This is the second of five skills needed for developing an intuitive ability to cook. If you missed the reason why these skills are necessary for becoming an intuitive cook, you may want to READ THIS first.
Even if you don’t have the budget or the counter space, you can still cook good food. All you really need is a sharp knife, a cutting board, a big non-stick frying pan, and a wooden spoon to make some great meals.
Your Knife Is… Everything
If budget really is a major factor in acquiring what you need, my best suggestion would be to put what you can toward a good chef’s knife before spending on anything else. A chef’s knife (pictured here) will take on the brunt of the work that happens in your kitchen, and if it’s good and sharp, that work will take half as long, and use half the muscle. Surprisingly, a sharp knife causes far fewer injuries as well.
Do NOT buy any knife that comes enclosed in clear plastic. That is should be the first rule.
I definitely recommend Cutco knives (and other kitchen tools as well), primarily because they are great knives and stay sharp, but also because the company takes care of them, or replaces them for free… FOREVER! You can pass Cutco tools on to your kids and they will continue to offer these services.
If you decide to invest in a Cutco knife, you can contact my Rep, Neil Conroy. He may even offer a deal to Chaotic Kitchen readers.
Save Some Cash With Second Hand
Once you’ve got that one good, sharp knife, you can save a lot of money getting other tools second hand (eBay, flea markets, or goodwill are great sources) – things like baking dishes, measuring cups, pie plates, mixing bowls, and serving utensils don’t require any particular level of brand-newness. Some of my favorite kitchen tools are old pieces from my childhood — with all the memories that come along with them. Kitchens can be homes to old and new, and more charming to boot.
Two More Tools Where Good Quality Counts
Oh, and it might need saying, whether you’re buying new or used, look for good quality. Particularly with these simple items:
- Manual can opener (get one with a locking mechanism to save your wrists – no electric can opener necessary)
- Vegetable peeler
I’m pretty sure that ultimately, the cheap/crappy version of these two tools could bring civilization to its knees if allowed to prevail. We do a lot of housesitting, and I always pack my own knives when I can. If there isn’t a good vegetable peeler on-site, I promptly remove the forks from my eyes and buy one for the home.
A Word About Non-Stick Frying Pans
Since the chemicals used to create that beautiful non-stick surface are not so good for your health, be careful to keep them locked away from your food by keeping the pan free of scratches. And, it doesn’t seem to matter how much money you spend on a non-stick frying pan. The reviews for expensive ones have the same issues as the cheap ones:
- The surface is ruined easily by using metal utensils on it, and
- The pan itself is going to eventually warp, either inward, so liquids flow to the edges, or outward, so the pan doesn’t sit flat on the burner. This happens when the pan is heated or cooled too quickly (like putting it in cold water immediately after using it on the stove).
There are some pretty neat options for non-stick pans out there, all-in-one pans (like the Always Pan), and plenty that claim to be “scratch-resistant”. Buyer be wise: read the reviews. You could easily drop $150 on a frying pan only to have to replace it a year from now. My strategy is to just buy whatever decent non-stick pan (with lid) they have stocked at Target for $25, and then not be stressed out about replacing it when the surface is no longer safe to use.
An Assortment of Decent Kitchen Tools
If you’re looking for some basic, solidly decent and affordable kitchen tools, I’ve set up a list at Amazon. All the tools listed in “How to Plan, Shop, & Cook for Life” are listed there, and if you purchase anything from my list, Chaotic Kitchen will get a (very small) cut, at no additional cost.
Thinking About Investing More?
If you’ve got the bandwidth for a little extra investment in your kitchen, I’d suggest a food processor, which widens the range of what you can create, and the speed you can create it. A food processor can chop, mince, blend, slice, and grate all sorts of foods, and fast! If you’re making mac & cheese, a food processor can grate all the cheese you’ll need in about 5 seconds (and one less very tired arm). If you want to make coleslaw, slicing the cabbage in a food processor is the way to roll. Also, making thicker blended foods, like pesto or hummus is super fast and easy. You can even make your own homemade nut butters.
If you do any baking, a KitchenAid mixer is a huge help. I’d be way more buff if I didn’t have this very useful, time and arm-saving tool. For years I did fine with an electric hand-mixer for cookies, cakes, and frosting, but it’s pretty spectacular to be able to put ingredients into the bowl, turn on the mixer, and WALK AWAY while it does all the work. This mixer isn’t cheap, but I’ve had mine for 20 years, and it’s traveled with us through multiple moves and is still chugging along. I couldn’t do my yearly gingerbread cookies without it!
If you need other ideas regarding kitchen tools, I’ve got a fully stocked list of recommendations available at Amazon. (If you purchase any of these items by clicking my link, I will receive a small percentage of the sale, at no cost to you!)
Okay! Next stop, get to know your flavors!…
