Mortgage the Farm - We're Going Shopping!
Feb 03 '00 (Updated Feb 04 '00)
Cookware For Beginners
Subtitle: Honey! Get Out The Fire Extinguisher!
Like everything else in this world, cookware changes style, form and, often, function as rapidly as the fads and fashion we embrace and discard. Over the years, I amassed a wide assortment of pots, pans, electrical appliances and single purpose items. As a gadget freak, I can hardly pass by a kitchen specialty shop without making a sharp turn through the doorway. As if by some alien force, I am drawn into the store’s nether reaches and rapidly become lost in all the wonderful and sometimes useless gizmos attractively displayed on pegs, shelves, and in enormous wicker baskets. If the moon and stars are in alignment, the most amazing items hang from wrought iron cages bolted to the ceiling for me to wistfully admire and covet.
For those fortunate enough to share my passion, I hope your kitchen affords enough storage space to house a fleet of Sherman Tanks. For me, the attic serves that purpose well since I cannot part with one single item that once appeared as a major find in my quest for the new, different, timesaving and critical object of the moment. Do not talk yard sales to me, dear reader, since parting with even one left-handed jar opener creates a void that causes sleepless nights. Does it have a good home? Is it appreciated? Does it get along well with the other utensils with which it shares a drawer? I plan to deal with these personality quirks on www.classicfreudiancase.com, not in this forum, thank you!
Before I am carried away with my lust for shiny objects, let me get to the meat of this review. (Notice, “meat” is another culinary reference; I am on topic and hot tonight!) Let me say, I do not recommend acquiring every new object touted on infomercials and in the chic 'Shoppes' catering to gourmet chefs. Produced for individual utility, many goods require some dexterity along with a degree in engineering to employ with any success. The following list of essential items for beginning cooks will perform most tasks required to prepare food and make clean up an afterthought, not a nightmare.
For the cook just starting out, I suggest purchasing:
· Kitchen Fire Extinguisher – Consider this and a smoke detector your first and most important purchases. Most home fires start in the kitchen and a fire extinguisher can save your life and the lives of those you love. Stores offer several varieties for different purposes; look for models specifically made for kitchen and grease fire use. Experts on these safety items posted reviews about the specifics on the Epinions site. When in doubt, call your local fire department for advice on what type you need to purchase. Do not forget to check it monthly as per the manufacturer’s directions.
· The Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook – For a first foray into cooking, this book is indispensable. I received this cookbook as a wedding present many years ago and still refer to the dog-eared, washable pages within for tips and recipes. The editors update the collection every few years which means information regarding food substitutions, low fat and other diets is fairly current. This book also provides some wonderful recipes for those with more time-served in the kitchen. Personally, I am doing life on the installment plan, with no possibility of parole.
· Cutting Boards – Note, boards is plural and that means purchase two in different sizes. While the idea of an over-the-sink model with rubberized extension rods sounds enticing, most of the chopping, slicing and dicing will not happen beneath the faucet. Look for a large (10” x 14”) board for slicing meat and let it double as a hot plate on your counter. A smaller board (8” x 12”) with a comfortable handle works well when chopping, dicing and transferring vegetables to a bowl or a steaming pot on the stove. I look for cutting boards with embedded antibacterial properties and do not recommend buying wooden cutting boards, as they tend to absorb juices and bacteria. My old wood boards serve as decoration, nothing more. Most major chain discount department stores carry quality man-made cutting boards at extremely reasonable prices. Just remember, disinfect all sides of the board after each use with a mild bleach and water solution containing a minimum of two-percent chlorine bleach.
· Cutlery – For the novice cook a complete set of expensive Henckels, Chicago Cutlery or Wusthof knives is overkill. If you can afford the best, buy the set of your dreams. Purchasing high quality cutlery is an investment that will last a lifetime if you take proper care. I suggest reading various reviews on Epinions to get a feel for the different features each manufacturer offers before making a purchase. Look for forged high-carbon stainless steel blades with full tang (the tang is the portion of the metal that continues through the handle and to which the handle is attached) and a comfortable handle with a good fit for your hand. If the knife feels like an extension of your hand, with good balance, buy it. One good paring knife, serrated bread knife and chef’s knife will serve most basic purposes. The manufacturer usually recommends their brand of sharpener to maintain the sharpest edge. Avoid discount off-brand knives; even the premier cutlery manufacturers sell less expensive cutlery lines that will serve you well. Kitchen shears and a set of steak knives round out the collection of must have cutlery.
· Utensils – Basic kitchen tools include:
Wooden spoons
Metal tongs
Spatulas in assorted shapes and sizes
Solid and slotted spoons
Large and small ladles
Chef’s fork
Manual eggbeater
Wire whip (whisk)
Scrapers (also called spatulas)
Large strainer or colander
Small strainer
Cheese slicer and grater
Garlic Press (Thank you gogigantes!)
