-- Please discuss your kitchen hardware/tools/cooking utensils etc...

[Simply Red]

Hi Guys.

So in this thread I'd be interested in the following:

- newer tools that you use that are not as common

- common utensils that you have in the kitchen that are staples for your cooking.

- Old family treasure passed down to you - such as a special knife or something useful like that.

- A few more items you may consider discussing - Cutting-boards, knives (again), presses, spatula's, maybe pancake turners/spatula's.

- I'm okay with even going as far as spices in your spice-rack.



Lately I don't have a bunch to brag about - I did recently drop about $350 at Burlington Coat Factory (of all places) on cookware (I had nothing decent since the divorce) - they had a lot of unique things, one of my sautee skillets is ceramics and has the best handle for flipping pasta's (or whatever) - another thing I had discovered there was a really nice bacon press. I will get the brand-name a little later on this weekend.

I will add photo's over the weekend, hopefully.


I wanted the thread to drop tonight though, so please share anything that's cool, special or especially 'useful' for your throwing down in the kitchen.


Thanks guys.

Look forward to hearing about and/or seeing your gear.

[BucEyedPea]

I forgot all about my coconut scraper that I got at an Asian market. All you can get is the flaked at the supermarket and if you want to make nests out of coconut to decorate and toast you need those longer strands. It was less than a buck too. Can also use my lemon zester, the kind that makes spirals, but it doesn't work that well on coconut I found.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by lewdog

This is where all the rich people hang out, huh?

I substitute $$ for an eye for quality and the patience to wait until I find things I want at a bargain price. Rarely have I bought anything in the kitchen I own for more than 50% of MSRP.

[Just Passin' By]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I substitute $$ for an eye for quality and the patience to wait until I find things I want at a bargain price. Rarely have I bought anything in the kitchen I own for more than 50% of MSRP.

If you like Amazon

Amazon + Ookong = win

[lewdog]

Originally Posted by Just Passin' By

While you're paying for videos that you don't actually own, some people are saving up to buy items of a more permanent nature.

WTF are you talking about?

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I substitute $$ for an eye for quality and the patience to wait until I find things I want at a bargain price. Rarely have I bought anything in the kitchen I own for more than 50% of MSRP.

I have the same eye for quality, but not the patience. It's been in the past 5 years or so that I stopped buying crappy cookware, only to replace it. Now I buy a lot fewer items, but I spend more for the quality.

[BucEyedPea]

I have a digital scale from Oxo.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

I have a digital scale from Oxo.

Not sure what mine is. I have one that's standard, then a small one that can measure to milligrams for whenever I play around with chemicals (molecular gastronomy).

[kccrow]

I don't go all out on much... but my kitchen stocked full of shit haha.

I have Revere Ware Copper Bottom Pot set that are about 25 years old. Not sure of the quality of the new ones but you can't beat the old ones. I have 1, 2, 3, 4 qt and a double boiler.

I have 2 stainless stock pots, 8 qt and 12 qt.

Stainless colander. Set of 4 Stainless mixing bowls.

Got a cheap Wearever Teflon frying pan that's kinda large. 3 piece set of cast iron frying pans, can't beat cooking in them. 1 Stainless Wok. Cast iron Dutch oven.

3 piece set of Pyrex glass baking dishes also 4 piece set of Pyrex glass bowls for sides and whatnot.

KitchenAid Mixer with meat grinding attachment.

Let see... Got 2 Crock Pots, 1 Nesco cooker. 1 Turkey deep fryer.

Stainless baking sheets and a couple Teflon coated. A 9x13 Teflon cake pan. 1 Bundt cake pan.

Other than that, an assortment of wooden spoons, some stainless spatulas and spoons, a couple plastic for the Teflon shit... stainless measuring spoons and cups, Pyrex liquid measuring cups. That covers most of my essentials.

I don't really use much in the way of knives except a filet knife and a serrated bread knife. I do just about everything with the filet knife. Sharp edge. I can peel silver skin off of meat, cut tomatoes, de-bone, do everything. Call me odd, but most of my knives (Chicago Cutlery) just sit in the holder.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Baby Lee

I substitute $$ for an eye for quality and the patience to wait until I find things I want at a bargain price. Rarely have I bought anything in the kitchen I own for more than 50% of MSRP.

I watch for sales too. I go to the outlet stores when they have sales in Orlando. That's where I got a deal on my Wusthof knives and my Le Creuset dutch oven which is a French import.

Oh yeah, thinking of France, I have those baguette pans for making French baguettes. Only made once though.

[lewdog]

Surely when we need new kitchen shit in our house, I'll be plugging FMB's Private Message box. Dude knows his shit.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Totally spaced on my pressure cookers. One 6-quart that I use for meals, one 10-quart that I use for stock and the occasional canning session.

[BucEyedPea]

Originally Posted by Fried Meat Ball!

:doh: Totally spaced on my pressure cookers. One 6-quart that I use for meals, one 10-quart that I use for stock and the occasional canning session.

My mother bought me a pressure cooker when I got married among other things---but I NEVER used it. She told me if I did not use it right it would blow-up. So I never used it because that scared the shit out out of me. When I get busy in the kitchen I don't always pay attention to all areas.


Other Oxo tools: my egg beater. So I only have 3 Oxo's. My digital scale, mango cutter and egg beaters.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Fried Meat Ball!

I have the same eye for quality, but not the patience. It's been in the past 5 years or so that I stopped buying crappy cookware, only to replace it. Now I buy a lot fewer items, but I spend more for the quality.

My family spends a lot of time at flea markets, outlet stores, unclaimed freight, closeout aisles in big box stores, etc. Just have to be prepared for what you find.

Cuisinart processor - MSRP $250, paid $35
Kenmore Combi-oven - MSRP $350, paid $90
B&D can opener - MSRP $350, paid $1, yes $1.
Cuisipro utensils - MSRP $15-20, paid $3-5
same for various KitchenAid and Cuisinart utensils
Breville Rice Cooker - MSRP $100, paid $40
KitchenAid cookware - MSRP $40-50, paid $10-15
Even major appliances like my dishwasher and refrigerator/freezer were bought as displays or returns at significant savings.

etc. etc.

[Fire Me Boy!]

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

My mother bought me a pressure cooker when I got married among other things---but I NEVER used it. She told me if I did not use it right it would blow-up. So I never used it because that scared the shit out out of me. When I get busy in the kitchen I don't always pay attention to all areas.


Other Oxo tools: my egg beater. So I only have 3 Oxo's. My digital scale, mango cutter and egg beaters.

Old models could if they don't have a good pressure release, but newer models have that built in and are pretty fool proof (as far as safety is concerned).

Especially for stock making, I can't imaging using anything else. I'll put 4-6 quarts of homemade chicken jelly (stock with lots of collagen) in the freezer for any time I want to bump something up. I use boxed broth most of the time, but whenever I do something where the stock will really shine, like soup or risotto, I'll pull the homemade stuff out.

[Baby Lee]

Originally Posted by Fried Meat Ball!

Totally spaced on my pressure cookers. One 6-quart that I use for meals, one 10-quart that I use for stock and the occasional canning session.

Originally Posted by BucEyedPea

My mother bought me a pressure cooker when I got married among other things---but I NEVER used it. She told me if I did not use it right it would blow-up. So I never used it because that scared the shit out out of me. When I get busy in the kitchen I don't always pay attention to all areas.


Other Oxo tools: my egg beater. So I only have 3 Oxo's. My digital scale, mango cutter and egg beaters.

Ain't no corned beef and cabbage like pressure cooked corned beef and cabbage.

Great for speeding up dried beans too.