All the Gear You Need

In setting up my own kitchen, in my own house, I am considering what I need in my kitchen.  What I need is not the same as what I want, nor is it the same as what I have space to store when not in use.

I was lucky enough to have inherited 2 near-complete sets of silverware, so I do not need flatware or serving ware.  My dearest supplied his inherited dishes, and we have a complete service for 8.  We're ready to host dinner parties.

For the past year, I have been turning out reasonable meals with the following:

• paring knife
• bread knife
• medium saucepan
• dutch oven
• 8-inch non-stick skillet
• 12-inch non-stick skillet
• 3 cookie sheets
• 2-quart covered casserole
• 8x8 square cake pan
• 9x13 rectangular pan
• small pie plate
• shortbread mold
• dearest's loaf pan

I also have 2 sets of liquid measuring cups, 2 sets of dry measuring cups and 3 sets of measuring spoons, as well as a sifter, a set of mixing bowls, a rolling pin, a box grater, a supply of custard cups, a large cutting board, a small cutting board, and a teak cutting board made by my father-in-law which is too gorgeous to consider using.  Recently, I have purchased a pie plate and a muffin pan.  Dearest supplied an electric knife (still unused) and a hand mixer, which has gone above and beyond the call of duty to turn out cakes and cookies.  So my kitchen is, if not well-stocked, at least stocked well enough to turn out decent meals.  In terms of small kitchen electrics, aside from the hand mixer and a now-standard microwave, I have a rice cooker, as well as a slow-cooker and an electric pressure cooker, both gifts from my in-laws.  A Sunbeam Mixmaster stand mixer is the most recent addition to my kitchen.

I kept this inventory in mind when I was composing my list of kitchen essentials to help a poster on a message board I frequent.  She is registering for wedding gifts and asked for information on what she needed for her kitchen.  I considered her list of possibles and compared it with my list of necessities.  This is what I have found:

• Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer -- this is a must item according to most people, not just a stand mixer, but a Kitchen Aid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer, or better still the Kitchen Aid Professional Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer.  I agree, a stand mixer is a requirement for any well-stocked kitchen, but I do not like the Kitchen Aid model.  I prefer the retro-styled Sunbeam Mixmaster my mother has always used.  (Interestingly, this was the only item specified by brand name on the message board suggestions.)
• Electric waffle iron -- this is a luxury item in my opinion, but one I would like to have when my finances and kitchen allow.
• Electric ice cream maker -- again, this is a luxury item, but one I would like on my list.  Several people listed this as an available attachment to the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, but all listed it as a luxury item.
• Food Processor -- many people thought this was a necessity, I do not.  Everything a food processor can do, I can do with other equipment, most of which do not have the protect-myself-from-myself safety features that aggravate the heck out of me and waste the last inch to inch-and-a-half of whatever is being sliced/diced/shredded/otherwise processed.
• Immersion/Stick blender -- most people listed this as a luxury, but high on the want list.  I do not need one.
• Blender -- the general consensus was that if you had a food processor and a stick blender, you did not need a standard blender.  I think that a standard blender does the work of both, in only one machine.  This is a luxury item, but still high on my want list.
• Knives -- everyone agreed good quality knives are a must, and I concur.  I have found the knives I want -- a paring knife and an 8-inch chef's knife, and as soon as the budget allows, I'll invest in my dream knives.
• Non-stick skillets -- I agree with a poster who commented that non-stick skillets are great for eggs, crepes, and cheese.  I prefer standard stainless steel skillets for other cooking.  Eventually, I will add to my non-stick skillets with good quality stainless ones.
• Saucepans and stockpots -- everyone suggested either standard stainless or the current fad expensive French import Le Creuset enameled cast iron.  I agree.  I would love to stock my kitchen with the Revere Ware of my mother's kitchen, but I am actually looking at an All-Clad set, with saucepans and skillets in assorted sizes.
• Dutch oven -- some people rated this as a nice-to-have item, but I am of the opinion that it a kitchen necessity, either as a dutch oven or an oven-safe stockpot.  Stews, soups, chilis, and beans are best done in a pot that can take long low heat and not burn.  It's a need and I currently have one I like very much -- it's a light-in-weight, but heavy-duty non-stick oven-safe dutch oven with a heavy glass lid.  It has already been used more than I thought for everything from pasta to Carbonnade a la Flamande to red beans.
• Wooden spoons -- necessity.
• Locking tongs -- until I had a pair, I would have rated them as luxury.  Now, they are a necessity.
• Coffee maker -- the board consensus is that a coffee maker, especially of the currently popular Keuring variety is essential.  I disagree, but then I am not a big coffee drinker.  The Bialetti Moka Express we received as a wedding gift has been perfect for our needs, and with little counter space (do kitchens ever have enough counter space?), I don't need another machine to occupy valuable real estate.

To the list I would add a basic cook book -- my personal recommendation is Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book, you know the red & white plaid one that everyone's mother had; but if you can get it, get a copy of the version your mother used, newer versions do not have the meal planning tips and the recipes make use of more convenience products that may or may not be available.  I would also suggest a notebook and pencil to plan menus and make shopping lists.  My mother always planned menus for the month 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 inch three-subject spiral-bound notebook.  But I find planning menus is something that should be done old-school.  Most meal preparation is completed in old-school methods, the planning should be the same.

Over the past year, I realized just how much cooking and meal preparation I do with only basic, no-frills kitchen equipment.  You not need a room full of specialized brand-name equipment to create meals.  You can turn out a company-worthy meal just as well using Wal-Mart bargains as you can with Williams-Sonoma custom ware.