tablecloth and napkins? Of course not. You remember having a great time! So if no one remembers that stuff, is it even important? Yes, but probably not in the way you might think.
If there hadn't been enough plates or silverware, or if there were no napkins to be found, you would remember that. If the meal was cold, or poorly prepared, or made you ill, you would remember that. In other words, while the table settings and the food may not be the focal point of a gathering, their absence is very keenly felt, indeed.
Making sure you have a full complement of dishes and silverware, enough chairs for your guest list, and that you have mastered at least one tasty recipe is all you need to successfully carry off a dinner party. Candles and china and Grandma's silver are nice touches, but gracious entertaining is about providing everything your guests will need to the best of your abilities with good cheer and kindness. If you plan to entertain at a traditional mealtime, make sure you offer your guests a meal. If you're entertaining in the off-times, offer something to drink and maybe a snack – some cheese and crackers, chips and dip, veggie sticks, or cookies are all easy to keep on hand, and if your guests don't eat them, you always can!
Cooking at home is economical, healthful, and a wonderful way to show love to yourself and to your friends and family. Home cooked food is comforting, and a great way to cap off your day. I hope you'll use some of these tips and become the food guru for your social circle!
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