Also see: Part II - Part III
Although the kitchenware industry would have you believe otherwise, it isn’t necessary to spend huge amounts of cash to stock your kitchen with the tools you need for cooking. Civilization, and more importantly, the culinary arts, has survived for centuries without the use of garlic pressers or $75 marble-lined, freezer-safe rolling pins.
Here’s a shortlist of cheap stuff that every kitchen should have (without spending a fortune to get!)
Wooden utensils. Wood is still used to build houses and produce pencils, why not kitchenware? Wood doesn’t heat up like metal does or melt like their plastic counterparts, and they’re cheap enough that if they break or burn, you can throw them out and buy new ones without spending a fortune.
- Wooden spoons are super-useful. I’ve seen decent wooden spoons at Wal-Mart and local dollar stores.
- Good wooden spatulas can be had for less than two bucks apiece. They’re useful for scraping bottoms of pots and pans, among other things.
Fine-mesh strainer. In my second rundown of the best OXO tools ever, I referenced an 8-inch fine-mesh strainer that I use regularly. As of 9/18/2007 it is $19.99, which is a bit expensive for one tool, but think of it this way; it does the job of a sifter, which usually costs about ten bucks, and it’s indispensable when making custards or straining chicken stock, which is priceless.
Food storage. Ziploc makes excellent screwtop containers that are about two bucks for three, and they’re just the right size for leftover onions and tomatoes. They stack nicely in the door of my fridge. I also love Glad’s gallon-sized storage containers, perfect for leftover stew or pasta, and they’re super-cheap.
Glass baking dishes. For about 10 bucks, you can get this great set of two Pyrex glass dishes that are perfect for a lasagna or casseroles. I even use them to steam water in the oven when I bake bread. Pyrex also makes awesome glass pie plates that are dirt-cheap and do the job well.
Hand mixer. Hamilton Beach makes a nifty little hand mixer that has a lot of power for its size and price, and has done well for me in combining cookie dough and whipping egg yolks. If you don’t already have one and you and you only need the convenience of a powered hand mixer occasionally, this is a good choice.
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March 2nd, 2008 at 5:51 am
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