Food is Cheap

I covered Pyrex pie plates and baking dishes in a previous post, but haven’t made an in-depth list yet; Pyrex dishes are such invaluable tools that they warrant a quick run-down. Pyrex glass is used by space shuttles and far-range telescopes because of its shatter-resistant structure — and it lasts pretty darn long, too. At […]

Who woulda known that the best pan you’d ever own would cost less than twenty bucks? Cast iron skillets do it all — their heat retention and weight make them ideal surfaces for searing chicken or beef, they’re safe on a fiery hot range or in the depths of your trusty oven, they’re great for […]

Cook’s Illustrated has been an invaluable resource for me — not for it’s excellent recipes and guides, but for the equipment reviews that are posted in every issue. It’s a bi-monthly magazine, but there are more than enough recipes in every issue to last for the two months you’ll wait for the next issue.
Cook’s Illustrated is by the […]

I’ve seen many slow cookers sittin’ on top of refrigerators, a fine layer of dust collected on the lids — many people receive this magical household device with no idea how to use it. This is a sad state of affairs, to me, because slow cookers are indispensable tools.
I often cook chicken, beef, or hamburger stew in […]

Also see: Part I - Part II
 
Knives. The knife is perhaps the chef’s most oft-used kitchen tool, thus it makes sense to spend time on this purchase. Don’t buy knife block sets — you’ll get thirteen different matching knifes, none of them worthwhile to keep around the kitchen. Don’t spend too little – but don’t spend too […]

America’s Test Kitchen is an excellent show, and they have done a fine job with the Family Cookbook, which has been revised a number of times over the years.
I got this for a wedding gift, and I have to say, it’s been a very helpful reference in my kitchen. This cookbook deserves a spot right next […]

Also see: Part I - Part III
Wooden chopsticks can be bought in bulk packages and are great for impaling corn-on-the-cobs and corn dogs. They’re also good disposable handlers of raw meat, and instead of using plastic forks, include em with your bring-to-work/school lunches.
Using a knife honer is a good way to ensure that the edge on […]