Potato peeler
Basting brush and bulb baster
Bottle opener
Manual can opener
Measuring cups and spoons
Ice cream scoop
Glass and/or stainless steel mixing bowls
2-cup Pyrex measuring cup for liquids
Thick oven mitts and potholders
Dishcloths and sponges for quick clean up jobs
Depending upon the cookware purchased, choose compatible utensils. Metal spatulas and spoons destroy the finish on most non-stick cookware. High-quality nylon or Teflon utensils work well on both metal and non-stick surfaces.
· Covered Kitchen Trash Receptacle – I know it is a no-brainer but this falls under the necessity category. Going overboard on the size will end up costing you time (cleaning) and money (tall kitchen can bags). When shopping for a kitchen trash can, take a plastic grocery bag along for the ride. (They don’t get out much.) Buy a can with a separate a pop-up lid for hands free use. Try fitting the grocery bag into several models and choose the one that matches best in size. Not purchasing liners will save you money and consider the fact that recycling grocery bags helps save the environment.
· Small Electrical Appliances – What fun, I love this category! Initially, most new cooks need a toaster or toaster oven, electric coffee maker (drip or percolator) and electric hand mixer. Items that fall under the “nice to own” heading include: waffle iron; electric can opener; electric skillet; blender; food processor; sandwich maker and grill; hand blender; stand mixer; coffee grinder and crock pot. (Thank you happy2000usa, I forgot about the crock pot!) Please read trusted members’ reviews to get some idea of which brands live up to their claims and which to avoid.
· Pots and Pans – The options are endless and the manufacturers have thought of everything to entice the shopper into making some outlandish decisions. A starter set of any medium or high quality cookware should include:
8-inch and 10-inch frying pans (non-stick surface)
2-quart and 3-quart sauce pans
5 or 6 quart Dutch oven
Covers that fit all of the above (usually the Dutch oven lid fits the 10-inch frying pan and the 2-quart sauce pan lid should fit the 8-inch frying pan)
In addition, for baking, roasting and broiling:
Two eight or nine-inch round cake pans
Two cookie sheets
Two pie pans (plates)
Spring form pan(s)
Non-stick broiling pan
1˝ and 2-quart Pyrex or Corning Ware casseroles with lids
9” x 13” x 2” roasting/sheet cake pan
7” x 11” x 2” roasting pan
8” x 8” square baking pan (think brownies!)
Roasting pan with rack and lid
Look for cookware made specifically to work with your stovetop. With smooth top ranges, the options are few, choose flat bottomed stainless steel or aluminum pans, not copper based or ridged pans of any sort and never use glass cookware on this type of cooking surface. With electric and gas ranges, there is a great variety of cookware to choose from and something in the mid-price range should be sufficient. Try to avoid the discount store off-brands of cookware. Better brands offer solid construction along with even heating (often from an inner core of aluminum sandwiched between the base layers) which helps make a better cook out of anyone, even me! The newer non-stick coatings afford durability and with some brands, the option to use metal utensils. Look for stovetop cookware with the ability to go into the oven at 350°, making browning or final baking steps a simple task with one less pan to wash.
Consider acquiring one or two conventional pans (stainless steel or aluminum without non-stick coating) for certain dishes that do not benefit from the slick surface of Teflon, Silverstone or other non-stick coatings. The choice of non-stick or conventional cookware is a matter of taste but my suggestion for new cooks is go with the non-stick cookware until the process is second nature to you. Burnt foods peel off of the non-stick coatings; metal-interior pans require long soaks and plenty of elbow grease to make the mistake disappear.
If you read this far, you deserve a medal. My final words of advice are: get the best quality you can afford and do not try to get everything at once. You can save money, buying sets of cookware, cutlery and utensils; you simply need to research your purchases before heading out the door. Epinions is a great source of inside information on the actual utility of most product types mentioned in this review. Benefit from other members’ labors and read several opinions on each product. Do not forget to visit manufacturers’ sites to find which ones offer the best prices, current rebates and sales on the products you are interested in owning.
My better half refuses to go up into the attic to retrieve my gadgets so once you get a handle on the art of cooking, invite me over for dinner, please! I promise to bring the wine and one of my famous cheesecakes for dessert. Happy shopping, cooking and dining!
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Epinions.com ID:
pogomom
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 in Home and Garden |
 - Top 200 |
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Reviews written: 193
Trusted by: 728 members
About Me:
Web/puter person who, disguised as mild-mannered Pogomom, offers unsolicited opinions to all she encounters.
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