Question: What tools would you consider essential for your kitchen?

June 30, 2010

Answers

Gina Marie Barone's picture

8 inch "kitchen knife", pairing knife and a wine key! The short list.

Chris Paulk's picture

Extra large baking sheets, parchment paper, good knives, mortar & pestle, kitchen sheers, Oxo extra long tongs.

natasha's picture

Chef knife, pairing knife, cutting board, wine key, cast iron skillet and a thermomix

Jameson Fink's picture

8 or 9" chef knife #1. Everything else pales in comparison.

A good, sturdy cutting board. I love a 1/2 sheet pan for roasting vegetables. Stick blender. Good, I mean good, vegetable peeler. Dough cutter for scooping up sliced vegetables. Fine mesh sieve. Stainless steel frying pan for searing meat then finishing in oven. (Cast iron is a fine suggestion as well.) A good meat thermometer. Oven thermometer. Parchment paper.

tanya bones's picture

small grater or rasp for zesting or grating spices (like nutmeg!),
a good quality chicken stock (homemade or not),
parchment paper (no stick + no clean up!),
a thermometer,
a ceramic paring knife (cuts like butter),
sea salt in a salt grater,
mixed pepper in a grater (not just black = more flavour! the pink ones aren't technically pepper, but they are delicious!)
Parmesan cheese,
a ziplock bag of frozen toasted pecans!
Lots of plastic cutting boards to avoid cross contamination without having to wash between foods. (I have tons in different sizes and throw them in the dishwasher!)

dave's picture

8" chef's knife
cutting board
lg.baking sheet
kitchen aid mixer & food processor
cast iron dutch oven & skillet
calphalon skillet & sauce pan

Caitlin's picture

A salt and pepper grinder. A blender. Knife fork and spoon. Chopsticks, they are fun to try and eat ice cream with! :)

Curt's picture

I consider every tool in my kitchen as an essential. Each one has its own specific use. The tools I use the most are my 5" paring knife, 3" birds beek knife, 7" serrated utility knife and 11" serrated bread knife. I also like my Cusinart food processor, Kitchen Aid mixer, 8" teflon saute pan, bamboo steamer, braun stick blender and vegetable peeler. Keep in mind that I have neary every gadget, tool and piece of equipment used in the kitchen.

Sara Beth's picture

Restaurant-quality cooking tongs (without the clasp!), Great-grandfather's cast iron skillet collection, French saute pan, Cutco knife set, mise en place cups and my spatula!