apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

i would say that organizing your spices is a good step towards efficiency and saving space in the kitchen. i invested in about 30 or so small clear glass bottles from the container store and put some on a hanging spice rack from ikea the rest are in the same glass bottles but on a rack that goes inside of drawer. now when i am cooking, i do not struggle with spice containers of varying size and shape. everything is in the same general area and it's all clearly labeled (using self-adhesive mailing labels printed on my color printer). it looks very neat, clean and sharp. it's a little thing but it made a big difference in my overall kitchen experience.

I like the list of essential kitchen tools that Clotilde over at Chocolate & Zucchini put together. You can link to it by clicking on the URL associated with this post. It's in 3 parts.

What I've found very useful in my small apt kitchen is Cuisinart's Griddler. I've made paninis and quesadillas, grilled mini slider burgers, cooked breakfast on it and have also used it as a table grill for Japanese Yakiniku (which is kind of a grill your own meats and veggies deal).

I cook a lot of soups and my immersion blender is a godsend. i also use it to puree smoothies for breakfast. Takes up MUCH less space than a conventional countertop blender.

I also agree with tee's tip on spices -- I have mine in those magnetic tins on the side of my fridge/near the stove. I also have them organized by ethnic type; ie italian spices in one row, indian in another, mexican/spanish a third row. Makes it fast and easy to find any spice.

I live in a tiny apartment with a even tinier kitchen with only 3 drawers and a few cupboards to hold dishes and pots and pans AND food....
So here is my recommendation for the
chef's knife 8" - 10" (I prefer 10")
slicer
paring knife
10" fry pan (my 12" has gone into storage)
8" fry pan
3 qt sauce pan
6 qt stock pot
- these I believe are the essentials -
when I first moved out I survived with 1 wok to do ALL my cooking (even soups), a veggie cleaver and a paring knife.

I couldn't agree more with 2T about the immersion blender in a small kitchen, especially when it comes with the cuisinart attachment. I use it in so many ways... soups, salad dressings, pestos, purees, sauces, etc. I couldn't imagine my kitchen without it.

I'd also say a cutting board larger than you think you need with some sticky rug grippy stuff cut into strips to hold it in place. my super huge one stretches well over my sink, and the grippy stuff keeps it from flipping away from me. I use it for chopping, but also for kneading bread, etc, etc.

And lastly, forgo your knife block and get a magnetic strip on the wall... actually, forgo all things that need to sit on a counter... the wall is your best friend in a small kitchen. get a grid to hang stuff off of, and hang your spice rack and your utensil holder, and your pot hooks, and as much as you can. it makes a huge difference

We're living in our basement while we remodel our kitchen, and our laundry room is serving as our food-prep area. I wholeheartedly agree with Faith that you should store the items you intend to ditch, so that you can reclaim the things you'll inevitably regret giving up. (Did I think I'd use my hand-mixer? Nope. But after whipping egg whites by hand once, I went out and bought a $10 cheap-o from the drugstore, because my real mixer is too far packed away to get to.)

I received an immersion blender for Christmas and I use it daily for any variety of things. I was lucky to get a Cuisinart (or was it KitchenAid?) model that, besides being really quiet, has a bevy of attachments including the normal stick blade, a whisk and a small food processor.

The whisk is perfect for pudding, zabaglione, lemon curd, or any of the custards I like to keep in the fridge for night-time snacking. The stick blade is great for soups but I make a lot of one-glass smoothies in the cup that came with it. Lastly, I make a lot more vinegrettes, and other emulsions when I can use the small processor bowl (holds maybe a pint) without having to lug out the full size food processor.

That's my must have. Other than that, all you really need is a good chef knife and pair of tongs.

Get thee to a book store [or to Amazon] and buy "The Itty Bitty Kitchen Handbook: Everything You Need to Know About Setting Up and Cooking in the Most Ridiculously Small Kitchen in the World--Your Own", by Justin Spring. The appropriately tiny book is chock full of practical info about stocking, arranging and cooking in a tiny kitchen.

The author, a New Yorker, grew up on a 36-foot catamaran where the kitchen consisted of a camp stove, ice chest and bucket, so he should know. And he does--the book also includes simple recipes totally doable in the tiniest of kitchens. Some of the recipes are a little TOO simple, really, but the rest of the book is worth its weight in gold--and certainly worth the $12.95 or so price tag.

