What gets the most use in your kitchen? As we close out the Kitchen Cure this fall, we're going to take mini-trips through our own cupboards and cabinets and look at the humble, unassuming tools that really make our kitchens work. They may not have the glitz of a blender, or the brawny glamour of a stand mixer, but they're the things we reach for over and over when starting a recipe. Here are mine (Faith's) - ten kitchen tools that are always in the dish drainer, waiting to be used again!
It was hard to narrow down exactly what gets the most use, but after a little thought, it seems like these are the tools and cookware that get pulled out of the cupboard over and over again.
TOP ROW
• 1 Metal mixing bowls - Is any explanation required? I use these for everything, especially the biggest one, which is necessary for everything from mixing coleslaw to big batches of cookies. These bowls are practical and inexpensive.
• 2 Mesh strainer - Multi-use, and lightweight. I reach for this to drain pasta, wash fruit and greens, and to strain tea and soups.
• 3 Chef'n Switchit spatula - My favorite spatula. See more about it here.
• 4 Wooden "tasting" spoon - From Crate & Barrel. There's something about the long handle and the small bowl that makes me reach for this first out of all my many wooden spoons.
• 5 Wood cutting board - Cutting boards are always out in my kitchen. They hold cheese and charcuterie, and then of course I pull them out every time I need to chop something!
BOTTOM ROW
• 6 Paring knife - I love this knife. I bought it at the Wok Shop in San Francisco's Chinatown. It's small, but not too small, and wicked sharp. It's almost like a mini chef's knife.
• 7 Chef's knife - My favorite chef's knife is this inexpensive Victorinox 8-inch knife. It's under $30, and a fantastic restaurant-quality knife.
• 8 Microplane - Cheese, spices, lemon — my Microplane handles it all. I am constantly using it.
• 9 3-quart pots - For nightly cooking, I reach for my 3-quart pots. The sauté pan is just right for frittatas and cooking meat. The saucepan is big enough for small batches of pasta, soups, and everything else. When you're cooking for just two or three, these are handy sizes to have around. (These are from Sur La Table's now-discontinued Lagostina line.)
• 10 Commercial-quality jelly roll pans - These steel baking sheets are about $10 or $15 apiece at restaurant supply stores (or Sur La Table and other cooking shops, although you'll probably pay more there). They don't warp, bend, or scratch. They're completely functional and no-nonsense and they're the only kind of baking sheet I use now.
What are your ten most-used kitchen tools? Look for more peeks into our kitchens next week, as The Kitchn staff shows you their own ten most-used.
Related: Ten Things I Love From My Mother's Kitchen
(Images: Faith Durand)
© 2009 Apartment Therapy
Yours are very similar to mine, but I would also add silicone spatula, food processor (I definitely use mine at least 3x a week for dips, purees, doughs, etc.), vegetable peeler, and cast iron skillet that can go straight to the oven.
view lotusmoss's profile
my tongs, my oxo 2 oz. liquid measuring cups, and my 12" chef's knife get used over and over again every day. i finally bought a second oxo measuring cup but i still get protective about using it. (What if i need it to measure something REALLY important and it's already dirty?! Horrors!)
view em's profile
A silicone Spoonula from Williams Sonoma; cast iron frying pan; All-Clad 4 qt stainless saucepan w/lid; a little wooden cutting board with a long handle from Conran's; Wusthof Culinar chef's knife; stainless mixing bowl set
Still looking for just the right wooden spoons (love yours!), more knives, more pots (Staub is next on the list), more mixing bowls (my largest went mixing at my husband's work barbecue).
I'd also like to find black French cookie sheets -- I had the source at one point, but lost it.
view mschatelaine's profile
1. Chef's Knife
2. Cutting boards
3. Tongs
4. 2 qt. pot
5. Frying pan
6. Microplane
7. Measuring cups
8. Mixing bowls
9. Saute pan
10. Gladware
view maddhatter's profile
I have had one of those Chef'n Switchit spatulas for about three years, and I really love it. I've given a lot of them away, too; they make terrific small gifts.
view klt108's profile
Lovely post idea I am going to watch and see what we use over and over this week coming... Actually I know we use our bread board every single meal not always for bread... we probably use it for a million other things too... serving make your own salad, wraps etc ... and so on. In fact I always give a really nice solid bread board as a wedding gift, it is humble and unassuming but used over and over again.
view se7en's profile
Mine are pretty much the same. I love the jelly roll pans -- they're great for everything.
view heather77's profile
1. Chef's knife
2. Cutting boards
3. 3.5 quart covered sauté pan (cuisinart)
4. Silicon spatula
5. Tongs
6. Whisk- for making dressings
7. Grater
8. 3 quart covered saucepan (cuisinart)
9. Mixing bowls
10. Toaster
Pretty good list!
view fizzyizzy's profile
my vita mix blender is the work horse of my kitchen. i hardly eat cooked food anymore.
view SydneyBristow's profile
These are my five favorite tools in my Mexican Kitchen.
I use my espresso maker every morning, my law student beau needs his café.
I'll also heat up some tortillas on my comal for his breakfast burrito.
My cast iron pans will be heirloom kitchenware for my children and their children if I continue to care for them properly.
I prefer my molcajete to a food processor when making mole.
This citrus reamer has made many a margarita and sangria.
view gabrielaskitchen's profile
A giant cutting board is a must in a small kitchen with a double sink. Mine is big enough to almost double my available prep space. I keep it propped behind the sink because putting it away would be pointless.
I would choose my big cast-iron skillet over a saucepan, and my bamboo wok spatula over a wooden spoon, and leave off the microplane, but otherwise I'm totally with you on this list.
view matchbookhymnal's profile
1. Kitchen Shears
2. Microplane
3. Electric Kettle
4. Pyrex measuring cups
5. 8" Chef's knife
6. paring knife
7. digital scale
8. mixing bowls
9. fork
10. spoon
view amlialo's profile
My faves are:
villaware waffle maker: Everyone said I would never use this but I make waffles all the time, they are easier to make than pancakes.
santoku knife, tongs, kitchenaid nonstick pans
I am also a fan of the fork and spoon
view labchick's profile
Coffee pot. (it goes without saying)
Chef's Knife.
Paring Knife.
Cutie Cutup board (tiny cutting board, many uses).
10" Cast Iron Deep Sided pan
Rice pot.
Favorite wooden spoon.
Medium sized water boiling/steaming pot.
Jellyroll sheet pan.
Chopsticks (use constantly for everything - more than tongs).
view talkingcrow's profile