The Kitchen Drawer
The Kitchen Drawer
Stocking a kitchen can be really fun. There are a few ways to begin. One is to look through a list like this one, check off what you need, then have a shopping spree. Another is a trial and error method. As you begin cooking, you'll quickly realize what your kitchen is missing. Believe me, the first way is better! When you want to make a pie crust and realize you have no rolling pin, it can put you off pie crusts forever. If you really want to save money, take some time to cruise garage and tag sales. You can find excellent cooking equipment for pennies if you are a savvy shopper.
This is the basic list for cooking beginners. There may be other items you want to add to it. That's just fine! As long as a kitchen utensil or tool works for you, and you use it, it's a good buy. Shop for quality over quantity, especially at first. I have several knives I bought 20 years ago, when I was first married, that are still going strong. You can do the same. Make sure to read Before You Buy, um, before you buy!
- KNIVES
- made of high carbon stainless steel
- 3 or 4" paring knife
- a serrated knife
- 8 or 10" chef's knife
- MEASURING CUPS AND SPOONS
- Various sizes, in metal and plastic
- Get at least two sets of each, so you're not continually washing them as you cook
- glass measuring cups with spout, for liquids
- SPOONS
- slotted spoon
- wooden spoons
- sturdy metal spoons
- Soup ladle
- MIXING UTENSILS
- Wire whisks in different sizes
- eggbeater
- SPATULAS
- straight spatulas
- angled handle spatulas
- rubber scraper spatulas
- SIEVES AND COLANDERS
- nested varying size sieves, in stainless steel (work as flour sifters too)
- steel or plastic colander
- POTS AND PANS
- 1, 2, 4, and 8-quart saucepans with covers
- 12" skillet with covers
- 6 or 8" nonstick skillet
- roasting pan
- two 9" round cake pans
- 9" square cake pan
- 9"x13" baking pan
- 9"x5" loaf pan
- 9" pie pan
- 12 cup muffin tin
- cooling racks
- two cookie sheets
- MISCELLANEOUS
- swivel-bladed vegetable peeler
- grater with various sized holes
- rolling pin
- can opener
- kitchen timer
- kitchen shears
- corkscrew
That will get you started. To see what I'd add to this list to have lots of cooking fun, see The Kitchen Drawer 2.