I have the smallest kitchen, and it serves two people. Here's what I have:

--one cast iron and one non stick skillet (i just got the non stick for things like crepes).
--two med. pots, two large pots, and a dutch oven, all with lids.
--a kitchen aid, and a toaster. My oven has a broiler--but if your's doesn't, I'd get a toaster oven, instead of a taoster. Also, I do NOT have a microwave.
--a tea kettle and french press.
--two cookie sheets, two silicone loaf pans and muffin tins, a set of pyrex baking dishes (9x13, 8 sq., and round), a pie tin, and two cookie racks.
--three pyrex mixing bowls, and one large stainless steel one. The pyrex can double as serving bowls, since they are simple, and not ugly. Alternatively, you can get cool serving bowls, and have them double as miing bowls.

as for serving I have:
one pasta bowl
one medium serving bowl
one covered casserole dish
two pitchers
and I want a cake stand and a oval platter.

and for utensils, I only have one chef's knife, a bread knife, a paring knife, a pair of kitchen scissors, a micro-plane grater, which works for zesting, and grating. I have lots of spoons and bamboo spatulas, and whisks, but no more than three of each.

place settings: I have 8 of each (salad plates, entree bowls, and dinner plates), and small tumblers that double as wine tumblers. an odd assortment of mugs, and a couple cereal bowls.

these are all pretty basic things--but some are adjusted to my needs. If I were a more exotic cook, I'd probably get a wok instead of the second skillet. I don't need two stock pots, etc. But I don't find that I especially want anything more. sometimes I have to make do, but it's never too bad!

I will again put in a vote for hanging things on the wall and immersion blenders.

I'm a sucker for good gear and my kitchen is a tiny city galley here a a couple of my organizational tricks:

There's a security grate on my back door which with the addition of some S hooks allows me to hang sautee pan, non-stick fry pan and wok.

Inspired after reading a biography of Julia Child, the best investment I ever made was $2.50 bar or small hooks at the hardware store that allows me to hang gadgets. I bought three and have a much method than better than digging around in drawers and get to see everything.

I also bought a lid organizer that hangs on the wall. This puts lids within reach of the stove PLUS means I can stack pans lids free.

Since you were specific that your new apartment is "tiny, tiny" then multifunctionality and space efficiency are very important. I too have tiny, tiny galley kitchen. So here's my suggestions:

1) Cutlery: I agree with the magnetic strip. Knife blocks are a waste of space. As for the cutlery itself, you could easily survive on one very good, very high quality chef's knife, one high quality paring knife, hardware store shears, a sharpening steel and a sharpening stone. Yeah, that's right - only two knives. With practice, a good cook can use a chef's knife for practically everything - every paring veggies and fruits in a pinch. A good, sharp chef's knife can peel the skin off a tomato, slice a loaf of bread, julienne a bag of carrots, dice garlic and debone a chicken. Relying on only a few knives will also force you to develop your knife skills.

2) Mixing bowls - forget those hefty ceramic bowls. They look pretty, but they take up too much space. Instead, buy a set of nonreactive stacking stainless steel mixing bowls. They stack and are thin so they don't take up much space, they are light and thus easily to handle, they clean easy and you can drop them on the floor and they won't shatter into a million pieces. I used to work in commercial kitchens - there's a reason you don't find ceramic bowls in a professional kitchen.

3) Basic tools -

one medium sized wire wisk - this is your basic mix shit together tool. Its also useful for beating egg whites and whipping cream in a pinch if your egg beaters break.

one heatproof rubber spatula

a couple of wooden mixing spoons

instant read digital meat thermometer - they tend to be smaller and flatter than the older style mechanical ones

rolling pin

metal ladle and metal mixing spoon

one or two hot dog tongs - these are SO important. don't bother with that sure-grip, brushed steel crap from Williams Sonoma and such. you want your basic, old school, spring loaded hot dog tongs with the scalloped edges - the kind you can get from a Chinatown kitchen supply store for $3. I can guarantee you, even the finest chefs at the finest four star restaurants will have a one or two of these bad boys permanently hooked to their aprons at all times. you can use them to stir stuff in a saute pan, flip a tenderloin under a broiler, stir and taste broth, hold down a roast chicken for carving, grab a recalcitrant piece of toast from the toaster, toss a salad, and as a serving tool. whoever invented these things was a genius.

a whole mess o' white barmop towels/rags - these are another increbily simple, cheap but versatile tool. you can wipe up messes with them, scrub greasy stovetops, clean drips of plates when serving, act as a potholder when folded a few times, etc. Why white - because you can bleach them in the wash to sanitize them, something you can't do with a colored dish towel.

measuring spoons and cups - basic metal ones that fit inside each other are best - again, save the space!

pyrex liquid measuring cup (two cup version)

a fine guage wire mesh sieve with handle - not only can you use it to strain liquids and sauces, but the larger kind can double as a colander. its two tools in one. you can't do the reverse with a colander.

big ole cutting board - as far as sanitation, its a coin toss b/w plastic vs. wood. however, again with the space concerns, the plastic ones are thinner and thus take up less space. just remember - keep 'em clean, keep 'em sanitary.

a can opener, a waiter's tool (aka combo corkscrew/bottle opener) and a vegetable peeler. for all three, don't scrimp. Cheap crappy can openers will dull before you know. And cheap vegetable peelers, in my experience, sometimes don't even do a good job even when brand new.

plastic spatula - why plastic - because it won't scratch nonstick coated pans, that's why!

