These Are A Few of My Favorite Things...In the Kitchen

Success in the kitchen begins with having the right tools for the job. Here is my list of favorite things. Some of them are essential for every kitchen. Some are just essential to me. Please add your own favorite gadgets to the "Comments" section below.

1. An ABSOLUTE must for every kitchen is a good set of knives. It doesn't have to be a big set of knives but it should be a good set of knives. I do 98% of my cooking using only 3 knives. My favorite knife and the knife I probably use 75% of the time is my French knife. It's designed for chopping and slicing. Not great for de-boning but usually does the job. My next two favorite knives which are often interchangeable are my paring knife and a small serrated knife. The other 2% of the time I use a large serrated bread knife. It's perfect for a nice thick rustic loaf of bread or sweet moist challah. (Needless to say, it's not being used at all right now.)

The single most important quality in a good knife is it's ability to hold an edge.  An investment in a good knife is safer than an investment in the real estate market. My French knife and paring knife have survived 1 year in a professional kitchen and 22 more years in my home kitchen and they are both still in excellent shape. Pretty good return on my investment. When buying new knives, I think it's worth spending a little extra by going to a store that specializes in cutlery. They can answer your questions and suggest a knife that's right for you.

2. Along with some good knives, every kitchen should have a good steel. I own a diamond-studded steel and LOVE it. It does such a good job on my knives I only need to have them professionally sharpened once every couple of years. But remember: a steel doesn't do any good at all unless you remember to use it! When you're buying your knives at the fancy cutlery shop, ask them to give you a demo on how to use a steel properly. Even if you think you know how to use a steel, ask them for a demo. You may be surprised what you learn.

3. Every kitchen needs a good set of pots and pans. Some people like non-stick. Some don't. For me, it's important the pots are heavy enough to distribute heat evenly without "hot spots." I also like pans that can go from stove top to oven but usually that means metal handles which can burn. If you'd rather not worry about grabbing a hot pan handle, you probably want something with plastic handles. I think now they even have pots and pans with plastic handles that can withstand temps up to 400+ degrees but they're not in my price range. Important: when non-stick surfaces get scratched up, it's time to replace them

4.  I own a drip coffee machine and an espresso machine but the only coffee pot I ever use is my French press. It makes good coffee taste great and not-so-good coffee acceptable. When I travel I miss it. Hey, there's a product idea: a non-breakable traveler's coffee press. Just as important as the coffee pot, is the type of coffee. Please be sure to buy eco-friendly coffee: fair-trade, shade grown, organic or any combination of the above but that's the subject for another blog.

5. My new favorite gadget is a silicone strainer that I bought at Sur La Table. It's collapsible and fits right into the dishwasher. Then again I love most of the new silicone kitchen gadgets that are popping up such as the Silpat, a non-stick silicone pad one can place on a baking sheet.They're so easy to use and easy to clean. At the same time I bought the strainer, I also bought a silicone lid for my frying pans. Great for a fluffy omelet. Come to think of it, I just love Sur La Table! It's my favorite place to kill a little time and dream about all the things I'd love to own if only I had a kitchen three times the size. My version of heaven on earth.

6. Last but not least is my tea kettle. I don't know why it took me so long to find the perfect tea kettle. I didn't think I was asking for much: a kettle with an opening wide enough to reach in and clean it every now and then, a handle that wouldn't burn my hand, and a whistle. Needless to say, the quest began when I burned my old kettle to a crisp because it didn't have a whistle and then burned my hand to a crisp when I took it off the burner.  I don't drink a lot of tea unless I'm sick or, like this week, my furnace stops working when it's 19 degrees outside but I also boil water for my coffee and my MNS hot cocoa.