A Cook’s Kitchen

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 Less 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:

*Wild Mushroom Risotto

*Tagliarelle with Truffle Butter

*Chicken Caesar Pasta

*Bucatini Pasta with Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs

*Spicy Chicken Tenders with Honey Mustard Sauce

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