4) Pots and Pans - Buy good quality with solid handles that are riveted or have solid welds. Also should heavy bottoms for even heat distribution.

a 3 qt. saucepan with lid - its useful for everything

a stock pot - for soups and pasta

a cast iron skillet - for searing meat, making pancakes and tons of other things - buy it from a hardware store

a ten- or twelve-inch nonstick frying pan

a 3 qt. saute pan with lid

That's about all you need. If you have room, you could add an enamelized dutch oven from Le Creuset. they're very handy and versatile.

6) Misc -

French press - far less space than a drip coffee maker or espresso machine

Electric egg beaters

Egg timer

Tea kettle

Toaster

A roasting pan.

A jelly roll or sheet pan.

7) Applicances - I'm kind of a minimalist. I've gotten along quite well without a blender or a food processor or a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. All these things are nice (esp. the lustworthy KitchenAid mixers), but you won't use them 90% of the time and they take up space. In the case of the stand mixer, they take up a LOT of space and very heavy to boot. Unless you plan on making fresh bread every week, you can do with the stand mixer. About the only thing that's really hard without these gadgets is pureeing (those one handed electric mashery things are a nice compromise and they are small to boot)

Lots of great suggestions here. Just to add my two cents:

-go for a cast iron reversible grill pan/griddle instead of a cast iron pan. They are versatile and store well in odd narrow spaces (like next to your stove or alongside cookie sheets). With practice you can even scramble eggs on the griddle side despite the lack of depth. Great for entertaining or cooking for yourself - paninis, pancakes, grilled meats, etc.

-I, too, love my immersion blender.

-The Adjust-A-Cup measuring cup and spoons are great.

-Ikea has lots of wall-mount organization systems. Rails that will accommodate containers for cooking utensils, cutting boards, paper towels, bottle racks, spice storage...pretty much everything. They also have a magnetic knife strip (I highly recommend knife strips as a space saver).

-Keep everything you can off your countertop. In a small kitchen, prep space is a big priority (the above cutting board over the sink suggestion is a great one). Also, the space will seem larger if the countertop isn't cluttered. Put as much as you can on the walls or in other areas outside the kitchen. I keep most of my serving dishes in the dining area and fetch them as needed.

-The Container Store has lots of solutions for creating added storage space. Their over-the-door "pantry" shelving/rack system is on my list of things to buy.

Here's another vote for the Cuisinart Immersion Blender. It's only $50 (1/3 the price of the one they sell at W-S) and fills in for so many other tools while storing small. I use mine all the time. And the magnetic knife-strip on the wall is another great piece of advice.

A lot of people have been mentioning spice racks: I say skip that altogether. Most of the time you will never use enough of a particular spice to warrant buying a whole container; it will go completely stale well before you've used 1/3 of it. I buy most things in the bulk section of my local Coop as I need them in tiny quantities, and just keep a nutmeg grater (a very tiny one) with a nutmeg in it. I also keep a jar of bay leaves and one of red pepper flakes in the freezer. If you use one thing a lot, like curry powder or cinnamon, just keep that one jar in your cupboard instead of having 20 little jars and a rack.

I agree with Kate on the buying small quantities of herbs and spices. However, I'm not sure I'd store them in a freezer - freezers are rather harsh environments - I'd be nervous about the freezer essentially destroying the delicate flavors of dried spices (or, in the case of red pepper flakes, breaking down the oils)

Has anyone seared meat on those reversible grill/griddle contraptions? Not grilled, but seared. Are they thick enough? I've used them before, and they struck me as being thinner than a normal cast iron pan. Part of the power of the iron pan is its thickness and density which is why it acts as such an incredible heat sink. Also, most folks I've seen don't season those grill/griddles and wash them after use. Is it possible to season them like a cast iron pan? (i.e. basically never wash them but instead just scrub with some salt and them rub with oil)

OK - to answer my own question after some googling - seems that freezing fresh whole herbs is ok as long as they are patted dry and frozen in an airtight freezer bag with all the air pushed out.

Presumably, frozen dried herbs, same thing. Key is avoiding condensation - when removing from freezer, return to freezer quickly.

For spices, its more tricky, as the interaction between the oils and the freezer can do things. (Oils are primarily what give spices their flavor.)

Here's what the U. of Georgia's Center of Home Food Preservation says:

Pepper , cloves, garlic, green pepper, imitation vanilla and some herbs tend to get strong and bitter.

Onion and paprika change flavor during freezing.

Celery seasonings become stronger.

Curry develop a musty off-flavor.

Salt loses flavor and has the tendency to increase rancidity of any item containing fat.