A Cook’s Kitchen
Tuesday March 8, 2011

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Quality begets quality, so with the combination of killer skills in the kitchen to whip up a delicious dinner – sautéed mushrooms, a juicy top sirloin steak paired with roasted vegetables and an equally impressive glass of merlot – it is always helpful to have the right utensils.

Many people classify themselves as cooks or bakers. Some of us enjoy taking on both arts, however, today, I’d like to look at the necessary utensils and tools a successful cook’s kitchen should contain.  Below are a list of what works for me. Feel free to add on. I’d love to hear about what works for you.

1. Good quality cookware such as All-Clad, Le Creuset and Cuisinart.
Investing in the tools you use to cook will help cook foods more evenly and in this case, speed up the cleaning process. (small & medium saucepans, a large soup pot/Dutch oven, a small and large skillet with a lid and a tall pot for boiling pasta water)

2. Sharp quality knives
Barefoot Contessa uses WÜSTHOF knives. And always keep in mind that sharp knives are safe knives.  Amazingly enough, a dull knife can be more dangerous. I like to use Smith’s knife sharpeners – inexpensive, yet effective.

3. The Fewer Gadgets, the Better
For cooking purposes (for baking I would use a few other gadgets), a food processor –  a time saver, shortening lengthy prep time into seconds, a micro plane or box grater, a simple handheld lemon press, a blender.

4. Necessary Tools Within Reach
Rubber spatulas (heat-proof), measuring cups – liquid & dry ingredients, measuring spoons, tongs with rubber bottoms, a whisk, a sifter, a fine-mesh strainer, kitchen shears, wooden spoons, a colander, a large pasta fork/tong, a basting brush, a mini whisk

5. A Beautiful Set of Ceramic Mixing Bowls

6. A Stack of Half Sheet Pans

7. Aluminum Foil
To cover the meat and fish that come out of the oven or off the grill, allowing it to rest as to retain the juices and thus, the flavor.

8. Thermometers
An oven thermometer to make sure your oven really is at the correct temperature (makes an amazing difference) and an instant thermometer to test meats.

Now to complete your kitchen supply list, click here to view the list of supplies for a baker’s kitchen.
Some of my favorite recipes to cook:

 

9 thoughts on “A Cook’s Kitchen

  1. Wow that first picture is amazing! Dreamy….I do consider myself a cook and looove to cook. I also feel good quality dish towels is a must, a really nice cutting board, I have one marble heavy duty one and a thick wood one. And a cookbook holder, preferably a really pretty one right next to the range with a big holder for all my everyday cooking essentials….great post!
    stop by..doing an amazing giveaway, a pair of Murano handblown glass lamps..www.theenchantedhome.blogspot.com

  2. Totally agree with less gadgets the better – there are plenty of tools that are must haves so I always try to ignore the ancillary ones that aren’t really necessary. I find stainless bowls incredibly useful as well. And beautiful images!!

  3. Well, this is a post you can accurately describe as delicious! Going to print off the recipes (LOVE trying new recipes!) and the kitchens are so beautiful … I’ll take that first one, thank you. The photo with the lovely items on the silver tray is something that I do on my white carrera marble island … silver and the white of the island are so pretty together. Add some pretty pale pink blooms in a silver cup to the tray … and perfection! Happy Tuesday, Shannon.

  4. What a lovely selection of photographs! Although it does not fall in the category of “utensil” for me one of the best things my kitchen has is… the dishwasher! We do a lot of entertaining home and it makes things so much easier! Love your blog, Reyes XXX

  5. I love them all,as I love cooking, I am constantly planning what my ideal kitchen would be like. I could happily live with any of these.
    ps I have just discovered your blog, very nice reading

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